Helium balloon thought to contain 6-year-old boy was empty

Authorities are conducting an intense ground search for a Colorado boy who was initially thought to have been trapped in a helium balloon built by his father. After two hours in the air, the balloon eventually landed in a Colorado field but was found empty. Cathy Davis of the Larimer County Sheriff’s Department told reporters that the missing boy, Falcon Heene, was last seen getting into the compartment of the balloon by his older brother. Until the balloon’s crash landing, Heene was believed stuck in the large, mushroom-shaped aircraft, which floated away from the Heene home after it came loose from its tether. The balloon’s flight was closely tracked by television crews and sheriff’s vehicles.

UPDATE: Several hours after the runaway flight of his father’s helium balloon, Falcon Heene was found hiding safely at home. "Apparently the boy’s been there the whole time," said Sheriff Jim Alderden. "He’s been hiding in a cardboard box in the attic above the garage."

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