Balloon Boy Busts Parents

[NotUrsula]

News is saying that the helicopters alone were $14,500 .

I am wondering if there are laws about launching a balloon like this in to airspace? I would think this could be very dangerous if it got into flight paths? Maybe they balloon got away from them and the Dad was afraid that he would be in big legal trouble for it so they quickly concocted this story hoping that the sympathy would keep them out of trouble.

Oh, yes, there are laws, and the FAA has already said it intends to investigate with an eye to fining them for it. There is precedent, too: a man named Larry Walters tied weather balloons to a lawn chair in 1982 and ended up flying over Los Angeles for quite some time. The FAA fined him $4K for the flight. Here's the story: http://www.snopes.com/travel/airline/walters.asp

In this case, because the person allegedly responsible for releasing the balloon was a child, the FAA may just give them a warning, but I rather doubt it. It sounds like it wasn't properly tethered, and unless Dad has all the paperwork for a permit application, he's probably going to be held responsible for some kind of fine. After all, they had to ground-stop Denver International for a little while because of the balloon's presence in the air traffic corridor.

 

[moon]

I feel most people are to quick to condemn these people.

I saw Falcon last night on LKL saying the bit about "the show", but I could mean anything.

Mr Heene (sp) is an unpleasant man, creepy even, and they are a strange family, but maybe, just maybe they are innocent.

The authorities believe them, and they are trained for this, so -for now- I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt.

 

[blissventure]

Just curious.

If he is so unbelievable, how in the world did he fool an entire kitchen full of cops, a profession that can spot a liar in a heartbeat, for an entire day?

The cops are convinced the parents didn't fake it.

I don't know what to believe.

The parents are weird enough that it is completely believable that they would try a stunt like this.

However, they also don't appear smart enough or good enough actors, as evidenced by their interviews, to completely con our outstanding law enforcement officers.

Ummm...the cops aren't going to say what they REALLY thought when the call came in. What they will do is show up, and do everything in their power to help find an (apparently) missing child. There will be all the time in the world to investigate what the actual circumstances were (should the call be a hoax) later on. Smart investigators say little, and listen plenty. (And they will be watching all the TV tapes....)

 

[sbell111]

I don't expect police to be mind readers or walking lie detectors. In the case of a missing child, I expect them to follow the leads that they find. In this case, that means that they first chase down an empty balloon. Later, they can do a methodical investigation of what really happened.

 

[5lilfish]

Ummm...the cops aren't going to say what they REALLY thought when the call came in. What they will do is show up, and do everything in their power to help find an (apparently) missing child. There will be all the time in the world to investigate what the actual circumstances were (should the call be a hoax) later on. Smart investigators say little, and listen plenty. (And they will be watching all the TV tapes....)

Actually, they did:

Sheriff Jim Alderden told ABC's "Good Morning America," on Friday: "Obviously, with some of the interviews that took place in the media last night, additional questions came up, so we will be contacting them again this morning. Hopefully, they'll be cooperative, and we do intend to pursue additional interviews."

But he said "very seasoned investigators who are used to looking for deceptive behavior" spoke with the family Thursday and were "completely convinced that this was a real deal, and not a hoax, based on all of their communication, their body language, their emotions that were displayed throughout the event of yesterday."

Jess

 

[KristinBelle]

I watched this family when they were on wife swap and as soon as they aid who the boy was I figured it was a hoax. I think they'd do just about anything to get back on TV.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I feel most people are to quick to condemn these people.

I saw Falcon last night on LKL saying the bit about "the show", but I could mean anything.

Mr Heene (sp) is an unpleasant man, creepy even, and they are a strange family, but maybe, just maybe they are innocent.

The authorities believe them, and they are trained for this, so -for now- I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt.

With all due respect, they "believed" Susan Smith as well.

Just b/c the authorities are saying they believed them, doesn't exonerate them until an investigation is complete.

Are they innocent of committing a hoax--sure, they could be.

But just b/c at this time the authorities are saying they believed them yesterday--doesn't mean they actually did nor does it mean they believe them today.

 

[TLHB70]

The little boy looks like he really felt ill this morning and sounded like he was--but am I the only one who finds it odd that when he was asked at the begining of the interveiw how he felt he said "Good--SO FAR" what an unusual way for a 6 year old to answer that question.

Wow. I completely forgot about him saying that until I just read your post. I did think it was a strange answer; Diane Sawyer even joked about that answer. Hmmmm......then he got sick as soon as she asked him about the Larry King show.

