CO - Richard & Mayumi Heene charged in Balloon Boy hoax, Fort Collins, 2009 - #1

[Julessleuther]

Fathers myspace:
http://www.myspace.com/sciencedetective

He lists himself as single?

Some other info:

http://www.denverpost.com/extremes/ci_6530596

http://franksfunnies.wordpress.com/2008/09/13/richard-heene-on-wife-swap/

http://www.thepsyiencedetectives.com/

http://en.wordpress.com/tag/richard-and-mayumi-heene/


http://franksfunnies.wordpress.com/2008/10/04/richard-and-mayumi-heenes-wife-swap-performances/

 

[Chester Copperpot]

ANyone know who originally reported that he was in the balloon?

apparently it was the sibling (which would be the 4 yr. old) that saw him climb into it. So if this is the case, I'm thinking that a 4 yr old isn't exactly a reliable source.

 

[nervous_nellie]

:waitasec: just dont know what i think about this situation??? something is not right with this story...any ideas?? the brother is positive that he saw him get in? i wonder if they did this together? how old is the brother? was that balloon designed for a person to be inside????where is this kid?

 

[STEADFAST]

Dad is on CNN.

Oops, that's not the dad. A neighbor?

Says kid's name is Falcon. Says the kids are well behaved.

 

[joga]

i think this is the fastest i've ever read through 10 thread pages! what a crazy story, i hope the boy is found and is OK....

 

[Celt1997]

Active search location near CR 28 & CR 39 near Platteville, CO. About halfway along the flight course. I'm hoping someone was just seeing things, and it's not the boy.

 

[Linda7NJ]

If this is a publicity stunt, they should all be beech slapped. If not, my prayers are with the family. (I wonder if one of the kids names is Icarus?) OT My 2 yo was "missing" one night, and after thoroughly searching my house, I was speeding out of my driveway to go to the PD when my dd called out " I found him!" He was asleep in his toy box with the lid closed.

My own when he was about 3 wasn't in his bed when I checked on him. I searched everywhere, was calling out his name....for about 5 minutes. My mouth was so dry, I couldn't have spit for a million dollars. I grabbed the cordless phone and call 911...my heart was beating so hard I don't know how I managed to choke the words out. As I was talking I began tossing the sofa pillows & cushions.................there he was, wedged behind a sofa cushion with a sofa pillow over top....sound asleep! WHEW. I started crying, 911 operator couldn't understand a word I said. I was calmed some when police actually arrived.................

 

[Julessleuther]

They were just discussing similar to this on CNN!

Just a quick reality check:

Pictures indicate to me the balloon was about 5 meters across and 1 meter high, in the shape of an oblate spheroid. This would give it a volume of about 26 cubic meters. Air is 1.26 Kg per cubic meter, He is 0.18 Kg per cubic meter, so the total lift possible would be about 29 Kg of 64 pounds. What this means is that if the total load - the balloon, the enclosure below it, and the occupant totaled 64 pounds and the balloon was free it would sit there, neither rising nor falling. If the load was less it would rise at a rate determined by the actual load.

Please, someone, double check my math, but if boy was 50 pounds and the rest of the structure was about 15 pounds it would not have shot into the air.

 

[not_my_kids]

And 4 year olds are very easily coached...
I'm too jaded, but I really do smell a rat.

 

[hockeymom]

ANyone know who originally reported that he was in the balloon?

Some reports said Dad reported it,others say brother. Then I heard the brother said he fell out.
If this is a hoax,they should be charged for the manpower this has taken with search and rescue.
That being said,I'd rather it was a hoax as opposed to the alternative.

 

[WhyaDuck?]

Sorry if this has already been posted, but People has some video:

http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20313073,00.html?xid=rss-topheadlines

 

[everyoneneedsavoice]

Oh how terrible. I just logged on and saw this....I am literally nauseous over this. I pray he is found safe and sound---and will harp on potential hoax stuff later. God, please let him be ok.

 

[SuziQ]

They need to find out exactly what happened from the brothers.

http://www.9news.com/news/article.aspx?storyid=125161&catid=339

(snip)
Police say the family's two boys were playing outside with the rest of the family inside the house. One son watched his little brother go inside the compartment and watched it take off

 

[momtective]

Just a quick reality check:

Pictures indicate to me the balloon was about 5 meters across and 2 meters high, in the shape of an oblate spheroid. This would give it a volume of about 26 cubic meters. Air is 1.26 Kg per cubic meter, He is 0.18 Kg per cubic meter, so the total lift possible would be about 29 Kg of 64 pounds. What this means is that if the total load - the balloon, the enclosure below it, and the occupant totaled 64 pounds and the balloon was free it would sit there, neither rising nor falling. If the load was less it would rise at a rate determined by the actual load.

Please, someone, double check my math, but if boy was 50 pounds and the rest of the structure was about 15 pounds it would not have shot into the air.

Dang , you're smart...lol

 

[Mazama]

Sounds like one of the boys let the balloon go and doesn't want to get in trouble for it. I watched this on the news as it was happening. I'm wondering if the 6 year old is hiding because he's afraid of getting into trouble.

Hope they find him safe.

Maz

:cow:

 

[Julessleuther]

Wolf on CNN said there is a statement that he was never in the balloon, never fell out, and they are searching the neighborhood.

 

[momtective]

Calling in bloodhounds and going door to door.

 

[STEADFAST]

Just a quick reality check:

Pictures indicate to me the balloon was about 5 meters across and 2 meters high, in the shape of an oblate spheroid. This would give it a volume of about 26 cubic meters. Air is 1.26 Kg per cubic meter, He is 0.18 Kg per cubic meter, so the total lift possible would be about 29 Kg of 64 pounds. What this means is that if the total load - the balloon, the enclosure below it, and the occupant totaled 64 pounds and the balloon was free it would sit there, neither rising nor falling. If the load was less it would rise at a rate determined by the actual load.

Please, someone, double check my math, but if boy was 50 pounds and the rest of the structure was about 15 pounds it would not have shot into the air.

I've carefully double-checked your math, if indeed that is what that is. . . then I listened to CNN, where the expert agreed with you and said the helium balloon would not go up with a 50-60 lb. load.

 

[Bee Happy]

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EBWJXXgaYBo"]YouTube - Wife Swap Heene boys Not Pussified music video[/ame]

 

[SuziQ]

Some reports said Dad reported it,others say brother. Then I heard the brother said he fell out.
If this is a hoax,they should be charged for the manpower this has taken with search and rescue.
That being said,I'd rather it was a hoax as opposed to the alternative.

Aircraft was rerouted as well. The FAA involved.....