Court Papers: Mom Admitted 'Balloon Boy' Incident Was a Hoax

Balloon Lands; Boy Not Found
Copyright 2009 / ABC
"The Insider" has obtained court records released Friday indicating that Mayumi Heene told the police she and her husband Richard knew their little boy Falcon, who was feared to have floated off in a balloon device, was safe at home all along. CLICK HERE to see the papers!

The search warrant affidavit says Mayumi told investigators that the incident was a publicity stunt designed to enhance the family's marketability to the press.

The document says she and Richard came up with the alleged ruse two weeks earlier, and the balloon device "was specifically made to carry out this hoax. ... she and Richard had instructed their three children to lie to authorities as well as the media regarding this hoax."

Richard Heene's lawyer responded that "allegations are cheap" and he's yet to see the evidence, says the Associated Press. Mayumi's lawyer didn't immediately respond to messages left for him.

Investigators say they'll suggest criminal charges against the parents.

Published 10/23/09 by the Insider

Comments (19)

  • orLogin
  • Doesn't matter anymore... they were already successful.
    Anonymous 11/5/09 Reply
  • These people haven't begun to hurt yet...wait until the NTSB gets through with them for shutting down air travel across the country that needed to be routed through Denver. They told the 3 children to lie? What lovely sterling parents, wonderful people to be proud of, right?
    Anonymous 10/25/09 Reply
  • Balloon Boy's parents propose a new show-- starring themselves! Biting satire @ http://www.thelintscreen.com
    PatrickS26 10/24/09 Reply
  • A lot of people knew it was a hoax. Here is the thing bet he get off on this crime.
    Anonymous 10/24/09 Reply
  • i told everyody that it was a hoax..but didnt nobody want to listen to me when I was right all along...
    AaronO4 10/24/09 Reply
  • I thought it was a hoax from the beginning. The parents should pay for what they have done.
    Anonymous 10/24/09 Reply
  • i think they should be charged i dont think they should go to jail or have there children taken away from them but they should go to parenting classes a mean it
    Anonymous 10/24/09 Reply
  • thanx for giving this info
    ambitious 10/24/09 Reply
  • they should not be parents.. if you are going to tell your child to lie for any reason.. I hope when they get older they lie to their parents and when asked why the boys says 'you told us to!'
    further more.. they wanted to do this for media coverage and well look at how long this story has gone on.. so they got what they wanted!!!! stop talking about them now! they are not worth all the stories on them what so ever!
    Anonymous 10/24/09 Reply
  • Yet another bunch of con artists in this new world of reality tv "stars" trying to get famous. Reminds me of the "runaway bride" scheme. Disgusting.
    Anonymous 10/24/09 Reply
  • the police should make arangments to test the little boy for drugs because he look as he was drugged when they came out on tv for one of the interview...
    Anonymous 10/24/09 Reply
  • them two are retarded they should do jail time the kids should be taken away from them. they are the worst parents ever they should be ashamed of themselves
    ChristinaH22 10/23/09 Reply
  • She should automatically lose her children to child welfare! That is exploitation.
    Anonymous 10/23/09 Reply
  • Maybe she "confessed" out of fear for losing her children if she didn't tell the authorities what the authorities wanted to hear.
    Anonymous 10/23/09 Reply
  • she probably decided to tell the truth in hope's of not loosing her children. Maybe she doesn't care as much about her husband as her children and that is why she is comming clean with this. If it meant loosing my kids I would tell the truth in hope's that the court's would take mercy on me and let me keep my kids and screw the husband.
    Anonymous 10/23/09 Reply
View More Comments
Write a Comment