This is quite an interesting event. I'm really surprised this hasn't been posted already.
| Quote: |
| A giant Mylar balloon took off from the backyard of the Heenes' northern Colorado home Thursday. The couple said they were terrified their 6-year-old son Falcon may have been on it. They couldn't find him. |
http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/10/16/colorado.balloon.boy/index.html
I watched this for a good two hours or so until the balloon fell to the ground. Come to find that there was no boy inside the balloon.
Though the boy was eventually found in the attic of the garage of the house in which he lived. A few days later, it was confirmed that this was a planned hoax.
This family was on WifeSwap and I remember watching the exact eppisode. The father of the family has some serious issues.
I know this family had to of pissed off a lot of people. Many people feared for the young boy's life and millions were watching. Then come to find out it was all a planned hoax.
Read the article, it's a good read. There are a lot more articles on this. This was actually a pretty big event. I have been meaning to post about this,it was all over our news (in the UK).
Two youtube videos.
The first one where the kid admits it was all done "for the show"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wI6UONWCq7A
The 2nd where the interviewer asks the boys dad to explain what the boy meant by that comment and the dad loses it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QxtFXtiUbbw
The father of the kid seems unbalanced,why would you involve your own kids in a hoax like that? It would seem he just wants to be famous,he got a taste of fame appearing on wife swap,and wanted more,but why involve his kids. I agree, why in the world would you involve your kids, especially them being so young in something like this?
I seen those interviews as well. I thought it was funny when the kid said "we did it for the show." They were busted right then and there when the kid said that.
I think that was way too extreme. Someone could have died trying to save the boy. If someone did die, and then they found out it was all a hoax, the parents would be in even more deep shit. Just way too dangerous.
Another video of the kid puking on TV,the morning after "the show" comment.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FGhIQP801fc
Seems the dad has had time to think of an explanation for "the show" comment. Yeah, I seen that one as well.
I personally think the hoax was very poorly planned out. How could you not think to tell your child what to say when they ask "Why didn't you come out?" That would of been my second question. My first being "Why were you hiding?"
Looks as though the whole thing could have been a hoax and that criminal charges will be brought against the parents of the little boy:
| Quote: |
Larimer County Sheriff Jim Alderden told a press conference: "It has been determined that this is a hoax, that it was a publicity stunt".
"We believe we have evidence at this point to indicate that it was a publicity stunt done with the hopes of better marketing themselves for a reality television show at some point in the future," he said.
Alderden said the parents could be charged with conspiracy, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, making a false police report and attempting to influence a public servant. |
http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSTRE59E5H720091019 | deanhills wrote: |
Looks as though the whole thing could have been a hoax and that criminal charges will be brought against the parents of the little boy:
| Quote: | Larimer County Sheriff Jim Alderden told a press conference: "It has been determined that this is a hoax, that it was a publicity stunt".
"We believe we have evidence at this point to indicate that it was a publicity stunt done with the hopes of better marketing themselves for a reality television show at some point in the future," he said.
Alderden said the parents could be charged with conspiracy, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, making a false police report and attempting to influence a public servant. |
http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSTRE59E5H720091019 |
One city in the US made it a crime (with a hefty fine as punishment) to call the emergency number for a hoax, and/or something that was obviously not an emergency. Too bad that's not where they live.It's pretty pathetic how people would risk their children for these kinds of things. I mean, if the father plays games like issuing a emergency I would be happy to take their kids away. I mean seriously, all this for publicity.
| Diablosblizz wrote: |
| It's pretty pathetic how people would risk their children for these kinds of things. I mean, if the father plays games like issuing a emergency I would be happy to take their kids away. I mean seriously, all this for publicity. |
Kids thrive on games, and I can just imagine this father having a rich imaginary world full of interesting ideas. And the kids benefitting in a large measure by it. He is very much present in their lives. This part was the offsetting negative of getting carried away in one of his many ideas. Hopefully he has learned a lesson of sorts, as he looked genuinely distressed about what happened to his son. He must have realized it went further than it should have. | Diablosblizz wrote: |
| It's pretty pathetic how people would risk their children for these kinds of things. I mean, if the father plays games like issuing a emergency I would be happy to take their kids away. I mean seriously, all this for publicity. |
There wasn't really much risk to the child... an attic isn't that dangerous of a place. | ocalhoun wrote: |
| There wasn't really much risk to the child... an attic isn't that dangerous of a place. |
I thought I read somewhere that they were threatening to take their kids away? | Diablosblizz wrote: |
| ocalhoun wrote: | | There wasn't really much risk to the child... an attic isn't that dangerous of a place. |
I thought I read somewhere that they were threatening to take their kids away? |
Aw, that doesn't mean anything. These days, they'll take your kids away because you didn't give them candy when they asked (abuse), or because you let them walk to school on their own (neglect).
(Exaggerating, but it is disturbing what is considered excessive risk or abuse of a child these days.) | ocalhoun wrote: |
| Diablosblizz wrote: | | ocalhoun wrote: | | There wasn't really much risk to the child... an attic isn't that dangerous of a place. |
I thought I read somewhere that they were threatening to take their kids away? |
Aw, that doesn't mean anything. These days, they'll take your kids away because you didn't give them candy when they asked (abuse), or because you let them walk to school on their own (neglect).
(Exaggerating, but it is disturbing what is considered excessive risk or abuse of a child these days.) |
Right, you can't even give them a spanking when they are clearly naughty and acting out in public either. I don't think it is completely exaggerated. Perhaps times have changed so much. Children have much more protection in public than in private these days. They can get abused to heart's content in private, but in public they seem to be completely protected to the extreme. Wonder whether the latter can make it even worse for children who are abused in private at home, if parents should be criticized/prosecuted for public discipline, they may take it out on their children in private, if they are in the habit of abusing them in private. Complicated and stressful both on kids and children.Man, what some people will do for attention!
I remember watching this on CNN after the boy was found but before they confirmed that it was a hoax and I felt sort of bothered by people even thinking that it could be fake. I just don't have it in me to understand the mentality of these people!
| missdixy wrote: |
| and I felt sort of bothered by people even thinking that it could be fake. |
*Proud to be one of the people who predicted that they'd find the kid hiding somewhere before it was discovered!*
(Though, to be fair, I figured the kid was doing this alone, and truly had his parents fooled.)
I hope they get charged the full amount of money the rescue effort cost.As I said in a topic earlier today, some people just do stupid things. Honestly, if I had the choice to leave the child with the parents or not, I would get the boy out of that ridiculous situation. It's not right that people get in trouble for spanking their kids, and the parents may get off scot-free in this situation.
| tchaunt wrote: |
| As I said in a topic earlier today, some people just do stupid things. Honestly, if I had the choice to leave the child with the parents or not, I would get the boy out of that ridiculous situation. It's not right that people get in trouble for spanking their kids, and the parents may get off scot-free in this situation. |
I get a sense of "diminished" responsibility among all members of the family. Along very naive lines. They must be playing games and living in an imaginary world all the time. So getting involved with the authorities in this particular game put total different dynamics in their game. Guess their lives as well as those in their immediate proximity in their community must have been well and truly turned upside down. It is no longer fun and games.
