Mother of Balloon Boy 'admits hoax'

Published: Mon, 26 Oct 2009 12:02:23

Court documents have reportedly shown that the mother of a boy believed to have been swept away in a helium balloon has admitted the incident was a hoax. Mayumi Heene is said to have told officials that she and her husband Richard "knew all along that Falcon was hiding in the residence" in Fort Collins. She also apparently told sheriff's deputies the scheme was devised to make the family more marketable to the media.

"Mayumi described that she and Richard Heene devised this hoax approximately two weeks earlier," a court affidavit made public in the US said. "She and Richard had instructed their three children to lie to authorities as well as the media regarding this hoax." The family had sparked international concern after calling the emergency services and a TV station claiming six-year-old Falcon was in the homemade helium balloon after it launched accidentally from their backyard.

The balloon later landed safely in a farm field, with Falcon nowhere to be seen; he was later found in the family's garage. Larimer County Sheriff Jim Alderden has said he will recommend charges against the Heenes including conspiracy, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, making a false report to authorities, and attempting to influence a public servant. The most serious charges carry a maximum sentence of six years in prison and a $500,000 (£305,000) fine.

Add our news to your site

Be the first to comment

Add your comments

	Name:
	Email: Your email address will not be published
	Town & Country:
	Your comments:
	Please enter the characters displayed on the image

Other News

	Teenage boy jailed over second child rape A teenage boy who kidnapped and raped a five-year-old boy has been jailed for at least three years.
	Soldier's mother attacks PM over typos Gordon Brown has been criticised by the mother of a solider whose name he misspelled in a condolence letter.
	Scarlett Keeling mother charged with fraud The mother of Scarlett Keeling, the British teenager whose body was found on a beach in Goa last year, has been charged with falsely claiming thousand of pounds in income support.

Articles by month