Public outcry for charges against Balloon family, authorities doing background check

[Liberal_in_LA]

Balloon boy incident raises more questions, officials say

Boy's remark on CNN, "We did this for the show," sparks speculation about stunt

(CNN) -- Authorities plan to ask new questions of the family at the center of the balloon drama that captured the world's attention Thursday, as a comment in a CNN interview and other concerns raised speculation that the incident may have been staged.

"We feel it's incumbent on us as an agency to attempt to re-interview them and establish whether this is in fact a hoax or actual event," Larimer County Sheriff James Alderden said at a news conference Friday. "We believe at this time that it's a real event."

Investigators with expertise in spotting deceptive behavior interviewed the family Thursday and believe they were not lying, Alderden said.

His office is being flooded with calls and messages from people insisting it must be, and putting "a lot of pressure" on authorities to charge Richard and Mayumi Heene, he said.

The sheriff's office said it was conducting background checks on the Heenes.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/10/16/colorado.balloon.boy/index.html

[JuniperLea]

1. All the armchair psychologists are on my last nerve...

Thank Goddess for hide thread.

[DJ13]

2. I hate how people overreact now

There was a time when we understood not everything was a stunt, that there really can be accidents.

[Raine]

3. That was before "reality" TV

where everyone who participates wants to extend their 15 minutes into infinity. x(

[DJ13]

5. Thats true

Reality TV has cheapened our society to the point no one believes real life anymore.

[imdjh]

6. That doesn't explain how the father saw the take off or the coverage and didn't say anything about..

... the alleged other piece of the balloon, ie that the part that might have actually contained the kid was no attached to the balloon. Now we see the home video and it's clear that the gondola-ish thing was not attached. So if it wasn't a stunt, then why didn't the day tell someone that the balloon wasn't carrying the kid?

[Demoiselle]

9. They showed footage of something falling away from the balloon yesterday. nt

[LisaL]

11. There is a video of the balloon launch. There is clearly no

extra basket attached to it.

[stray cat]

14. the video was launched days ago in the video - its just a video of a launch in the past

[DJ13]

10. I believe there was a door on the bottom part of the balloon

I seem to remember that a Sheriff opened it and looked in when it landed, but I may be mistaken.

The MSM might have assumed there was a lower portion that fell off (without asking the family), they're good at making assumptions.

[LisaL]

12. The door? Is this part separate from the rest of the ballon?

Otherwise the whole thing would feel with helium.

[DJ13]

13. The top saucer part held helium

The small part extending below the saucer was a separate compartment as far as I know.

[Blue Diadem]

19. Yes, from what I understand that was a battery box. The father

at one point said that he'd yelled at Falcon to stay out of the battery box compartment because he was afraid he'd be shocked or electrocuted.

[CC]

4. I watched the interview live

today and wonder where the hell these so called reporters were because they are not reporting what was said. At one point the sheriff was ask why he would spend the money to re interview the family and he said because they (press) wouldn't leave him alone about it. He stated repeatedly that he did not believe it to be a hoax.

I don't even care anymore, I am just happy the kid is a live and well.

[LisaL]

8. The balloon was launched by this family, they videotaped it.

The kid isn't on tape.
The father is.
Supposedly the balloon took off instead of hovering, but why would the brother supposedly tell the father the kid was inside of it? And why did the kid go hiding at the same time they would launch this balloon? Would he not want to see balloon launch?

[stray cat]

15. It was a video of it being launched days ago right? It has no bearing on the event

[we can do it]

20. It Only Got Away ONCE

how do you think they got it back after it floated away?

[CC]

18. I don't know if it was

a hoax or not. I was commenting on the skewed reporting from CNN (and others). I can see how skewed it is because I watched the whole interview today. Truthfully if it was a hoax for attention maybe CNN, MSNBC and FUX should pay the rescue tab since they are the first ones to make money off these things. Ratings and all. Also if the media went away now that all are safe maybe that would stop the next attention whore from doing whatever for their 15 minutes of TV face time.

[JDPriestly]

7. I think that the child protection services -- Dept. of Family and Children's Services

or the local equivalent should check this family out.

[Quantess]

16. This was such an obvious hoax.

I can't believe some people are still thinking this was an honest mistake and not an attention-getting publicity stunt.

[bluestateguy]

17. Just flip them the bill for the whole "rescue" operation

Charging them only costs the state more money.

I really don't have a whole lot of patience or tolerance for weirdos.