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

[sniperacer]

I've looked for the interview Dr Joy Browne did on CNN before the boy was found and could not find it. She is a balloonist and explained why the boy could not be in the balloon. In the end she said the boy would probably be found hiding because that's what children do when they are in big trouble. In the tone of her voice I felt she thought it might be a hoax but she did not say it. If anyone knows where the video might be please post it. The woman is really good on the radio. I've listened to her off and on for about 15 years.

That is just it. Why would Falcon be in trouble? He didn't untie the balloon. He didn't lie. He wasn't in the balloon.

Why would he hide? Has anyone asked him this?

 

[Muffet]

I could see all of that as totally plausible and I'd be with you if it weren't for the the way the parents come across. I just dont buy it from them. Their reaction to the kid's "for the show" comment was telling for me as well.

Also, they had prevously pitched an idea to TLC for a reality show and TLC passed on it.

Yes. If it weren't for all we have seen from this family, I doubt most people would be suspicious. They just reek of media whoredome.

That should be a lesson to people in itself. Kinda like the boy who cried wolf...

 

[kgeaux]

I know, that's what gets me! I have 7 boys at home ages 4-16 and of course my precious baby girl. Believe me when I tell you they have pulled some doozies...my older 3 boys did as well. But if they would have just stood there and watched me lose my mind ( for hours) thinking my child was in that craft....oh h3ll no! :nono:lol

My mom was watching my little nephew one day--he was 2 1/2 years old at the time. Suddenly, she noticed Jeremy wasn't in the room with her. She started calling out his name and searching for him. Couldn't find him! She remembered the pool in the neighbor's yard was unfenced, and she ran next door screaming for Jeremy. In her nightgown. Couldn't find him! The neighbor told Mom to go home and dial 911, and promised to continue the search while Mom made the phone call. So my momma ran, crying and shaking, into her house and up to her phone which was on her desk. She dials "9" and then "1" and she hears a tiny scared little voice from under the desk "Hi, grandma." He'd been hiding under there the whole time! Why? Who knows!! Boys are a breed apart, that's for sure!

 

[Mazama]

Interesting...the other 2 boys showed police Falcon's hiding places but never offered up Falcon's FAVORITE hiding place where he was eventually found.

The video shows dad appearing to be upset the balloon got away and mom looking like "oops...I let it go by mistake" but neither one appeared to be concerned one of their children was missing.

Then they call the FAA to alert them about the balloon. I'd like to hear that tape. Did he sound frantic? Did he think his child was in the balloon at that moment? Then they call channel 9 news...for what reason I'm not sure. Did they say anything about their son possibly being in the balloon to them? Then they finally get around to calling 911.

On the 911 tape the operator asks the dad how long the boy has been missing he says a few minutes while his wife says to the operator before hubby gets on phone that son had been missing for 20 minutes, same amount of time as balloon. While dad is talking to operator answering her questions he gets a call and he tells operator to hang on while he sees who is calling him?

All too weird for me.

Maz

:cow:

 

[grace60]

That is just it. Why would Falcon be in trouble? He didn't untie the balloon. He didn't lie. He wasn't in the balloon.

Why would he hide? Has anyone asked him this?

She said this before all the info came out. Dr Joy thought maybe the father told the boys not to play with it if he was not around. I think the balloon had landed and he was not in it. She also talked about it being a mylar balloon and it would not hold the weight of the child.

 

[nursebeeme]

Sheriff does not believe it was a hoax and listed some bullet points.
1st call was to the FAA
2nd call was to Channel 9 (KUSA) wanted helicopter to follow balloon (they did. They were the ones showing the live video yesterday)
3rd call was to 911

Reporter said "you must be one of the few people on Earth that doesn't think this a hoax". Sheriff has not seen the video of the balloon being accidently released!!!

BBBM

um.... perhaps the Sheriff should watch that video....SOON~! (and before holding any further pressers!)

 

[southcitymom]

Call me crazy but I don't think it was a hoax and here is why;

The video taping was done by the two older brother's in on the hoax. Easily explained.

When I think about what if this had been my boy I can easily hear him say, "I did it for the show.

My boy and his friends constantly filmed themselves doing things. If he thought he was in trouble because he'd done something while filming I can hear him answer the same way as Falcon.

