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Falcon Heene - Source: Reuters -
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An American father has rejected suggestions that a search-and-rescue operation triggered by fears his son had floated away in a home-made balloon was an attention-seeking hoax.
"To have people say that, I think, is extremely pathetic," Richard Heene told ABC's Good Morning America.
Local authorities said that while they did not believe the incident was a hoax they would seek to interview the family again.
Falcon Heene, 6, was found alive in the attic of his home on Friday - a happy ending after several hours during which he was thought to be in the silver flying saucer-shaped balloon watched live on television as it drifted over Colorado. When the craft landed, the boy was not inside, prompting fears he had fallen out.
Falcon - whose brother had said that he had climbed inside the balloon before it became untethered - said he had hidden in the attic over the garage because he was scared after his father scolded him earlier for having climbed into the ballon's utility compartment.
But later, Falcon himself aroused suspicions when asked on CNN's Larry King Live why he stayed in hiding so long when people were calling his name. "You guys (his parents) said that we did this for the show," he said.
Richard Heene and his wife, Mayumi, and three sons have appeared on ABC television reality show "Wife Swap" in which families swap mothers to deal with family problems. Richard Heene said the balloon was part of an experiment by the family, who are keen on scientific experiments and storm-chasing.
The family, who live in Fort Collins, Colorado, has also posted videos on You Tube.
Doubts
"Absolutely not," Richard Keene told CNN, asked if it was all a publicity stunt. "I'm kind of appalled that after all the feelings that I went through, up and down, that you guys are trying to suggest something else, OK? I'm really appalled."
His wife added: "What we went through the whole day is real... I really thought we might have lost him."
Larimer County Sheriff Jim Alderden told Good Morning America that investigators initially believed that the family was telling the truth, based on their interviews and body language.
"They were completely convinced this was the real deal and not a hoax," he said. But Alderden said Falcon's comment on CNN had prompted questions.
"Certainly, that statement that was made last night on the interview raises the questions again," Alderden said. "We do intend to go back and try and re-interview the family."
The sheriff told Denver television station KUSA that "if this turns out to be a hoax ... certainly we would seek compensation" for the cost of yesterday's search and rescue efforts.
Heene was irritated at the suggestion he had been seeking publicity.
"I'm not selling anything. This is what we do all the time," he told Good Morning America. "I don't have a can of beans I'm trying to promote. This is just another day in the life of what we do," he said of his science experiments.
Watch the interview below:
When asked what his son meant, Richard then denied the whole thing was a hoax.
He went on to explain that Falcon's use of the word "show" was a reference to the family's appearance on ABC's Wife-Swap programme.
He then said he was appalled at the suggestions it was a hoax.
Watch Richard deny hoax allegations below:
Do you think it was a hoax? Comment on our messageboard below
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Post new commentsoul2soul said on 2009-10-17 @ 20:59 NZDT: Report abusive post
This was clearly a hoax. I hate to say it but we are facing hard times and some people will try to take 15 minutes of fame too far....the family has been on wife swap so it's apparent they have media in their blood. The motive......Probably thinking of gaining a movie or book deal from this.........just my opinion.
mikenz said on 2009-10-17 @ 02:47 NZDT: Report abusive post
Why would this be a hoax? The kid (who seems quite shy) didn't want to talk about why he was hiding. He had already been asked why he hid and understandably probably didn't want to talk about it. Especially given the trouble it had caused.
lance's_biggest_fan said on 2009-10-16 @ 20:58 NZDT: Report abusive post
humm, looks pretty dodgy, out of the months of babes maybe??