If this was a hoax...... grrrrrr

According to police, there is no one inside that balloon.

So where is the boy?

Margy Martinez, of the sheriff's office, said a sibling saw the boy climb into the basket and since the door wasn't locked, the boy may have fallen out.

The sheriff is saying that they are looking for the child in the neighborhood. So maybe he didn't fall out. Fingers crossed.

Strange in more than one way!

The little boy, Falcon, who was supposed to be 'in' the balloon is the youngest of three boys. The family participated in ABC's Wife Swap in 10/08

Here's a synopsis of the episode and a publicity still from ABC

WIFE SWAP
Air Date: Friday, October 03, 2008
Time Slot: 8:00 PM-9:00 PM EST on ABC
Episode Title: (#501) "Heene/Martel"

[NOTE: The following article is a press release issued by the aforementioned network and/or company. Any errors, typos, etc. are attributed to the original author. The release is reproduced solely for the dissemination of the enclosed information.]
SEASON PREMIERE

A WOMAN WHO CHASES TWISTERS AND DRIVES HER FAMILY HEADLONG INTO THE STORM SWAPS LIVES WITH A WOMAN WHO'S SO SAFETY CONSCIOUS THAT HER BOYS CAN'T GO TO THE WOODS IN CASE THERE ARE COYOTES, ON ABC'S "WIFE SWAP"

"Heene/Martel" A thrill-seeking family devoted to chasing tornados swaps lives with a cautious family who always put safety first, on the Season Premiere of "Wife Swap," FRIDAY, OCTOBER 3 (8:00-9:00 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network. Each week from across the country, two very different families take part in a two-week-long challenge: The wives exchanges husbands, children and lives (but not bedrooms) to discover what it's like in another woman's shoes. It's a mind-blowing experiment that often ends up changing lives forever.

The Heene family from Colorado live life on the edge. Wife Mayumi (43) and storm scientist Richard (45) take their three kids, Bradford (, Ryo (7) and Falcon (5), out of school to go on storm chasing missions to prove Richard's theories about magnetic fields and gravity. If conditions are right, Mayumi wakes her family by shouting "Storm Approaching, Storm Approaching!" into a bullhorn. The family sleep in their clothes so they can leap out of bed and into the storm-mobile. Richard calls Mayumi his ninja wife'; she maintains equipment, drives the storm-mobile, films tornadoes and waits with the kids while Richard jumps on his motorbike, heads into the eye of the storm and launches rockets to measure magnetic forces. At home the family are as chaotic as a twister: the kids have no table manners and throw themselves around the house, and while Richard devotes every moment to his research, he expects Mayumi to cook, clean and run the house without any help.

Meanwhile on a quiet street in Connecticut, the Martel family -- wife Karen (43), husband Jay (50) and their two kids, Max (11) and Dean (10) -- live a life of calm and safety. Dad is so committed to safety that he runs a child-proofing business devoted to identifying dangers and risks and making sure kids stay out of harm's way. With all the precautions taken to keep them safe, Max and Dean seem to be afraid of everything"you can fall down the stairs, get cancer from the microwave, get tapeworms from sushi, and the lava lamp could explode..." The Martels conduct safety fire drills, make sure the kids wear protective gear on their bikes and pogo-sticks and never let the boys out of their sight. The atmosphere in the house is calm and serene, and Karen and Jay are equal partners.

In the first week, Karen Martel moves to Colorado and has to overcome her fears as she becomes a storm-chaser. She is shocked as the Heene kids jump off banisters and run wild, and appalled by Richard's attitude to women. Meanwhile at the Martels', Mayumi Heene sees safety gates everywhere and wonders how the family have fun. She asks the kids about their anxieties and confronts Jay about the climate of fear in his house.

In the second week of the swap when the wives change the rules and turn the tables, Karen tries to bring order to the Heenes' chaos, with Richard fighting her rules every step of the way, and the Martels have hold on tight as Mayumi shouts "Storm Approaching! Storm Approaching!" At the end of two weeks, will Karen Martel bring peace and order to the chaotic Heene household? And can Mayumi free the Martel kids from fear?

Wife Swap Heene boys Not Pussified music video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EBWJXXgaYBo&feature=player_embedded#

This is so bizarre. I am praying that the little boy is scared and hiding somewhere. I've been a trained storm tracker for a long time. One of the first things you are taught is to not get in harms way and observe from a safe distance. These are weather wildcatters and I hope it hasn't cost them the life of one of their children.

Oh, no. A neighbor said they took a photo. Hopefully they can use the photo and compare it to footage from the live streaming of the balloon... figure out where it may have fallen. This is all so sad.

I am glued to this as well

Local news live stream

http://www.kdvr.com/news/livestreaming/

Platteville area - rural. That's where they are searching for Falcon.

For the record, the boy could not have untied the contraption and then gotten in it fast enough. So, if he was on it, then someone "helped" him. I do hope he is hiding somewhere. I think it is unlikely though. I believe there is more to this story.

Now... news conference says.. he is safe at home

My boyfriend is a police officer and this is the kinda of stuff that takes them away from real victims in danger.I will refraim from judgement because he is safe, but the family is

Thank God!!!!!

#balloonboy found sleeping in a box in the attic of the garage!