By Summer Rogers

Daily Titan Staff Writer

It’s a bird; it’s a plane … it’s a hoax! The story of the 6-year-old boy trapped in a saucer-shaped homemade balloon, floating over Colorado that gripped the nation for two hours turned out to be nothing but an elaborately planned publicity stunt to get a reality show.

Falcon, the 6-year-old boy who was supposedly trapped in the balloon, let the cat out of the bag that on CNN about the family stunt. Wolf Blitzer asked Falcon why he didn’t come out of his hiding place in the family’s attic when they called for him, and he responded as any child would with an honest answer, “You guys said we did this for the show.”

Falcon’s parents, Richard and Mayumi, put on quite a performance for authorities and the nation. In a press conference, Larimer County Sheriff Jim Alderden answered several questions and has said the parents “put on a very good show for us, and we bought it.”

Alderden said no charges had been filed yet, and the parents weren’t under arrest. He said he expected to recommend charges of conspiracy, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, making a false report to authorities and attempting to influence a public servant.

Alderden said that jail time was unlikely because it was a first-time felony offense and because Colorado has a shortage of space in their prisons. Alderden also said the three Heene boys, ages 6, 8 and 10, knew of the stunt and were fully involved but will most likely not be charged because of their ages.

Richard and Mayumi should be charged and arrested; they wasted the time of paramedics, firefighters, police officers and everyone else involved in the search and recovery of Falcon.

However, the boys should not be charged because children do what their parents tell them to do, even if it’s wrong. It’s disgusting that parents would treat their children like pawns in a game to gain a television show and fame.

The Heenes made people feel sympathetic and worried for their family for no valid reason. It’s extraordinarily selfish to pull a stunt where a child is in danger or potential danger. Perhaps one of the biggest tip offs that this was a stunt was the fact that the Heenes called 911 third after calling the Federal Aviation Administration and Nine News.

Richard claims he was thinking that because the news had a helicopter that they could be of some help in capturing the out-of-control balloon. As a concerned parent, wouldn’t you immediately call 911?

Putting a child in hypothetical danger to gain publicity for a television show is worse than the villainous Octomom having babies to gain notoriety.

Shame on you, Richard and Mayumi. I hope the long arm of the law gives you what you deserve.