And remember, these kids already had a ton of TV show appearences under their belt.

Kids being kids can't you see them putting a plot together for the "show?" The show being whatever it was in their minds.

I know I am really in the minority but I don't see any red flags on this one mainly because I can picture my son and his friends trying a stunt like this.

Tricia

I don't think for one second this was a hoax (though I'm happy to call you crazy!) for many of the reasons you listed. Here is one of the best things I have read on it all: http://www.npr.org/blogs/monkeysee/2009/10/whatever_the_balloon_boy_lesso.html?sc=fb&cc=fp

 

[Mazama]

A TLC official tells TMZ the Heene family approached the network "months ago" with a reality show idea, but the network passed.

TMZ has learned the Heene family has been pitching a reality show about the wacky family, as one TV source put it, "all over town."

Read more: http://www.tmz.com/2009/10/16/heene...lity-show-tlc-tom-Reality-Real/#ixzz0U7vOeAO7

Maz

:cow:
​

 

[southcitymom]

Nooo!!! LOL Did Octomom get a show on a real network? I quit paying attention after it looked like she was reduced to a web-thing only. :doh:

I hear you about following news too closely. I too have to remove myself - especially from politically heated news. Washington wouldn't listen to my wisdom, anyway, sigh. :angel:

Hey Muffet! I didn't follow Octomom very closely, but last I heard she had a full-on reality show with a Brit channel, I think. That may have changed - I'm not current on it all!

That's just what I was saying about becoming overly-emotionally involved in news. We now live in a world where there is just information overload and no of us can rightly be expected to keep up with it all and still have a life (I posted a link in response to Tricia that talked about that). It's not good if it upsets us. Also, whether we like it or not, our attention DOES net people who seek attention, MORE attention.

I do understand that many were worried about this little guy. I was too! As far as I am concerned, it was valid breaking news. But it has morphed into something fairly crazed and that is a direct result of our reality TV world.

As far as Washington listening to the wisdom of common folks, I am afraid that ship has gotten to big and sailed!!!!

 

[Deborah1012]

Sheriff does not believe it was a hoax and listed some bullet points.
1st call was to the FAA
2nd call was to Channel 9 (KUSA) wanted helicopter to follow balloon (they did. They were the ones showing the live video yesterday)
3rd call was to 911

Reporter said "you must be one of the few people on Earth that doesn't think this a hoax". Sheriff has not seen the video of the balloon being accidently released!!!

I think the sherrif is lulling the family into a false sense of security, acting kind, letting them have a day off to "rest" etc and tomorrow's interview will be out with the good cop attitude and on with the bad cop hard questions for this family. There is something wrong with that dad. The first time I saw him yesterday my feeling was "something is up with this guy." I didn't like him on sight and I hadn't even heard him speak yet nor had I seen his appalling behavior on the previous Wife Swap clip posted above. There is definitely something fishy here and it all starts with the dad.

 

[nursebeeme]

I think this story is strange because it is just downright strange! I mean a kid flying off in a flying saucer balloon? You could hear the "say what?" tone in the 911 operator's voice~

I know when I heard it on the radio for the first time while driving home from work I yelled "say what?!!" out loud!

This story is so strange I didn't see it Morphing into anything! It was crazy and "morphed" from the get go... One of those things that are truly, as we call them in the hospital setting, a sentinel event..

moo of course

 

[kant]

When they did the countdown at the "launch" you can see on the video there is no basket attached beneath, so I dont know where that bit came from. Did the parents add that or did some reporter get confused?

Also, did the parents say they were inside the home when the balloon went up? b/c they're standing right there on the video.

I don't understand this part too. They are counting down for the launch, the balloon goes up a bit, then the dad starts screaming, "the tethers! ...the tethers!" Im just confused.

.

 

[sniperacer]

My mom was watching my little nephew one day--he was 2 1/2 years old at the time. Suddenly, she noticed Jeremy wasn't in the room with her. She started calling out his name and searching for him. Couldn't find him! She remembered the pool in the neighbor's yard was unfenced, and she ran next door screaming for Jeremy. In her nightgown. Couldn't find him! The neighbor told Mom to go home and dial 911, and promised to continue the search while Mom made the phone call. So my momma ran, crying and shaking, into her house and up to her phone which was on her desk. She dials "9" and then "1" and she hears a tiny scared little voice from under the desk "Hi, grandma." He'd been hiding under there the whole time! Why? Who knows!! Boys are a breed apart, that's for sure!

