Balloon boy mom admits the whole freaking thing was a hoax

[nonconformist]

(CNN) -- The wife of a Colorado father at the center of the "balloon boy" saga told authorities that the giant helium balloon was specifically created for a hoax to draw media attention, according to court documents released Friday.

Mayumi Heene told Larimer County investigators that she and her husband, Richard Heene, knew that their 6-year-old son Falcon was hiding at their Fort Collins home the entire time, even as police and military scrambled to search for the boy, according to the documents.

The admission by Mayumi Heene was made October 17, just two days after the balloon was released, according to the documents.

The Heenes initially told authorities that they believed their child had flown away on the balloon, and when the balloon landed without him, they expressed concern that he may have fallen out of the device.

The couple hatched the plan about two weeks before the incident and "instructed their three children to lie to authorities as well as the media regarding this hoax," according to the documents.

snip... http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/10/23/colorado.balloon.investigation/index.html

[Fuzz]

1. Morans of the highest order.

[TheCowsCameHome]

2. They ought to tie those two to the nose cone of the next space shuttle.

Morans is right.

[Swamp Rat]

15. And set the controls for the heart of the sun.

http://www.noreascon.org/retroart/images/Hinge,%20Set%20Your%20Controls%20for%20the%20Heart%20of%20the%20Sun.jpg

[Nikki Stone1]

3. I don't know. It was a great attention getter, gave the press something to do, and

united the country for a brief time in concern. I think the cable networks should pay whatever fines are owed since the Heenes provided so much material for them.

And for those of us who love the irony of "reality" TV, this episode has been entirely satisfying. :)

[malaise]

6. 100% correct

M$Greedia come up with hoaxes all damn day long. I love seeing them get punked.

[Nikki Stone1]

12. Thanks, I think we are the only ones who get this.

Some cable station ought to hire Heene.

[Shell Beau]

7. No, the Heene's should pay for ALL this absurd hoax

cost. It was ridiculous, and to use and exploit your children is a whole different issue. Gross. Gross. Gross. I hope they are charged to the fullest extent of the law.

Plus, those of use who aren't scientists and had no idea the balloon could have never held a small child were really worried about this boy. What a sick joke.

[Swede]

13. Emergency personnel risked their lives racing after that balloon.

Funny stuff.

[NeoConsSuck]

17. Thank you!

Very few people think of the brave rescurers who put themselves at risk to save the foolhardy.

And I'm not just referring to this story, it's anyone who seeks a 'thrill', finds themselves over their heads, and then needs others to come rescue them.

[Nikki Stone1]

19. So, the cables pay them some reparations; no one will turn down cash in these times.

Seriously, this whole situation is off the irony meter.

[Shell Beau]

20. The whole situation is gross. The ones who created

this mess should pay. Blame the media all you want, but so much money was spent and wasted trying to rescue this boy. And let's talk about how this whole thing will effect these kids. These parents are terrible. They are the ones who should pay. Fully. Who cares if the cables pay? The family should pay. And the rescuers also thought they could possibly find a dead boy. Funny stuff I tell ya.

[Barack_America]

4. And they would have gotten away with it too!

If it hadn't been for that vomiting kid!

[nonconformist]

11. That made me literally LOL.

Good one!

[bluestateguy]

5. I want people going to prison for this

including the pissants in the newsrooms too.

[HipChick]

8. I blame the media...next time they interrupt my normal scheduled programming with breaking news..

I'm not going to watch..

[Shell Beau]

10. And you could also blame these shitty parents for making up

such a sick joke and putting their children through hell.

With 24 hour news these days, it isn't surprising the media jumped on this. If it were a true story, and the boy miraculously survived, it would have made a good story. It was all a sick joke though. The parents are SCUM.

[Cleita]

9. Seems like a case for child services to investigate. n/t

[Ilsa]

14. Yeah, but I see no reason to yank the kids out of their home.

The foster care system is already pretty busy taking care of kids from messed up homes. I'd rather see mandatory parenting classes with home inspection and interview follow-ups. Teaching your kids to lie is like teaching them how to eat - they probably already know how to do it. They need to learn that it is unacceptable, and that message should also come from their parents.

[Cleita]

18. Well, they have to be really bad parents for child services to take them away.

I don't know about Colorado, but here when stuff like this goes to family court, usually the parents are made to take parenting classes. That usually uncovers other problems that the social workers can work with them about. It's not perfect but it can help especially if the parents want the services to get out of their lives.

[struggle4progress]

16. Link to pdf of affadavit via KUSA-TV via NPR here:

Affidavit: Heene Mom Admitted To Hoax
http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2009/10/heene_balloon_boy_affidavit_ho.html

[NYC_SKP]

21. I guess Mom and Dad aren't 'One the Same Page'... This could be a problem for the family...

Interesting that she divulged the truth fairly early.

hmmmmmmm.

[SoCalDem]

22. Say good bye to your kidlets, Mayumi..n/t