HOAX: Falcon Heene, Six Year Old Colorado Boy Allegedly Floats Away in Homemade Helium Balloon, Balloon Lands but Boy Still Missing

SHERIFF SAYS CRIMINAL CHARGES TO BE FILED SOON IN BALLOON HOAX!!!!

SHOCK:  My heart goes out to the family of Falcon Heene, a six year old boy, who is floating over northeastern Colorado in a homemade helium balloon. Authorities are racing to rescue him. According to media reports, the balloon, in the shape of a flying saucer, is covered in foil and filled with helium. The craft's dimensions are 20-feet across and 5-feet high. It has a compartment for a passenger underneath.

The boy was lifted into the air near Fort Collins Thursday morning after the balloon became unhooked at the boy's home. The boy and his father were reportedly working on the balloon, which was never meant to carry anyone. The balloon was tethered in the backyard and it was reportedly untied by the boy, as he and his brother played.

Airtracker 7 located the craft at 12:35 p.m. at about 8,000 feet in Weld County. It appeared to be slightly tilted. The altitude of the balloon was fluctuating between 7,500 and 8,500 feet. Skies in the area are partly cloudy and southwest wind speeds are 15 to 20 miles per hour. "It is believed the device could rise to 10,000 feet," said Eloise Campanella, Larimer County Sheriff's Office spokeswoman.

"The structure at the bottom of the balloon that the boy is in is made of extremely thin plywood and won't withstand any kind of a crash at all," said Erik Nilsson, Larimer County Emergency Manager. Deputies from Larimer and Weld counties are tracking the balloon as it drifts. Experts said it could remain airborne for up to 12 hours.

What is scary is that the balloon may drift into air traffic control corridors used by Denver International Airport, based on its current location and direction. That would have disastrous results for the plane and the little boy. As a parent, I can fully understand how terrified the child's parents must be. I pray that he will be rescued quickly.

UPDATE#1:  Runaway helium balloon lands in field. The boy was not found in the balloon and the door was open. A police officer said it is possible that the boy fell out of the balloon.

UPDATE#2: According to Fox News, Falcon Heene is the son of Richard and Mayumi Heene of Ft. Collins, Colo. His parents are storm chasers, and their chaotic parenting style was criticized by their 'Wife Swap' swap family.


Richard and Mayumi Heene of Ft. Collins, Colo. have two other boys, Bradford and Royo. The family was on the show because of their risk-taking ways. According to the ABC 'Wife Swap' website, the family sleeps in their clothes so they can leap from bed and run after a storm at any given moment.

UPDATE#3:  According to CNN, during a news conference outside the family's home at 4 p.m. local time, Larimer County Sheriff Jim Alderden announced that Heene had been located, alive and well. The boy had been hiding inside a cardboard box in the attic of the family's garage, Alderden said, giving reporters a 'thumbs-up.' Sorry, but the kid deserves to be punished for sending his parents into such a tizzy trying to find him.

UPDATE#4: Drama -- Falcon Heene throws up on two shows and parents just sit there. On one show, Meredith Viera had to ask them if they shouldn't check on the child. Second, child admits on the Larry King show that they staged the balloon scare just for the show.