But we always come home when cold, hungry or bored. How complicated is that?

 

[WhyaDuck?]

Balloon boy is so five minutes ago, check out train baby

http://www.[link removed]/43069/balloon-boy-is-so-five-minutes-ago-check-out-train-baby/

 

[Recovering-Lurker]

Another reason I believe this is a hoax is because the dad should've know that there's no way that balloon could've flown around with Falcon inside. Shouldn't he know all about the physics of it, since he is so into this stuff?

 

[belleyes]

I want to know ...

1 In presser it was said the kid was very active ---so how was he never heard while spending so much time up there ?

2 Why put a sick child on t.v. ?

3 Why would CPS investigate (as per presser) many children dissapear and return with out CPS involvement?

***CAUTION ***** SPECULATION/BRAINSTORMING***** CAUTION

this is just MOO but .....lets say it was a hoax...Could the child be sick today because of something he took yesterday---this may explain his sleeping, being so still, and vomiting today. Please dont attack, because I am in no way accusing anyone just theorizing. (we have seen it in several other cases on here)

 

[Kat]

I was passing through the livingroom to put away laundry about an hour or so ago, give or take and I heard this from HLN (I don't know if I had CNN, HLN or FOX on at the time) I flipped channels since...

But long story short ~ I thought that I heard it said that LE has stated that the Father called the Media before he made other calls to report this incident.

Did anyone else hear that? Or has it been reported elsewhere?

Please note that it's just something I thought I heard reported, not that I heard it reported.


Thanks in advance.

 

[Linda7NJ]

If this was a family project and they were launching it as a family, wouldn't the dad have noticed that Falcon wasn't there and wonder? Why launch it if not all the family was there?

IMO It was never a "family" thing. The dad just does his own thing and drags everyone else along for the ride.

They need parenting classes. I can't recall the last time I saw worse parents.

 

[Ransom]

I was passing through the livingroom to put away laundry about an hour or so ago, give or take and I heard this from HLN (I don't know if I had CNN, HLN or FOX on at the time) I flipped channels since...

But long story short ~ I thought that I heard it said that LE has stated that the Father called the Media before he made other calls to report this incident.

Did anyone else hear that? Or has it been reported elsewhere?

Please note that it's just something I thought I heard reported, not that I heard it reported.


Thanks in advance.

Sheriff said:
first call to the FAA
second call to channel 9 (KUSA) because they have a helicopter to follow the balloon
third call to 911

 

[fran]

When they did the countdown at the "launch" you can see on the video there is no basket attached beneath, so I dont know where that bit came from. Did the parents add that or did some reporter get confused?

Also, did the parents say they were inside the home when the balloon went up? b/c they're standing right there on the video.

I don't understand this part too. They are counting down for the launch, the balloon goes up a bit, then the dad starts screaming, "the tethers! ...the tethers!" Im just confused.

.

A while ago I saw the video you're speaking of. But before that, I saw the dad speaking and he explained that they thought the balloon would go up so far and then STOP because of the tethers. That's why he was yelling 'the tethers!' because he realized they'd come untied.

At least, that's what I understand from what I've seen.

As far as what the child said about it being for film or tv or something. I think he MAY have been referring to the balloon itself, and not what had just happened. I heard the 911 call and seriously, both parents sounded completely beside themselves. OTOH, I watched a video from 'wife swap' earlier and they made that balloon before, perhaps when they had the second 'wife swap.'

I know some have said when the boy was returned the mother didn't appear to be really distressed or it wasn't how they would have acted. FWIW, she MOST LIKELY felt such relief, she was just happy he was home and on the ground. I mean think about it, if it were me, I'd be all smiles when I learned he'd never been in the balloon while it floated away and almost faint with relief.

As far as where they thought he was in or on the balloon, I believe they thought he was where the battery was located. It was the battery pack that fell to earth and at first they thought it was the child falling out.

I really don't think this was a hoax. I believe it was for REAL!

JMHO
fran