Balloon Boy- The Real Crime

By now we are all familiar with the Balloon Boy story. I can personally attest to the fact that my heart nearly beat right out of my chest watching what we all thought was that poor little child floating all by himself in his dad's homemade weather balloon. When the balloon finally did land, I was nearly nauseated until they tore it open. All reports indicated that if indeed the little boy, Falcon Heene, was inside that in all likelihood he may not be alive due to the massive amounts of helium contained inside it. When it was discovered that the boy wasn't inside and that it had been reported that something fell out of the balloon while it was making its aimless journey, I nearly could not take it anymore. His poor parents...that poor baby.

This weekend it was determined that it was all a publicity stunt. A hoax. Poor baby and parents, indeed. Criminal charges against the parents are reported to follow shortly, but despite all of that, despite all of the manpower and resources used to aid in the rescue of this child, the hoax itself isn't the real crime, at least in my eyes.

Falcon Heene, I am sorry YOUR parents, the people in this world who are supposed to protect you and love you the most, used you for their own attention-whoring gain. The fact that you got sick on national television only proves to me that indeed, the psychological and physiological effects of this whole entire mess has already taken a toll on you. You're only 6 years old. They are adults. Their behavior is deplorable, but the fact that they would even involve their innocent child in something so sensational and then expect that child to take the heat and answer to authority figures for THEIR stupidity? Unforgivable in my book.