Ep. 32: The Balloon Boy Hoax

This is a CRAZY story. One of the first hoaxes to go absolutely viral. How did a little boy end up floating into the sky in a flying saucer? Well, he didn't. The Balloon Boy hoax has everything you want in a hoax story. And it's still true crime indeed!    Sources “All That’s Interesting. The Balloon Boy Hoax And The True Story Behind It.” All That’s Interesting, 2019, https://allthatsinteresting.com/balloon-boy. “Balloon boy hoax.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balloon_boy_hoax. “Balloon Boy’s Parents to Plead Guilty to Lying, FAA Investigating.” ABC News, 13 Nov. 2009, https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/balloon-boy-parents-plead-guilty-faa-investigating/story?id=9073090. “Both balloon boy parents sentenced to jail time for hoax.” The Christian Science Monitor, 23 Dec. 2009, https://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Justice/2009/1223/Both-balloon-boy-parents-sentenced-to-jail-time-for-hoax. “Couple behind 2009 'balloon boy' hoax in US granted pardons.” The Guardian, 24 Dec. 2020, https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/dec/24/couple-behind-2009-balloon-boy-hoax-in-us-granted-pardons. “’Balloon Boy’ parents sentenced in Colorado.” History.com, A&E Television Networks, 23 Dec. 2009, https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/december-23/balloon-boy-parents-sentenced-in-colorado. “Parents convicted in 2009 'balloon boy' hoax pardoned.” AP News, The Associated Press, 23 Dec. 2020, https://apnews.com/article/us-news-colorado-denver-fa2071fb9e5a32a668654919bc729eda. “Remembering the Balloon Boy Hoax That ‘Riveted the Nation’ and Ended in Controversy.” Oxygen True Crime, NBCUniversal, 11 Oct. 2019, https://www.oxygen.com/crime-news/balloon-boy-hoax-heene-family-what-to-know. SFGate/AP. “Balloon boy’s parents sentenced: Both jail time.” SFGate, 23 Dec. 2009, https://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Balloon-boy-s-parents-sentenced-Both-jail-time-3277601.php. “The Balloon Boy Hoax—Solved!” 5280 Magazine, 13 Oct. 2009, https://5280.com/the-balloon-boy-hoax-solved. Time Staff. “The True Story Behind Trainwreck: Balloon Boy.” Time, 29 Aug. 2024, https://time.com/7302213/trainwreck-balloon-boy-netflix/. Trull, Armando. “’Balloon Boy’ Family Denies Alleged Hoax, Says They’ve Been Misunderstood for 10 Years.” People, 16 Oct. 2019, https://people.com/balloon-boy-hoax-not-the-whole-story-family-says-maintain-innocence-in-florida