Parents of ‘balloon boy’ pardoned by Colorado governor

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis (D) on Wednesday pardoned the parents of the so-called “balloon boy” hoax in 2009 in which they claimed their 6-year-old son had floated away in a homemade helium balloon.

Polis said in a statement that the couple had “paid the price in the eyes of the public” and did not deserve to have a criminal record for the rest of their lives, according to the Associated Press.

Richard and Mayumi Heene told authorities in 2009 that their son had floated away in a silver, UFO-shaped helium balloon.

Their claims briefly gripped the nation, eliciting an immediate response from dozens of emergency responders, including two helicopters from the Colorado National Guard, who attempted to save the boy supposedly trapped in the balloon as it floated across the sky on national television.

Their son was ultimately found safe in their home in Fort Collins. According to the AP, authorities accused the couple of staging the event in order to drum up publicity for reality TV shows they wanted to pitch. The couple had previously participated in the reality show “Wife Swap.”

Richard Heene served one month in jail after being convicted of a felony of attempting to influence a public servant. Mayumi Heene spent 20 days in jail for filing a false report and the couple was ordered to $36,000 in restitution.

In an interview with ABC News, the couple maintained that the incident was not a hoax and they truly did believe their son was inside the balloon.

The couple were among 16 pardons and four commutations issued by Polis.