Balloon Boy Busts Parents

[Aisling]

Where did you hear it?

FOXNews. They play it like every half hour or so when they go back to the topic. It might be on their website.

 

[MineMail]

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

LOL - I thought the same thing - Ipecac! Sorry, if it were my kid and he was feeling ill, I would have cancelled the interview.

I thought these were poorly-behaved children, yet they were sitting very still (at least the older boys) throughout the interviews. They didn't interrupt or fidget. Interesting behavior since the story is that one of the older boys made the claim that Falcon was onboard when the balloon took off. You'd think he'd be excited to tell his side of the story.

FWIW, in looking at the takeoff video, there's no way I would think that balloon could float a child. It just doesn't look large enough to contain enough helium.

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."

Exactly - the authorities start out treating this as a real crisis, even when they aren't sure if the story is true or false. They did the absolute correct thing in this situation.

The investigators who check out the facts later take their time, watch all the interviews, and talk to everyone again (separately) after the drama is over. When a hoaxer thinks they've gotten away with things, they often trip themselves.

 

[blissventure]

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

You're probably never going to see every police department in each state give exactly identical statements.
If you want to believe the Colorado police had NO suspicions, that's OK. I disagree.
If you want to believe Balloon Boy's parents aren't under any investigation, that's OK. I disagree.

Plenty of police/rescue hours and $$$$$ were used in this situation. The police and investigators will see if there is specific evidence of a hoax. If so, the authorities along with (I would think) the DA will need to decide how they want to proceed. They will have a variety of legal options--and then let the courts decide.

If it turns out the parents were innocent of any part of a hoax, great. I'm OK with waiting and seeing what finally comes out.

 

[Becky2005]

Exactly - the authorities start out treating this as a real crisis, even when they aren't sure if the story is true or false. They did the absolute correct thing in this situation.

As I think it should be because you never know. The quote "truth is stranger than fiction" came from somewhere and as bizarre as some things may be, I bet not all of them are hoaxes.

I'd rather them err on the side of taking the information at face value at first than assume "this is so bizarre it can't possibly be real" and blow it off to find out it wasn't a hoax at all and as bizarre as whatever XYZ might be, that's really what happened.

I don't know in this case...things are pointing to a hoax and I'm assume that's when the investigators look more carefully at everything once the main crisis is dealt with.

 

[pansmermaidzlagoon]

the dad's reaction at the end of the Today show interview nailed it for me. He clearly looks like someone who is watching it all fall apart..he knows the gig is up and he is losing control of the situation.

just IMHO!

 

[TiggerTails57]

I think if this was planned the 'Dad' would have dyed his roots, as vain as he is. just my 2 cents.

 

[hichewlova]

The whole thing is just so disturbing. I mean I was like terrified that some kid was going to come falling out of a balloon and then his parents' reaction/behavior is just appalling.

 

[sunnyday123]

Did he ever answer Diane Sawyer when she asked about the basket that the kid was in that was never attached to the balloon? They had said originally that it had fallen off the balloon or something like that.

 

[C.Ann]

Another thing that seems a bit odd is that during this "frantic search" in and around the house, the attic of the garage was not searched..

Why? Because the dad told the police not to.. Evidently there is a "pole" that goes up to the attic and dad told the police that the attic was "child proof"..

When Falcon was asked how he got into the attic of the garage, he replied, "I went up the pole.."

 

[pixiewings71]

I honestly don't know what to think, I can't watch video links at work but I did see the interview clip where Falcon said "it was for the TV show". Anyway, I just wondered, if the authorities prove it was a hoax will they charge the Heen family for the rescue mission that was attempted? Because if it was a hoax I honestly think they should pay for all ther emergency services that they used.

 

[MaumeeMom]

They are on Good Morning America right now. The kid conveniently got sick just as Diane asked him what he meant last nite on Larry King. I wonder if the parents drugged the kid.

OMG one of my first thoughts was that he got into rat poison when they had him stashed in the attic.

PARTIAL
I can't imagine a mother not jumping up when her child is sick and going off to vomit! Especially the day after supposedly believing the day before that she might lose him (yeah, sure) as he floated off in a balloon.

Exactly, I thought that was strange too.

I think if this was planned the 'Dad' would have dyed his roots, as vain as he is. just my 2 cents.

Funny!

The whole thing is strange. The more I see the family in various interviews the more inclined I am to agree that it is a hoax. At one time the father said he first called the FAA and they told him to call 911. The FAA?!? Really, does he have them on speed dial or did he take the time to find the number as his kid floated over Colorado?

