Breaking news: Balloon story IS a hoax (3 Felony charges expected) Now: wife battery

[Mickey's Minion]

I was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt until that little tidbit. Your son may be sailing away in some sort of helium saucer thing and you are calling the news stations? I don't think so.

Over the weekend, I was talking to somebody who claims to know the family.

According to her, this is their explanation:

The Heenes say that the reason they called the FAA first is that the balloon was heading very quickly towards the Ft. Collins airport. This is not Denver's big airport, but a small regional airport. He was obligated to contact the FAA and tell them that there was a large flying object heading for their airspace. When they called the FAA, they were skeptical of the son's story that Falcon was aboard. Their first thought was not that Falcon was aboard, but that a plane might crash. Only after they searched the house and grounds, did they panic that the son's story was correct and that Falcon might be on it, thus the 20 minute lag in calling 911. Although, with mounting evidence, I don't believe it, but it is a very plausible explanation if you take the kids behavior into account. The parents had reason to not believe the son.

As for calling 9news, even 9news says they called frantically saying they needed Sky9 (the helicopter) to find their balloon.

Also reported on local news:

Rescue organizations are using this rescue attempt as a teaching tool. Communication broke down terribly between all involved parties. Everybody was working on their own and not telling each other of their plans on how to rescue the kid.

The Larimer County Sherriff says they had no idea that helicopters were tracking the balloon. (Although all he had to do was turn on CNN since the rest of the world knew). But he was frantically trying to find a helicopter himself to track it, even trying to rent a private one. So Dad, calling the news agencies to launch Sky9 was a bit more proactive than the Sheriff.

After hearing this, that Sheriff Alderman had no idea other helicopters were involved in the rescue operation and that he was trying frantically to hire a private one, I can now believe that it wouldn't have taken much acting on the Heene's part to get him to believe that they were really worried about Falcon in the air.

None of the involved people were talking with each other. Alderman was not aware of the idea of lowering somebody from a helicopter to try to rescue the boy.

So, in a small way, there is some good that it happened as there is going to be some reworking of how rescues happen and how to organize them.

Rescue organizations here have rescue and disaster drills all the time. You can just think of this as an unplanned one and one that did not go well and showed many holes in communication. (although they should still be billed for the time)

 

[hereyago]

What is sad to think is that what if something happens to one of boys later on and with this little hoax, no one believes the whackadoos?

I was watching them on CNN with Wolf Blitzer when it aired again and now with knowing it was a hoax, thought to myself when these kids become adults, how will they look back on all this and what their parents did?
Thinking of the teasing they will be getting now, how sad for those kids.

 

[Acklander]

From what we're able to see, yeah, the family is pretty odd, and appears to have crossed the line - but, I don't see how they'll be able to prove it, unless someone admits it.
But lets face it, if the dad was looking for attention, this was the way to do it. The problem is, is we eat up all this reality TV crap. They'll never put "average" people on - that's boring. When a family has sextuplets and is given million dollar contracts to be on TV, you end up with Octo mom who took fertility drugs so she could have a bigger reality show. We've got Paris, the Kadashian family, the out of control children on the nanny and so on. We, as a society, are rewarding people for being the most outrageous. I'm not shocked.

 

[a1tinkfans]

Did you all see the video that shows the child SAYING,,,,,,,, I gotta go hide now??????


It was on one of the tabloid shows and the child CLEARLY knew he was to hide ...its the show with the blonde gal, she was a newscaster long ago....I am so sorry I am going blank...OH...its INSIDE EDTION, I think..
Anyhow
I hope child protective Services step in....The adults are Seriously in need of psychiatric help and should not be with those children.
I understand both the FAA and local law enforcement are investigating now.

IN the meantime THANKFULLY, to my knowledge, no one else was hurt or died or was injured in any way as a result of this entirely Shocking, SAD situation.

Between the childs BLURB about "for a show", then the video (I saw it this am) saying, he had to go and hide now...AND parents.......
their First call to the Airport THEN a call to the local news station and THEN a call to Police......YEAH they were really concerned for their childs welfare, what a TERRIBLE HOAX!
I truly hope they seek restitution and are charged to the full extent of the law!

 

[JerseyJanice]

That is a very interesting post, Mickey's Minion. Although I doubt (and hope) that other loons don't start releasing their homemade flying saucers in the air, it sounds like the agencies involved can and should learn from this incident.

I also think Sky9 should have had to report to some authority that they were sending a rescue chopper.

 

[rie'smom]

Disgusting! Teaching their kids to lie and try to cheat the system, way to go parents

 

[CaliforniaDreamin]

I posted the post about the guy who came forward saying he knew Balloon Dad was going to do something for publicity. Now part of me says this could be an opportunist looking to make a quick buck. If he has actual evidence this was a hoax, it needs to be turned over to the police, not calling an website claiming to have something. I would like the police to be able to bring him for questioning.

I hope the Feds push for felony charges.There are no many crimes here...misuse of 911, contibuting to a delinquency of a minor, purposely pulling a hoax on several governmental agencies, (NORAD, FAA, Air Nation Guard)
He is responsible for them closing the airport for Christs sake. I don't know HOW the Sherrif can possibly say all the can do is charge him with a misdeamenor. Hope the Feds bust him good with felony charges!!!

Oh, and I totally agree with many of you....CPS NEEDS TO BE INVOLVED. Those kids are in danger with their parents lackadasical (sp) 'parenting". The friggin shilled their son for puplicity purposes.

