Parents convicted in 2009 'balloon boy' hoax pardoned

Richard Heene, right, and his wife, Mayumi, have been pardoned by the governor of Colorado. Photo / AP

A US couple convicted of criminal charges in the so-called balloon boy hoax that fascinated the world more than a decade ago were pardoned earlier this week by the governor of Colorado.

Richard and Mayumi Heene reported their 6-year-old son had floated away in an homemade UFO-shaped silver helium balloon in 2009.

Dozens of emergency responders and two Colorado National Guard helicopters scrambled to save the boy as video footage of the enormous balloon floating far above the ground made news around the world.

But the child was never on the balloon, and he was later found unharmed at his home in Fort Collins, about 97 kilometres north of Denver. Authorities said the Heenes staged the ordeal to get publicity for reality TV shows they were trying to pitch.

The Heenes were amateur storm chasers and had twice appeared on the ABC reality show "Wife Swap".

Former business partners said Richard Heene wanted a show of his own called "The Science Detectives" or "The Psyience (sic) Detectives".

The saga gripped a global audience, first with fear for the safety of 6-year-old Falcon Heene and then with anger at his parents when he was discovered.

Eleven years later, couple has now "paid the price in the eyes of the public" and shouldn't have to be dragged down by a criminal record for the rest of their lives, Colorado Gov. Jared Polis said in a statement Wednesday.

"We are all ready to move past the spectacle from a decade ago," said Polis, a first-term Democrat.

Richard Heene served a month in jail after pleading guilty to a felony count of attempting to influence a public servant, and Mayumi Heene was jailed for 20 days for filing a false report. They were also ordered to pay US$36,000 in restitution.

The couple told ABC News last year that it wasn't a hoax because they truly feared their son could have been aboard the balloon when they called for help.

Polis also issued 16 other pardons and four commutations.

- AP