 

[TiggerTails57]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2HoqRIAwkps

Part 1

 

[dispor]

The little boy looks like he really felt ill this morning and sounded like he was--but am I the only one who finds it odd that when he was asked at the begining of the interveiw how he felt he said "Good--SO FAR" what an unusual way for a 6 year old to answer that question.

Good -- until that "syrup of something" that my Dad gave me kicks in.

 

[blissventure]

Actually, they did:

Sheriff Jim Alderden told ABC's "Good Morning America," on Friday: "Obviously, with some of the interviews that took place in the media last night, additional questions came up, so we will be contacting them again this morning. Hopefully, they'll be cooperative, and we do intend to pursue additional interviews."

But he said "very seasoned investigators who are used to looking for deceptive behavior" spoke with the family Thursday and were "completely convinced that this was a real deal, and not a hoax, based on all of their communication, their body language, their emotions that were displayed throughout the event of yesterday."

Jess

And that is exactly what I would expect them to say. We don't know what the police and investigators actually believed. Your quote is just the standard line...as mentioned above, remember Susan Smith?

If the parents had any part of intent to hoax, extend a hoax, or misuse police resources, they may have a little legal/financial "surprise" coming.

 

[moon]

With all due respect, they "believed" Susan Smith as well.

Just b/c the authorities are saying they believed them, doesn't exonerate them until an investigation is complete.

Are they innocent of committing a hoax--sure, they could be.

But just b/c at this time the authorities are saying they believed them yesterday--doesn't mean they actually did nor does it mean they believe them today.

No. IIRC, they always suspected she was lying.

 

[5lilfish]

And that is exactly what I would expect them to say. We don't know what the police and investigators actually believed. Your quote is just the standard line...as mentioned above, remember Susan Smith?

If the parents had any part of intent to hoax, extend a hoax, or misuse police resources, they may have a little legal/financial "surprise" coming.

Investigators were suspicious of Susan Smith from the beginning. Her story did not make a lot of sense to them (for example...small child asking to go to Walmart at 7:30pm)...and every time they asked her a question, she would give them a different answer. Naturally, they searched for the boys. They were missing...but they did not believe her. They began investigating her almost immediately.


Jess

 

[TiggerTails57]

http://www.breitbart.tv/balloon-boy-vomits-during-live-interview-on-today-show/

If you don't want to watch the whole interview slide bar 101-106

Nice, and they kept taping.......

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

There's no basket on the balloon.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/33342538#33342538

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

No. IIRC, they always suspected she was lying.

But the public did not know that until later--which is the point.

 

[blissventure]

Investigators were suspicious of Susan Smith from the beginning. Her story did not make a lot of sense to them (for example...small child asking to go to Walmart at 7:30pm)...and every time they asked her a question, she would give them a different answer. Naturally, they searched for the boys. They were missing...but they did not believe her.

Jess

Ummm...The police took her report at face value ("believed her") and immediately searched like crazy. Trust me, police NEVER say out loud, in the initial search, "This case stinks to high heaven." They are firm that they do believe, especially when a child is involved. They aren't under oath when they make these statements.

They know the truth will eventually come out. Either the report is true, or it's a hoax. The authorities will never go on record as saying from the get-go, "We aren't sure whether or not the caller is a liar."

 

[Aisling]

I just heard the 911 call the parents made. Either they're GREAT actors/liars, or they really were out of their mind with worry. It sounded very convincing.

 

[5lilfish]

Ummm...The police took her report at face value ("believed her") and immediately searched like crazy. Trust me, police NEVER say out loud, in the initial search, "This case stinks to high heaven." They are firm that they do believe, especially when a child is involved. They aren't under oath when they make these statements.

They know the truth will eventually come out. Either the report is true, or it's a hoax. The authorities will never go on record as saying from the get-go, "We aren't sure whether or not the caller is a liar."

They searched like crazy because the boys WERE missing...regardless of whether they believed how/why they were missing. BUT...they began investigating Susan and asking her the same questions over and over again, pretty much right from the beginning. To the best of my knowledge, they did not tell the media, that their experts found her to be credible and show honest emotions or that they believed her.

Jess

 

[TiggerTails57]

I just heard the 911 call the parents made. Either they're GREAT actors/liars, or they really were out of their mind with worry. It sounded very convincing.

Where did you hear it?