Child Protective Services to investigate balloon boy parents' fitness

Child Protective Services have been called into the case to determine whether or not the three Heene boys are living in a "safe" environment.

Larimer County Sheriff Jim Alderden told reporters his office has contacted Child Protective Services about the family.

The agency had been instructed not to contact the family until the police had re-interviewed the family over the weekend, which had now been completed.

The balloon boy's mother, Mayumi Heene, hired her own lawyer, a sign that the family is gearing up for a legal battle. Her lawyer, Lee Christian, has said neither he nor his client has been contacted by authorities about whether the couple's children might be taken from them.

Child Protective Services will focus their investigation on the children's well-being.

ABC News has reported that former business partner Barbara Slusser chased hurricanes and other storms with the Heenes.  Slusser stopped associating with the family because she felt that the Heenes often put their kids in harm’s way.

Slusser told ABC News, “The last straw for us was when Hurricane Gustav and Hurricane Ike were heading toward the Texas coastline and Heene wanted to go back there and take the kids.”