Right now on the news channels. A 6 year old boy is trapped in a balloon. It looks similar to a hot air balloon, although it's not. Here is a link for somewhere you all can read more on it
MSNBC Site Boy in balloon

Good news - apparently there was never a child in the balloon. It was just recovered and no boy was found inside.

But the child is no where to be found.

It's possible the child did untie the balloon and when it started to float away he went and hid, because he knew he would be in trouble.

True. And I've heard unconfirmed reports that the door on the little gondola was open when it landed, making it possible that the boy could have fallen out somewhere between where it took off and where it landed. (cringe)

Three possible scenarios:

1. The brother who reported seeing the 6 year old get into the balloon was lying and no one was ever inside. If true, he'll probably not be able to sit down for a week.

2. The 6 year old could have fallen out (BIG cringe).

3. The 6 year old is hiding somewhere, dreading the spanking he'll probably get if he's found.

Prayers that Scenario 2 never comes into play here.

I don't think the parents will spank the kid if that is the case. They will just be thankful that he is OK. Appearently they are really traumatized by the what has happened.

They have said that something may have fallen from the balloon but they also aren't sure that he was ever in it. I'm hoping he untied it and is hiding because he knows he's in a load of trouble. The balloon went from south Ft. Collins to Denver International Airport. That's a lot of area to search.

He was just located, in his house.

He was found safe hiding in the garage attic at his home. Good news.

I think if he were mine he'd probably have a bit of a sore bum. But I'd also probably be hugging him at the same time too. Mixed messages or what?!?

SOme are saying it's a hoax - I hope it's not.

I tried the link and it's working for me, asgardshill. What you can do is go to YouTube and type in this family's name (Heene) and you'll see that other people have uploaded the interview as well. Maybe that'll work.

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Gaaaah - stuff like this just infuriates me! One person's 15 minutes of fame could easily have resulted in other people's death or injury.

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I was thinking the exact same thing. Believe me, I know how you feel! I started thinking "what if someone had been hurt or, God forbid, died as a result of this stunt...?" That would have been just unbearable. This whole thing is just unbelievable.

I can tell you EVERYONE was talking about this over here. When I got home, my mom was watching it on TV, and it was all over the news, and on the radio, as my dad told me. And I read it was on all the news channels in many other countries as well. Isn't it crazy that this story was shown all over the world in a matter of minutes?

If this indeed was a hoax, these two people are some of the worst parents I've ever seen.

I found a link to another interview (Wolf Blitzer on CNN) that referenced the boy's "We did this for the show" comment.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QxtFXtiUbbw

Dad's doggedly sticking to the script and is now "offended" that anybody could think this could possibly have been a publicity stunt, even after his own son admitted it was. Poor poor man - it just breaks my heart to see him so falsely accused by those media meanies (dripping sarcasm).

And teaching your children to tell lies... Hmmmm.

The fact that a 6yr old was able to climb up into the garage rafters sounds like a dangerous situation to me. I know you can't child-proof your house entirely, but really, the rafters?

The child threw up twice while he and his father were being asked about the "..did it for the show.." comment. (News link) Sounds like a bad case of nerves, guilty conscience? I don't know, I wasn't there, but this family is known to seek media attention in the past. Sounds pretty fishy to me. If it turns out that this was a hoax then the family should be made to pay every last penny the search and rescue mission cost.

This is a crazy confusing story ! I'm not sure WHAT to believe. Whatever the truth is, it's all distressing, though -- especially after seeing the whole family interviewed shortly ago on the "Today" show. The little boy puked during the course of it, which really bugged me. Not that he did it, but that they KNEW he was not feeling well (be it from stress or the flu, who knows?). But the parents came prepared with something handy for him to throw up into, so it wasn't exactly a surprise. Which, if you ask me, means he should have been sensibly left at home. Ultimately, however, as for the event itself, the runaway 'balloon' yesterday? It sure feels like a *hoax* to me, but that's mostly because I just sensed something 'shifty' about that Dad. He did raise a good question, though: "What was there be to gained from pulling off such a stunt? This helium contraption is not marketable and, according to him, can't even be patented!" Naturally, my question then became: "What was there to be gained, just as much, from you all appearing on that ghastly "Wife Swap" hot mess of a TV show, then, while we're on the issue of establishing "motives"?" Ye Gods, I believe they were on that series twice, even? Ugh! But that doesn't quite make him guilty of any wrongdoing in this instance, I know. It doesn't help in terms of assigning his well-honed character and/or rock-solid credibility, either .

