6-year-old boy is floating away

I think the dad is a big time spaz. I don't think it was a hoax in that he wanted everyone to think his six-year-old was in the balloon to draw attention to himself, but once the spotlight was on him, he wasn't exactly shy and milked it for all its worth.

 

The AP is reporting that local law enforcement officers have suspected Richard Heene of abusing his wife, but there has never been sufficient evidence to press charges:

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/wire/sns-ap-us-boy-in-balloon-past,0,4782222.story

 

Considering Dianne Sawyer told the mom she could go look after her kid who just puked on TV, and the wife still looked over at the dad to make sure it was okay, I really wouldn't be surprised.

 

I would guess at the very least:

• filing a false police report
  
  filing a false report to the FAA (not double jeopardy if, as the various accounts describe, he made separate calls)
  
  contributing to the delinquency of a minor (enlisting the aid of a minor in the commission of a crime)

And then the civil suits will begin.

Send lawyers, guns and money; the shit has hit the fan.

 

What civil suits? Agnecies looking to recover expenses from this whacko?

 

Watching the press conference. They are going to be charged with filing a false report and trying to influence a public official, or something like that. They will also seek restitution, although the Sherriff said they didn't know what that dollar amount would be.

Also, that the Heene's had met in an acting class, which explained how they could be so convincing to the cops that this was legit.

 

CNN reporting that the sheriff says it's a 'hoax' and a 'publicity stunt.'

And search-and-rescue agencies seek to recover costs for searches that shouldn't have to be conducted all the time. Happens in Colorado a lot. There was a guy who went AWOL from the Marines (IIRC) a few years ago, and he faked his death in one of the parks. Once he was found out, he and a buddy who helped him were ordered to repay the cost of the search, which was more than $30K, I think.

 

Interesting, the Sherriff admitted that he basically lied with his public statements that they believed the family, because they wanted to get their trust enough to get a confession.

 

They're also being charged with contributing to the deliquency of a minor.

 

If I own the wheat field they tore up when the balloon landed, I'd go after the family in court if damages to the crop warranted it.

 

I really doubt the family has much money. If I were relatives of the parents I'd be very concerned for their well-being. (If I wasn't before). The father is a classic narcissist, doesn't seem much different than the guy who kidnapped Jaycee Dugard. I could see things ending very badly.

 

What does the guy do for a living?