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Richard and Mayumi Heene
Lawyered up: Richard and Mayumi Heene, who met at acting school, leave their attorney’s office. Falcon is on the far right

Balloon family 'working on deal with TV reality show'

Ed Harris
19 Oct 2009


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.

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throw the book at them give them goal time and let them pay all the cost.

- Rudolf Klima, Melbourne Australia, 19/10/2009 21:44
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