I was glued to the tv yesterday and once that thing landed, I couldn't breath until they said it was empty. As a mother, I was terrified for that child. If this does turn out to have been a hoax, I hope that they are charged for child endangerment or something.

 

[brockash]

The more I see/hear about this story, the less I believe it was a hoax. The Sheriff's office seems convinced it was not. I think the family is odd and the Dad seems like a complete controlling jerk, and I definetely don't agree with their parenting, but I do think the incident was "legitiment." When I first saw the interview on LKL, I was like are you kidding???? but then when I thought about it; my ds (7) says off the wall stuff and gets confused easily as well, and he's never been through anything like that 6 year old. Like I said, I think the family is really "off,"- (example- nor mom or dad helping the child at all when he got sick) and not ppl. I would want to be associated with and after seeing the "music video" on youtube they made; it really makes me question the welfare of the kids, but I think this incident was legit.

 

[luvmy3]

Forgive me if this has been asked already but its been bugging me since I watched the GMA clip.

When the balloon went up and the Dad had his little tantrum is that when it took off supposedly with the boy inside? The said that they went in for "a break" when it went up, but if it was already in the air how exactly did Falcon climb under it and his brother see him while the parents went in for their break

 

[Mickey's Minion]

Sheriff Alderman just concluded a press conference to dispel myths that this is a hoax.

He once again stated that they believed the family. They conducted a forensic interview with Falcon (without parents present) and are convinced the story went down as happened.

However, they are planning on reinterviewing the family tomorrow due to media concerns about some of the interviews.

Sheriffs don't hold press conferences specifically to dispel myths of a hoax unless they really do believe the family.

If they were investigating the family, they would just say that interviews were continuing to resolve the issue.

"We were convinced yesterday after talking to the parents and having investigators on scene that the parents were being honest with us," he said. "If anyone saw some of the media interviews after the boy came out, it is very evident that the boy is very hyperactive to say the least. The suggestion that the boy was told by the parents to hide was inconceivable."

None-the-less, Alderden says the sheriff's office will conduct additional interviews with the family.

"[We are] going back to family [to] interview [them] to see if this is a hoax or a real event. We believe it is a real event," he said.

There is no need to publicly proclaim that they believe it a real incident if they don't really believe it, that would just make them look like fools. If they were "under the umbrella of suspicion" (popular Colorado wording - Jon Benet), they would say so.

 

[Liberty Belle]

Sheriff Alderman just concluded a press conference to dispel myths that this is a hoax.

He once again stated that they believed the family. They conducted a forensic interview with Falcon (without parents present) and are convinced the story went down as happened.

However, they are planning on reinterviewing the family tomorrow due to media concerns about some of the interviews.

Sheriffs don't hold press conferences specifically to dispel myths of a hoax unless they really do believe the family

So interesting. I guess all we can do is trust the authorities. Perhaps the parents are just that strange and that's why they come across as dishonest. There are still a few questions I have and maybe they'll be answered in the new interviews/news conferences.

 

[C.Ann]

Sheriff Alderman just concluded a press conference to dispel myths that this is a hoax.

He once again stated that they believed the family. They conducted a forensic interview with Falcon (without parents present) and are convinced the story went down as happened.

However, they are planning on reinterviewing the family tomorrow due to media concerns about some of the interviews.

Sheriffs don't hold press conferences specifically to dispel myths of a hoax unless they really do believe the family.

If they were investigating the family, they would just say that interviews were continuing to resolve the issue.

"We were convinced yesterday after talking to the parents and having investigators on scene that the parents were being honest with us," he said. "If anyone saw some of the media interviews after the boy came out, it is very evident that the boy is very hyperactive to say the least. The suggestion that the boy was told by the parents to hide was inconceivable."

None-the-less, Alderden says the sheriff's office will conduct additional interviews with the family.

There is no need to publicly proclaim that they believe it a real incident if they don't really believe it, that would just make them look like fools. If they were "under the umbrella of suspicion" (popular Colorado wording - Jon Benet), they would say so.

"[We are] going back to family [to] interview [them] to see if this is a hoax or a real event. We believe it is a real event," he said.

--------------------------------------------

Did they happen to address this?

Another thing that seems a bit odd is that during this "frantic search" in and around the house, the attic of the garage was not searched..

Why? Because the dad told the police not to.. Evidently there is a "pole" that goes up to the attic and dad told the police that the attic was "child proof"..

When Falcon was asked how he got into the attic of the garage, he replied, "I went up the pole.."

Wouldn't a thorough search by trained professionals have included the attic of the garage - regardless of what the dad said?

 

[blissventure]

Sheriff Alderman just concluded a press conference to dispel myths that this is a hoax.

