The Balloon Boy hoax occurred on October 15, , when a homemade helium-filled gas balloon shaped to resemble a silver flying saucer was released into the atmosphere above Fort Collins, Colorado , by Richard and Mayumi Heene. They then claimed that their six-year-old son Falcon was trapped inside it.
Authorities confirmed the balloon reached 7, feet 2, m during its minute flight. National Guard helicopters and local police pursued the balloon.
After flying for more than an hour and approximately 50 miles 80 km , [ 7 ] the balloon landed about 12 miles 19 km northeast of Denver International Airport.
When Falcon was not found inside and it was reported that an object had been seen falling from the balloon, a search was begun. Suspicions of a hoax soon arose, particularly after an interview with Wolf Blitzer on Larry King Live that same evening. Asked why he was hiding, Falcon said to his father, "You guys said that, um, we did this for the show," apparently revealing that the Heenes had staged the incident as a publicity stunt.
Following the incident, the Heene family has maintained their innocence, claiming that they were pressured into a guilty plea under the threat of Mayumi Heene's deportation. Heene is also a handyman. Associates described him as a shameless self-promoter who would do almost anything to advance his latest endeavor. A domestic violence investigation was launched at the Heenes' home in February , after Mayumi was seen with a mark on her cheek and broken blood vessels in her left eye.
