More like this
Balloon boy parents jailed ‘to deter copycats’
Wannabe reality TV stars wasted emergency services’ time with their stunt
An American couple, desperate to become reality TV stars, who invented a story that their six-year-old boy, Falcon, had been carried away by a homemade helium balloon, were sentenced to jail yesterday. Richard Heene received a 90-day sentence while his wife, Muyumi Heene, was given 20 days.
The stunt in mid-October didn't just take over the 24-hours news channels, it caused thousands of dollars worth of unnecessary work as police and aviation agencies scrambled to rescue Falcon - unaware that he was actually hiding in his parents' garage and that the incident had been set up by the Colorado family in a bid to get onto a reality TV show.
At one point, as the silver balloon was tracked by TV cameras and millions of viewers watched anxiously to learn Falcon's fate, flights at Denver international airport had to be grounded.
As a result, the Federal Aviation Authority FAA plans to fine the Heenes $11,000, while other emergency authorities are due to ask for more than $40,000 in compensation for the rescue mission.
Richard Heene told the Denver court that he was "very, very sorry". But Judge Stephen Schapanski agreed with prosecutors that Heene should receive the maximum 90-day sentence to deter copycats.
It was Falcon who gave the game away. During an interview on CNN following his discovery in the garage, he said: "We did this for a show." It transpired that the Heenes had twice been on the reality show Wife Swap.
This was the first of two high-profile stunts by wannabe reality stars to swamp the American media this autumn. Five weeks after the Heenes' adventure, a Virginia couple, Michaele and Tareq Salahi, managed to gatecrash a state dinner given by President Obama. A reality TV crew had filmed their preparations for the big night and followed them all the way to the White House gates.
The Salahis have been subpoenaed to appear before Congress in the new year but are unlikely to face jail time because it was hardly their fault that no one stopped them entering the President's home. ·
Comments are now closed on this article
Comments
Was it that wrong? It was much more entertaining and much less expensive that Strictly Come and X-factor.