'Balloon boy' mother admits it was a hoax

The mother of the six-year-old boy once feared missing inside a runaway helium balloon has admitted the whole saga was a hoax. Mayumi Heene told sheriff's deputies that she and her husband Richard "knew all along that Falcon was hiding in the residence" in Fort Collins, and that the incident was meant to make the family more marketable to the media.

Larimer County Sheriff Jim Alderden has said he will recommend charges against the Heenes including conspiracy, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, making a false report to authorities, and attempting to influence a public servant. The most serious charges are felonies and carry a maximum sentence of six years in prison.