Crime / balloon boy Balloon Family Feels 'Under Siege': Lawyer Lawyer says stunt has turned into a "nightmare for the family." By Nick McMaster, Newser Staff Posted Oct 19, 2009 4:56 PM CDT Copied Richard Heene, center, returns to the family's home in Fort Collins,, Colo., late on Sunday, Oct. 18, 2009. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski) Richard and Mayumi Heene are likely regretting the hoax they staged using their 6-year-old son and a balloon: With criminal charges looming and public opinion turning against them, the family feels “under siege,” their lawyer said today. The FAA has opened an investigation into the incident; it has jurisdiction because the hoax caused delays in flights out of Denver International. Local police will probably bring charges next week, USA Today reports. (More balloon boy stories.) Report an error