Boy in balloon was hoax, charges expected

FORT COLLINS, Colo. (AP) — The story that a little boy had floated away in a giant helium balloon was a hoax concocted to land a reality television show, authorities said, and the boy’s parents will likely face felony charges.

The stunt two weeks in the planning was a marketing ploy by Richard and Mayumi Heene, who met in acting school in Hollywood and have appeared on the ABC reality show “Wife Swap,” Larimer County Sheriff Jim Alderden said. The Heenes have reportedly been working on a reality TV deal in Los Angeles.

Six-year-old Falcon Heene may not have even been hiding in the rafters of the family’s garage during the intense five-hour search for him Thursday, Al-derden said.

“For all we know he may have been two blocks down the road playing on the swing in the city park,” the sheriff said.

The stunt temporarily shut down Denver International Airport and caused the National Guard to scramble two helicopters in an attempt to rescue the boy, who was believed to be inside the flying-saucer shaped homemade balloon that hurtled more than 50 miles across two counties.

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