I guess what gives me pause (mostly) is that they seemed to have no problem carting that young lad in front of the television cameras when he was obviously not feeling well. It was wrong to do that, no matter what the purpose. If Dad felt the need to do that 'explanatory' interview (and he definitely needs to explain this, somehow or other), he could have done so without a 6-year old throwing up in his lap. It was just all wrong, in my opinion.

Not that the staff at NBC are any better in that situation, however, are they? They had to have willfully run the risk of exploiting a sick child as well. In everybody's defense, though? Even though it took a few uncomfortable minutes, they cut the interview short and returned to it later -- after the mother and children were scooted out of view. Then the Dad finished the 'chat' solo. I tell ya. I truly don't know what to think about what happened yesterday, even after hearing/watching the train wreck this morning! I'm thinking, at the moment, if I'm forced to get all interested in those whacky storm chasers? I'll happily go with Helen Hunt in "Twister", thanks.

Ooops. I was typing and didn't see MadMag's post there. Sorry for the repetition ...

I saw that they aren't planning on charging the family. If it turns out that it was a publicity stunt, I hope they are presented with a massive bill.

Maybe I'm just cynical but I tend to believe it was a stunt. Consider:

How many 6-year olds do you know who can hide for 2 hours?

The family already had some TV time when they appeared on "Wife Swap" where the wives from 2 divergent families spend a week at the other's home. Maybe they missed the limelight.

They have a few youtubes posted before this incident, one being where the boys sing a rap song about 'not being pussified' - Mum even plays guitar a bit.

The parents take the boys with them when they go to not just to chase a storm, but to 'intercept' it, whatever that means. Sounds like they're taking those kids awfully close to danger. Here's a quote from a profile of the dad in the Denver Post in 2007: (The kids, of course, would be 2 yrs younger than they are now)

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The Heenes take their sons on most of their missions.

"I think they really are having fun," Mayumi Heene said. "They get so much more that they can't get from any other entertainment."

The Heenes had a close call July 12 when they found themselves in the midst of a tornado in Buckeye.

"I think I have odd kids. They start screaming with excitement," Richard Heene said.

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They certainly don't sound like likely candidates for Parents of the Year....

I've been listening to radio this morning and discovered a couple interesting facts.

The boy would have had to climb up on a dresser, then a couple boxes, then climb up two boards to get into the attic. No stairs.

In spite of the fact the father says they were yelling at the balloon as it was taking off that there was a kid inside, he submits a video for the public to see where the only yelling he did was to his wife for letting the tether loose. Now which story is right? The kid let it go, or did the wife? See? Ya gotta keep your story straight!

Now there may be some completely valid and rational reason for the above things, and I suppose things are always "explainable," --but-- it sure feels to me like there is "more to the story." It seems like he is getting his lies mixed up.

Also, his first call was to the Federal Aviation Administration -- wouldn't your first call be to 9-1-1? (Our emergency number) I mean it's not like we all have the FAA's phone number handy.

Especially when the kid said it "was for the show." What show? The show they are putting on? If they are so horrified by what happened, why is he appearing on television shows today -- yes, showS. If I had a problem like the kid doing that, I sure as heck would not be appearing on national television shows. Hmmmm is all I can say.

The family continues to insist it wasn't a hoax, but I don't believe this will stop further investigation. Something is too fishy. Everyone was out there messing around with the balloon, kid supposedly crawled in, film running the whole time. It just took a very short time for the balloon to get away. I don't see how a small kid could climb up in the attic and hide there that fast, much less stay there all that time unless he was told it was a game. The truth will come out.