He once again stated that they believed the family. They conducted a forensic interview with Falcon (without parents present) and are convinced the story went down as happened.

However, they are planning on reinterviewing the family tomorrow due to media concerns about some of the interviews.

Sheriffs don't hold press conferences specifically to dispel myths of a hoax unless they really do believe the family.

If they were investigating the family, they would just say that interviews were continuing to resolve the issue.

I watched the broadcast. Just to be clear, he discussed possible charges more than once during that presser. I'm a skeptic about the parents, and even I was surprised at how specific and how often he was comfortable speculating on charges. He also said they would seek financial restitution for the search if it was shown that there was intent/hoax. We'll just have to see what the investigators decide to follow up on, and where it goes from there. Sounds like LE wants interviews with the family tomorrow. (Saturday.) They were going to call the fam today to arrange them.
My opinion only, but I think if he truly believed there wasn't something rather stinky here, he would have refused to discuss any possible charges/financial restitution at all at this time.

 

[Mickey's Minion]

--------------------------------------------

Did they happen to address this?

Another thing that seems a bit odd is that during this "frantic search" in and around the house, the attic of the garage was not searched..

Why? Because the dad told the police not to.. Evidently there is a "pole" that goes up to the attic and dad told the police that the attic was "child proof"..

When Falcon was asked how he got into the attic of the garage, he replied, "I went up the pole.."

Wouldn't a thorough search by trained professionals have included the attic of the garage - regardless of what the dad said?

In the news conference, Alderden addressed concerns that responding authorities had not thoroughly searched the home.

"[We] searched the house three times... went into crawl spaces [but] did not search the one where the boy was hiding," he told a group of reporters.

"Personnel didn't think it was possible for the boy to get there," he added in regards to the space where Falcon spent nearly five hours hiding.

Really, let's get real. If the police had any inkling that this was a hoax while they were there during the day, do you really think they would have listened to the dad if he said "don't go up there?" If they were any kind of cops, if they suspected the parents, they would see that as a red flag and would have immediately gone up there.

Alderman says it was the search team who made the decision that they thought a boy could not get up there.

 

[Geoff_M]

I was skeptical of the hoax claim yesterday, but now I'm convinced. I was surprised when I saw how small the craft was when it landed in the field (versus when the TV chopper was following it aloft). It was also interesting when I later heard a caller to a radio show say that he did the math and a cylinder of the helium of the reported size of the craft (20 ft in diameter, 5 ft tall) would only have a lifting power of about 8 lbs. Way too little for even a toddler. I just looked it up myself, and get the same result*. As they inflated it, and tied it off, they would have known what the "pull" of the craft was.

In the new video given the unstable wobble of the craft as it's taking off there's clearly no weight at the bottom of the balloon. It's basically a free floating "gas bag".

There's no way the family would have thought that their craft would have had nearly enough lift to carry their son up into the air, and the way the craft acted as it went into the air should have left no doubts.

* = I found that a large child's balloon (about 14 liters in size) will lift 1 gram. A cylinder with 20ft diameter and 5ft height is 1,571 cubic feet or 45,300 liters. That's 3,236 grams of lift... or about 7.11 lbs!

Update, I want to correct myself here... I read an article too fast and got a couple of numbers mixed up when I posted the above numbers. Helium's lifting power at sea-level is around 1 gram per liter. So if the balloon had been a complete 20'x5' cylinder it would have had enough lift (not subtracting the weight of the balloon material, internal frame, rigging, basket, etc.) of about 90 lbs. at sea-level.

However, the volume of the Colorado balloon was much smaller than that of a full cylinder. A better calculation would be to treat the balloon as two cones sandwiched together at their bases that would more resemble a "flying saucer". Two such cones with a 10 foot radius and a 2.5 foot height would have a volume of 524 cubic feet or 14,838 liters. That's only 14.8 kgs or about 32 lbs of lift... again, before subtracting for the weight of the craft materials.

The Mythbuster video I posted a couple of pages later here does a better job of showing what the needed volume of helium to lift a small(er) child really looks like.

 

[Mickey's Minion]

Alderden also discussed rampant speculation that the helium-filled balloon, which Richard Heene says was an experimental floating vehicle, could not have supported the weight of the young boy.

He said authorities contacted experts at Colorado State University who determined a balloon of its size could, in fact, carry a payload of up to 80 pounds.

"We did contact a professor at CSU with the expertise to determine the payload and lift (of the balloon) and he informed us that a balloon of that size would handle a payload of 80 pounds. The boy weighed 37 pounds, so it remains conceivable that a boy of that size could have been in the balloon."

Sheriff: Balloon Drama Not A Hoax

Sheriff says no indication runaway balloon was a hoax