Heene Family "Flying Saucer" Ballon

While I hate to give celebrity status to this bunch of braniacs, they have received much press time in the last week so here goes.
     An enormous land and air rescue effort was launched on Thursday as the family owned flying saucer-shaped balloon was swept thousands of feet into the air and the family reported to the police that their 6 year old son, Falcon was in the ballon, but the boy was later discovered hiding in the attic of his family garage.
     Although the boy’s father, Richard Heene, an amateur scientist and inventor denied that the incident was a publicity stunt, Jim Alderden, the Larimer county sheriff confirmed police were preparing to file charges against the family.

     Alderden said the Heenes “put on a very good show for us, and we bought it”. After a five-hour wild-goose chase, Richard Heene said the family discovered Falcon hiding in the rafters of the family garage — a story that authorities began to doubt when Falcon said in a CNN interview that night, “We did this for a show.” Speculation ran high that the family was trying to draw attention to themselves in hopes of landing a reality TV show.

     If misdemeanor charges are pursued against the family, authorities could potentially sue them for costs incurred because of the incident and resulting investigation, potentially hundreds of thousands of dollars. Guess their really gonna really need that reality TV show now.

     One can only wonder – what kind of parents puts there 5 year old child through a media ordeal like that which has been unleashed by the hoax?

     The family’s attorney, David Lane said his first concern is still the well-being of the Heene children, who include Falcon’s older brothers, Ryan and Bradford.
     “If law enforcement arrest mom and dad in the presence of kids — whether mom or dad are guilty, innocent, or somewhere in between — that’s child abuse,” Lane said. “There’s no excuse for law enforcement to contact the media, to bring them out in full view of their kids on TV, and arrest mom and dad.”
     Too bad the parents weren’t equally “concerned” for their children’s welfare.