UPDATE: Larimer County is expected to file criminal misdemeanor charges against balloon boy father Richard Heene. Read more here.
Hours after the "balloon boy" drama of a 6-year-old allegedly trapped aloft a homemade hot-air balloon gripped the nation, some are wondering whether the child’s fame-seeking parents made the whole thing up.
Why? First, the family is no stranger to reality TV, thanks to two appearances on the television program "Wife Swap." Second, the father, Richard Heene, is the host of a show called The Psyience Detectives, which invesigates paranormal activity.
Last year the father posted the video below on CNN’s iReport, allegedly "clearly showing civilization on Mars." He ends with the phrase, "This is not a hoax."
After the balloon landed without anyone inside, CNN reported that Larimer County Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Eloise Campanella said, "At this point, we are thinking that he did not fall out of the balloon and is somewhere on the ground. The basket itself was not breached. It does not look like he fell out of it, but again, this is all conjecture."
"I’m very confident we will find him. I think it’s a matter of him being a little scared," she said. "Maybe he’s not ready to be found."
CBS is also questioning whether the event was a publicity hoax, citing aviation experts who said the balloon couldn’t have been carrying the boy, and report by Falcon’s brother that he saw him fall out.
UPDATE: New York Times report Brian Stelter tweeted that the boy, Falcon Heene, has been "found alive" according to KUSA-TV. He also noted that the boy’s father previously called KUSA-TV "in a panic" to ask if their helicopter could help track down the child.
This might also suggest a publicity stunt, as the father contacted media outlets rather than working exclusively with emergency personnel and authorities.
Tell us what you think in the comments below– or post your own reaction on GroundReport.com.
Update: On CNN the little boy responded that he hid because "You guys said that we did this for a show." Read more here.