Charges planned in ballon boy incident..

[spookyturtle 9,466]

If this turns out to be true, should the family pay for the search and rescue efforts? I think they should.

http://news.aol.com/article/parents-of-bal...e-will%2F719681

Charges Planned in 'Balloon Boy' IncidentBy DAN ELLIOTT, AP

A sheriff said he was pursuing criminal charges in Colorado's "balloon boy" saga, which first sparked fear for the child, then relief that he was OK and now suspicions of a hoax.

Deputies searched the home of the boy's parents Saturday night, carrying away several boxes and a computer.

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Was It All a Hoax?David Zalubowski, AP9 photos Richard Heene's son Falcon was thought to be in a homemade balloon that floated away on Thursday. Instead, the boy was found hiding in the family's garage. Larimer County Sheriff Jim Alderden, who originally said he believed the boy's parents were being honest when they reported their son missing, said Saturday that officers are pursuing criminal charges in the case.

The parents, Richard and Mayumi Heene, met with Larimer County investigators for much of Saturday afternoon amid lingering questions about whether he perpetrated a publicity stunt when his 6-year-old son Falcon vanished into the rafters of his garage while the world thought he was zooming through the sky in a flying saucer-like helium balloon.

But Sheriff Jim Alderden didn't say who would be charged or what the charges would be. His deputies later showed up at the Heene's Fort Collins home with a search warrant and at least three of them began a search. Sgt. Ian Stewart declined to say what they were after.

Alderden on Saturday didn't call Thursday's hours-long drama a hoax, but he expressed disappointment that he couldn't level more serious charges in the incident, which sent police and the military scrambling to save young Falcon Heene as millions of worried television viewers watched.

"We were looking at Class 3 misdemeanor, which hardly seems serious enough given the circumstances," Alderden said. "We are talking to the district attorney, federal officials to see if perhaps there aren't additional federal charges that are appropriate in this circumstance.

Alderden earlier said the family could be charged with making a false report to authorities — a Class 3 misdemeanor — if it was determined the balloon saga was a hoax. The low-level crime carries a maximum sentence of six months in jail and a $750 fine, with a minimum sentence of a $50 fine.

Suspicion that the balloon saga was a hoax arose almost immediately after Falcon was found hiding in the garage. Heene, a storm chaser and inventor whose family has appeared on the reality show "Wife Swap," and his wife had said one of the boy's older brothers said Falcon was aboard the homemade balloon when it took off.

Alderden initially said there was no reason to believe the incident was a hoax. Authorities questioned the Heenes again after Falcon turned to his dad during a CNN interview Thursday night and said "you said we did this for a show" when asked why he didn't come out of his hiding place.

Falcon got sick during two separate TV interviews Friday when asked again why he hid.

After the sheriff spoke to reporters Saturday, Richard Heene and his wife walked out of his office after meeting with officials for several hours.

As reporters yelled questions, Heene said: "I was talking to the sheriff's department just now." He then walked to his car with his wife and a friend and drove away. It wasn't clear where the family spent Saturday night.

The Heenes have said the balloon was supposed to be tethered to the ground when it lifted off, and no one was supposed to be aboard. The family was videotaping as they tested the balloon, which they said was supposed to hover about 50 to 100 feet from the ground.

The video shows the family counting down in unison, "3, 2, 1," before Richard Heene pulls a cord, setting the balloon into the air.

"Whoa!" one of the boys exclaims. Then his father says in disbelief, "Oh, my God!" He then says to someone, "You didn't put the (expletive) tether down!" and he kicks the wood frame that had held the balloon.

Falcon's brother said he saw him inside the compartment before it took off and that's why they thought he was in there when it launched. Heene said he had yelled at Falcon before the launch for getting inside.

Over the years, Richard Heene has worked as a storm chaser, a handyman and contractor, and an aspiring reality-TV star.

He and his family appeared on the ABC reality show "Wife Swap," and the show's producer said it had a show in development with the Heenes but the deal is now off. TLC also said Heene had pitched a reality show to the network months ago, but it passed on the offer.

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

They should pay.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

The father should pay a hefty fine...jackass.

[Rhiannercakes 14]

I agree, they should be charged.

[Amby 490]

what's this I heard on the news about the mom having a black eye? I turned it on halfway through the segment.

[Mary Lou 682]

They should definately have to pay.

[Ggreen 12]

Retarded parents shouldn't have kids in the first place.

[Dakine 26]

All's I can say is the guy did a good job building it.

I think they didn't intend for it to get passed the tether ropes that weren't in place and just hang there 20' or so up.be

Who knows maybe they were planning to let it go at night and pull off a flying saucer hoax. Why would anyone make it look so much like a flying saucer?

As far as paying for rescue attempts. The cops in that area don't have much to do anyway. Only thing hurt was the farmers field was flatten a bit.

Edited October 18, 2009 by Dakine

[ready4ONE 5,400]

what's this I heard on the news about the mom having a black eye? I turned it on halfway through the segment.

She had a mark on her cheek, and some sort of eye problem when 911 was called during a domestic dispute. She managed to explain away her issues and no charges were filed. Not sure quite how long ago that was.

I strongly suspected the 'balloon boy' incident was a stunt, not surprised charges are about to be filed, the dad is a whack job!

[Darnell 8,479]

I hope the DA presses as many charges as he can. Geez!

[Amby 490]

what's this I heard on the news about the mom having a black eye? I turned it on halfway through the segment.

She had a mark on her cheek, and some sort of eye problem when 911 was called during a domestic dispute. She managed to explain away her issues and no charges were filed. Not sure quite how long ago that was.

I strongly suspected the 'balloon boy' incident was a stunt, not surprised charges are about to be filed, the dad is a whack job!

thanks

Investigators are examining the possibility of other conspirators, "including the possibility that even some of the media outlets may have had some knowledge about this," Alderden said.

Documents show that a media outlet has agreed to pay money to the Heenes with regard to the balloon incident, Alderden said. He didn't name the media outlet, but said it was a show that blurs "the line between entertainment and news." It wasn't clear whether the deal was signed before or after the alleged hoax, or whether that media outlet was a possible conspirator.

Alderden did not name an outlet or provide any details.

"Let's call it (my statement) short of speculation that a media outlet was in on the hoax, but let's not discount the possibility," he said.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,568463,00.html

Edited October 19, 2009 by Amby

[Chica Yeyé 41]

Retarded parents shouldn't have kids in the first place.

[almaty 19]

needs to be charged..chopf##ks

[Darnell 8,479]

Wow - all of his videos on his YouTube Channel have been deleted.

The comments there range from 'comisseration' to outright malicious. geez.

[Peikko 1,575]

Ah good, we got our whipping boy. Excellent.