I dont see how he could have been in it either. Maybe he is hiding because he let the thing loose.
I guess I’m the only one that believes he may have never gotten in it and this is a cover up for the boy being killed. Or it may be a publicity stunt gotten out of control.
I just don’t see a 6 year old boy untethering a ballon and then climbing in and then letting it go up. Keep in mind the ballon only had a carboard bottom, so it couldn’t carry too much weight. I bet the thing couldn’t even lift they boy (but that’s just a guess).