Falcon, center, was hiding in the attic
Falcon Heene, the 6 year-old boy that was thought to be in the giant helium balloon as it floated through the sky for over two hours, has been found safe at home. He was hiding in a box in the attic. After the balloon landed in a field some 41 miles away from its initial location, authorities determined that the boy was not in the balloon and a frantic search began to find the child.
It is still unclear whether or not Falcon was ever inside the balloon, as his older brother reported after it became airborne, although that theory has become increasingly unlikely. His parents, Richard and Mayumi Heene, searched their home and came up empty-handed. The authorities were called, who then organized another search of the Heene home while at the same time following the balloon's progress.
The helium balloon was being built by the Heenes and was an experimental aircraft. The Heene family, featured on the ABC show 'Wife Swap' last year, are said to be science fanatics. The father, Richard, is also reported to be a bit of a storm chaser and has been known to take his three sons out of school to go chase weather systems. Their bio on 'Wife Swap' reads as follows: "When the Heene family aren't chasing storms, they devote their time to scientific experiments that include looking for extraterrestrials and building a research-gathering flying saucer to send into the eye of the storm."
Police are still working with the family to determine a timeline of events surrounding the incident. It doesn't likely that any charges will made upon the parents of the child.
You have to feel for the parents of that little boy. It must have been terrifying to believe that their child was as high as 2500 feet off the ground in a homemade craft never meant to carry a human. No doubt Falcon heard the fuss, became scared, and hid to avoid being in trouble. This family has a lot to be thankful for tonight - and hopefully the authorities are at the top of their 'Thank You' list!
Sure makes you think twice about balloons, now, doesn't it?
Source: MSNBC
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