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

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This family lives close to me. They've been on local news quite a bit. I've always felt they've put their boys in danger. I might have to go check out the area the Weld resident saw something drop from the sky

ETA -- Weld Co Rds 43 & 28 are farther away than I thought . . .
 
There is a lot of open country between Ft Collins and DIA. If he fell out it may take a while to find him.
 
Why that thing would have enough helium in it to exert even 50 pounds of lift and be left unattended with small kids around is a question I have - even holding onto the rope and letting go at 20 feet would result in serious injury or death!
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I don't know why they were unattended after lunch, but it sounds like they were filling it during the morning and working on it. I'm guessing with all of the winds they've been talking about, they were preparing it for a launch with some sort of instrumentation in it.
 
YellowSubmarine said:
This family lives close to me. They've been on local new quite a bit. I've always felt they've put their boys in danger. I might have to go check out the area the Weld resident saw something drop from the sky
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From everything I have read and heard on TV... I would agree with that statement. I certainly wouldn't keep my kids out of school to go storm chasing.

Maz

:cow:
 
Neighbor on HLN: (I quoted this word for word) "I saw them this morning and they were putting some kind of gas in it-like helium- I'm not sure but I saw them working with it this morning and, you know, basically the whole family was out there and they were working with it and I went for a walk at around 11 o'clock or so and when I came back is when I found out that the event happened."
 
They are saying because of the mountain shadow, that area gets darker, earlier.
 
Kimster said:
Makes me wonder if the brothers set the balloon free on purpose. Kids do stuff like that!
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Yes they do Kimster and it's not malicious. I learned to come running every time one of my boys gave a certain giggle, or they said "shhh she'll hear" or "I'm going to go tell Mom". LOL

Please let this baby be okay!
 
How did this thing become untethered? I could see at least 2 tether ropes when it landed. No way this was accidentally released. I could see one rope coming loose but not 2 or more.
 
I'm guessing on the size - going through more pictures it looks like it's bigger than I thought - perhaps enough to lift a total of 90 - 100 pounds.

If there was a basket below it that's not there it's not looking good.

Damn.

Why that thing would have enough helium in it to exert even 50 pounds of lift and be left unattended with small kids around is a question I have - even holding onto the rope and letting go at 20 feet would result in serious injury or death!
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BBM. My late husband and his brothers used to hickey bob small airplanes. They'd hide in cornfields and when the planes taxied by they'd run out and grap the axle. When it got to about 10 feet they'd let go. One day they brought a friend to try it. He panicked and held on to 20-30 feet. It broke both his legs.
 
Julessleuther said:
Ok, so why did the boys have video cameras? Why would they have been taping this if it was just an accident? They said it lifted very quickly, so it is not like the boys had time to run and grab cameras...besides, they would have run to get mom and dad before the cameras I would hope. If the boy was really in the basket, I wonder if the brothers somehow forced him into it and they let it go? I still think it is a big IF, because even with a basket on it, I do not think it would have had the lift.
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I really think they were planning on doing some weather studies today, due to the high winds aloft in Colorado. I'm sure they were going to videotape the experiment, and, perhaps the kids thought it would be funny to tape their brother climbing in.
 
ecs5298 said:
Larimer Co Sheriff's spokesperson now reporting that the brothers in the backyard had video cameras and may have taped the balloon taking off.
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Maybe a "double dog dare you"? Falcon should know better ....
 
This is so sad! I hope they find him soon because if he's injured, there might be a chance for him!
 
Has anyone found a pic of the craft with the attached basket?
 
ecs5298 said:
How did this thing become untethered? I could see at least 2 tether ropes when it landed. No way this was accidentally released. I could see one rope coming loose but not 2 or more.
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Maybe the parents hadn't secured the tethers very well??
 
Originally the news reported the balloon was being tested to go 20 feet in the air? Maybe the kids were playing thinking they could go up in the balloon 20 feet and the tether came loose? Would explain the video cameras, taping the little brother go up 20 feet - sort of "look at me ma!"
 
From 9News.com:

The Weld County Sheriff's deputy thought he saw something fall in the area around County Road 41 and County Road 28. He believes it came from the bottom of the aircraft.

There is now a very large search in the area, moving through high grass
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This story is also being covered on HLN right now.

We don't have much daylight left. Let's all pray!
 
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