 

[Mickey's Minion]

That is a very interesting post, Mickey's Minion. Although I doubt (and hope) that other loons don't start releasing their homemade flying saucers in the air, it sounds like the agencies involved can and should learn from this incident.

I also think Sky9 should have had to report to some authority that they were sending a rescue chopper.

Exactly. That is what is being reported, that nobody, especially the Larimer County Sheriffs dept, had any idea pf what everybody else was doing.

And although it is highly doubtful there would be another idiot to launch a flying saucer, there probably will be another bizarre incident in the future that just might be real.

If the authorities can take what they learned here and apply it to make the next rescue attempt successful, then all was not lost.

Alderman will be holding a press conference in about an hour to discuss the results of the search last night and the second round of interviews and whether charges will be filed, and if they are filed, what they will be.

He has said since the search that the Heenes have been cooperative and willingly submitted to a second round of interviews.

I am surprised that they have not retained an attorney yet, willingly allowed a thorough search of their home and submitted to many interviews without legal representation, especially if they are guilty of a hoax.

Which still gives me a small, but rapidly waning hope, that this was all for real.

 

[Mickey's Minion]

double post

 

[Mickey's Minion]

Listening to live webchat of Sheriff Alderman...

The DIS is good! It was a hoax.

The Heene's actually met in an acting class in Hollywood, which is why Alderman says the explanations were plausible - they ARE good actors.

 

[MsDisney23]

Wow, there going to need a good lawyer! I hope they get charged every penny that was spent, CPS needs to get involved fast for the sake of these poor children. My heart goes out to the children, how dare those parents.

 

[DebbieB]

Listening to live webchat of Sheriff Alderman...

The DIS is good! It was a hoax.

The Heene's actually met in an acting class in Hollywood, which is why Alderman says the explanations were plausible - they ARE good actors.

I think they were poor actors, that is why they were so unbelievable as soon as you saw them interviewed.

 

[Jeanne B]

I think they were poor actors, that is why they were so unbelievable as soon as you saw them interviewed.

That's what I was thinking too!!! OMG, his fake sniffling and crying, and the way he spoke and fidgeted, I think he was trying TOO hard to act!!

 

[JerseyJanice]

You think they'd have gotten their story straight too. Were they in the house while the older brother saw the balloon go up with Falcon supposedly in it? Or did they let go while the brother was video-taping them?

What a cruel thing to do to the child, too. Making him hide from police for four hours. I can only imagine some of the things that could have been going through his head.

And the mother is a total idiot. Who sits calmly while their 6 yo vomits on national TV? I guess it takes a woman who allows a Youtube posting of her kids rapping about her big rear-end.

 

[Liberty Belle]

Absolutely. The article posted by the OP says:

Personally I don't see why people are still talking about this. Hoax, accident, family lying, family not lying, why the heck should I care? The boy is safe. No one was hurt. That's all that matters. Moving on.

I do have to admit that I get a chuckle out of those giving their attention to someone they're outraged over because they feel this stunt was pulled to get attention. Paradox in motion. For those who say they can't help it because it's all that's on the news, I have to say yes you CAN help it: finger - power button - box off.

Hmm...and why are you still posting on this thread?

It interests me. I'd think it were pretty funny if the children weren't involved. So, in their interest, yes, I hope the Heenes do get more attention. I just don't think it's the kind of attention they'd hoped for.

 

[N.Bailey]

Absolutely. The article posted by the OP says:

Personally I don't see why people are still talking about this. Hoax, accident, family lying, family not lying, why the heck should I care? The boy is safe. No one was hurt. That's all that matters. Moving on.

I do have to admit that I get a chuckle out of those giving their attention to someone they're outraged over because they feel this stunt was pulled to get attention. Paradox in motion. For those who say they can't help it because it's all that's on the news, I have to say yes you CAN help it: finger - power button - box off.

Personally, I don't see why ANYONE would feel this should just be ignored. Yes, the boy was found safely and thank God for that, but it didn't begin and it surely shouldn't end there.

By estimates, this ordeal had cost the taxpayer upward to 2 million dollars just for the balloon portion of the hoax. I realize that's a guesstimate at this point in time, but think about those involved, and it's not a stretch to believe it did indeed cost that amount. I knew it was millions as I was watching the whole ordeal unfold before my eyes. Then add in the costs of further investigation costs that are needed at this time. Why should this family not have to pay those costs when it was clearly a publicity stunt?

Then on top of that, you might want to talk to Doug and Joanna Abbott who lost their entire 300 acre wheat crop as emergency vehicles raced across their field to follow the balloon.

I'm glad you get a chuckle out of it all though.

 

[The Orchid]

Listening to live webchat of Sheriff Alderman...

The DIS is good! It was a hoax.

The Heene's actually met in an acting class in Hollywood, which is why Alderman says the explanations were plausible - they ARE good actors.

I think they are lousy actors and that is why they were so transparent in their deception. I called this as a hoax while the balloon was still in the air.

 

[N.Bailey]

I heard LE wanted to get their computer last night to see what they could determine from content on it. I bet there is enough info on the thing to sink this family and back up the assertions by the one guy that it was definitely a planned event.

 

[C.Ann]

The majority of us said this whole thing was a hoax very early on.. I'm not the least bit surprised..

 

[Imzadi]

This is the latest on CNN now:

Charges have not been filed, but authorities expect to recommend felony charges, including conspiracy, contributing to the delinquency of a minor and attempting to influence a public servant, Alderden said. They also plan to recommend a charge of filing a false police report, which is a misdemeanor.

Full story at:
http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/10/18/colorado.balloon.investigation/index.html?iref=mpstoryview