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Balloon family 'working on deal with TV reality show'
Ed Harris19.10.09
The family of the six-year-old American boy who claimed that he had floated away in a helium balloon are facing felony charges.
Police said today that they made up the story to get on to a TV reality show.
Richard and Mayumi Heene met in acting school in Hollywood and have appeared on the show Wife Swap.
Last Thursday's stunt shut down Denver airport and the National Guard scrambled two helicopters to rescue the Heenes' son, Falcon, who was believed to be inside the flying-saucer shaped homemade balloon that was blown more than 50 miles across two counties. He was found hiding in the attic.
Larimer County Sheriff Jim Alderden said the Heenes have reportedly been working on a TV deal in Los Angeles.
He did not name the show but said it blurs "the line between entertainment and news".
Felonies carry a maximum of six years in jail.
