Posted on 10/18/2009 12:25:47 PM PDT by BulletBobCo
(CNN) -- Three days after the world watched a giant balloon fly through the air and a tearful family express fears that their 6-year-old boy could be inside, authorities announced what millions already suspected: The whole thing was staged.
It was carried out by a couple who met "in acting school in Hollywood" and "put on a very good show for us," Sheriff Jim Alderden of Larimer County said Sunday. Authorities know there was "a conspiracy" between Richard and Mayumi Heene, he said.
"It has been determined that this is a hoax," the sheriff said, adding police "believe we have evidence at this point that it was a publicity stunt" by the family in hopes of "better marketing themselves for a reality show at some point in the future."
The dramatic announcement included an admission by Alderden that authorities misled the media on Friday when they said they still believed it was not a hoax.
In fact, after a comment on CNN Thursday night by Falcon, the 6-year-old boy, "it became very clear to us at that point that they were lying," Alderden said. But in order to get to the truth, "it was very important that they maintain their trust with us." So investigators misled the media while they carried out their "game plan" of gathering the truth.
The words that triggered concern: "You guys said we did this for the show." That's what Falcon told his parents when they asked him, on live television, why he had not come out from hiding when they were calling for him.
The "nonverbal responses" from the children at that moment made it clear, Alderden said. The children looked at their parents at that moment, seeming unsure how to react.
(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...
I bet the wife swap people at ABC are pretty upset now, knowing that their “reality show” was punked by a couple of actors.
I know that those “reality shows” don’t have a lot of moral standing, but at least they have pretended up til now that we are seeing REAL PEOPLE. Not any more.
I don’t think it was a hoax.
Now where can I buy one of those backyard saucer ballons?
Well, DUH, Sheriff. Two days after everybody else knew it...
Can you imagine how those kids will grow up with parents like that? They are like the movie Grifters where the family traveled around and scammed people.
I heard the search cost 2 million. Some say thousands. The two helicopters alone were $23,000.
One of Heenes friends said the attic the boy was in, he could not have gone in without help.
The article states that the sheriff was not letting on that he knew this was a hoax.
Do you think it may have been a self-esteem issue with the poor little 6 year old? /s I say let’s take him, along with his parents, behind the woodshed.
Even after all this I see a visit to the Dr. Phil show. Sigh.
SNL had a little model of the balloon invade the set when Weekend Update was going on - kinda funny. It was obviously a Mylar balloon turned on its side with a little silver cup attached.
The sheriff even said his guys were trained in body language and the parents were telling the truth.
Yep. They were lying from the start.
does it have to be lifesized? Jiffy pop would give you a model of one. hahahaha!
It's all about me......me, me, me.
I can tie up emergency services, scare the hell out of millions of people and waste substantial amounts of taxpayers' money because it might earn me a few extra dollars.
These people are the poster children for the new America; utterly self-absorbed and narcissistic.
I hope this jerk of a father serves significant time in the hoosegow.
Well thier body language on those TV shows says otherwise.
The sheriff was misleading everyone in a ruse to seek out the truth.
Paging Dr. Lightman....
the public figured it out before law enforcement.
These people are the poster children for the new America; utterly self-absorbed and narcissistic.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.