The Balloon Boy hoax occurred on October 15, 2009, when a homemade helium-filled gas balloon shaped to resemble a silver flying saucer was released into the atmosphere above Fort Collins, Colorado, by Richard and Mayumi Heene. They then claimed that their six-year-old son Falcon was trapped inside it. Authorities confirmed the balloon reached 7,000 feet (2,100 m) during its 90-minute flight.[1][2][3][4] The event attracted worldwide attention,[1][5] and Falcon was nicknamed "Balloon Boy" in the media.[6]
National Guard helicopters and local police pursued the balloon. After flying for more than an hour and approximately 50 miles (80 km),[7] the balloon landed about 12 miles (19 km) northeast of Denver International Airport. When Falcon was not found inside and it was reported that an object had been seen falling from the balloon, a search was begun.[3] Later that day, the boy was found hiding in the attic of his home, where he had apparently been the entire time.[8]
Suspicions of a hoax soon arose, particularly after an interview with Wolf Blitzer on Larry King Live that same evening. Asked why he was hiding, Falcon said to his father, "You guys said that, um, we did this for the show," apparently revealing that the Heenes had staged the incident as a publicity stunt.[9] On October 18, 2009, Larimer County sheriff Jim Alderden announced his conclusion that the incident was a hoax and that the parents would likely face several felony charges.[10][11] On November 13, 2009, Richard Heene pleaded guilty to attempting to influence a public servant. He was sentenced to 90 days in jail and ordered to pay $36,000 in restitution, and Mayumi Heene was sentenced to 20 days of weekend jail.[12][13]
Following the incident, the Heene family has maintained their innocence, claiming that they were pressured into a guilty plea under the threat of Mayumi Heene's deportation.[14] On December 23, 2020, the Heenes were pardoned by Governor Jared Polis.[15]
^ ab"6-year-old Colorado boy found alive in attic after balloon lands". CNN. October 15, 2009. Archived from the original on October 18, 2009. Retrieved December 17, 2021.
^"Boy trapped in "UFO-like balloon" floating over Colorado". The Daily Telegraph. October 15, 2009. Archived from the original on October 18, 2009. Retrieved June 14, 2019.
^ ab"Missing "balloon boy" found hiding in attic". The New Zealand Herald. Auckland, New Zealand. October 15, 2009.
^"Boy said to have floated off in balloon found safe". Associated Press. October 15, 2009. Archived from the original on October 19, 2009. Retrieved November 12, 2009.
^Johnson, Craig (October 16, 2009). "World watches odyssey of "Balloon Boy" in real time". CNN. Archived from the original on October 19, 2009. Retrieved December 17, 2021.
^Cheney, Peter (October 15, 2009). "Balloon boy rescuers had few options". The Globe and Mail. Toronto, Canada. Archived from the original on October 19, 2009. Retrieved December 17, 2021.
^Mitchell, Kirk (October 19, 2009). "Balloon boy saga "absolutely...a hoax," Larimer sheriff says". The Denver Post. Denver, Colorado. Archived from the original on October 21, 2009. Retrieved December 17, 2021.
^"Feared lost in balloon, boy found at home". NBC News. Fort Collins, Colorado. October 15, 2009. Retrieved December 17, 2021.
^Ramachandran, Arjun (October 16, 2009). ""Balloon boy" hoax fears after Falcon says "we did this for the show"". The Sydney Morning Herald. Sydney, Australia. Archived from the original on October 19, 2009. Retrieved October 20, 2009.
^Whitcomb, Dan (October 18, 2009). ""Balloon boy" case a hoax, says sheriff; charges coming". Reuters. Archived from the original on October 19, 2009. Retrieved October 20, 2009.
^Stelter, Brian (October 18, 2009). "Calling Story of Boy and Balloon a Hoax, Sheriff Seeks Felony Charges". The New York Times. Archived from the original on January 29, 2016. Retrieved October 20, 2009.
^"Balloon boy parents are sent to jail for hoax". Archived from the original on December 26, 2009.
^Karin Devlin (April 21, 2010). "Balloon hoax dad must pay restitution". CNN. Archived from the original on April 24, 2010. Retrieved December 17, 2021.
^Riccardi, Nicholas (January 7, 2010). "Father of 'balloon boy' denies hoax". Los Angeles Times.
^"Parents convicted in 2009 'balloon boy' hoax pardoned". Associated Press. December 23, 2020. Retrieved December 23, 2020.
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