氣球男孩惡作劇
 科羅拉多陸軍國民警衛隊航空兵搜索六歲的福爾肯·希尼 | |
| 日期 | 2009年10月15日 |
|---|---|
| 時間 |
|
| 地點 | 美國科羅拉多州科林斯堡 |
| 座標 | 40°30′38″N 105°4′27″W / 40.51056°N 105.07417°W |
氣球男孩惡作劇發生於2009年10月15日。里查德·希尼與雅弓·希尼（英語：Richard and Mayumi Heene）當日在美國科羅拉多州科林斯堡放出一銀色飛碟形自製氦氣球。希尼夫婦隨後報警稱其子福爾肯（英語：Falcon Heene）被困氣球中。當局確認氣球90分鐘飛行過程中最高達到7,000英尺（2,100米）。[1][2][3][4]本事件引起全世界關注，[1][5]媒體將福爾肯暱稱為氣球男孩。[6]
國民警衛隊與當地警察跟蹤了氣球。氣球飛了一個多小時，行程約50英里（80公里），[7]；氣球於丹佛國際機場東北12英里（19公里）着陸。鑑於福爾肯不在氣球內且收到氣球上有物件墜落的目擊報告，當局展開了一場搜索。[3]當天晚些時候當局在希尼家車庫上的閣樓中找到了福爾肯；福爾肯似乎全程藏在閣樓里。[8]
輿論開始懷疑此事是場惡作劇；當晚希尼一家在拉里金現場節目接受沃爾夫·布利策採訪後懷疑加深。節目中問福爾肯為何要藏起來時，福爾肯對其父說：「你們說過這麼幹是為了搶眼球」（英語："You guys said that, um, we did this for the show"），揭露此事是希尼一家準備的宣傳噱頭。[9]2009年10月18日拉里默爾縣治安官吉姆·阿爾德登（英語：Jim Alderden）宣佈此事是騙局，希尼夫婦可能會面臨多項重罪指控。[10][11]2009年11月13日里查德·希尼對企圖影響公務員指控認罪。里查德被判處90天監禁、賠償36000美元；雅弓被判處20天定期勞教。[12][13]
此事後希尼一家堅稱自己無辜，聲稱他們被迫認罪以避免雅弓被遣送出境。[14]2020年12月23日州長賈雷德·波利斯特赦希尼夫婦。[15]
參考文獻
- ^ 1.0 1.1 6-year-old Colorado boy found alive in attic after balloon lands. CNN. October 15, 2009 [December 17, 2021]. （原始內容存檔於October 18, 2009）.
- ^ Boy trapped in "UFO-like balloon" floating over Colorado. The Daily Telegraph. October 15, 2009 [June 14, 2019]. （原始內容存檔於October 18, 2009）.
- ^ 3.0 3.1 Missing "balloon boy" found hiding in attic. The New Zealand Herald (Auckland, New Zealand). October 15, 2009.
- ^ Boy said to have floated off in balloon found safe. Associated Press. October 15, 2009 [November 12, 2009]. （原始內容存檔於October 19, 2009）.
- ^ Johnson, Craig. World watches odyssey of "Balloon Boy" in real time. CNN. October 16, 2009 [December 17, 2021]. （原始內容存檔於October 19, 2009）.
- ^ Cheney, Peter. Balloon boy rescuers had few options. The Globe and Mail (Toronto, Canada). October 15, 2009 [December 17, 2021]. （原始內容存檔於October 19, 2009）.
- ^ Mitchell, Kirk. Balloon boy saga "absolutely...a hoax," Larimer sheriff says. The Denver Post (Denver, Colorado). October 19, 2009 [December 17, 2021]. （原始內容存檔於October 21, 2009）.
- ^ Feared lost in balloon, boy found at home. NBC News (Fort Collins, Colorado). October 15, 2009 [December 17, 2021]. （原始內容存檔於2023-08-04）.
- ^ Ramachandran, Arjun. "Balloon boy" hoax fears after Falcon says "we did this for the show". The Sydney Morning Herald (Sydney, Australia). October 16, 2009 [October 20, 2009]. （原始內容存檔於October 19, 2009）.
- ^ Whitcomb, Dan. "Balloon boy" case a hoax, says sheriff; charges coming. Reuters. October 18, 2009 [October 20, 2009]. （原始內容存檔於October 19, 2009）.
- ^ Stelter, Brian. Calling Story of Boy and Balloon a Hoax, Sheriff Seeks Felony Charges. The New York Times. October 18, 2009 [October 20, 2009]. （原始內容存檔於January 29, 2016）.
- ^ Balloon boy parents are sent to jail for hoax. （原始內容存檔於December 26, 2009）.
- ^ Karin Devlin. Balloon hoax dad must pay restitution. CNN. April 21, 2010 [December 17, 2021]. （原始內容存檔於April 24, 2010）.
- ^ Riccardi, Nicholas. Father of 'balloon boy' denies hoax. Los Angeles Times. January 7, 2010 [2024-04-29]. （原始內容存檔於2024-03-02）.
- ^ Parents convicted in 2009 'balloon boy' hoax pardoned. Associated Press. December 23, 2020 [December 23, 2020]. （原始內容存檔於2024-02-26）.