Crime | balloon boy Balloon Family Feels 'Under Siege': Lawyer Lawyer says stunt has turned into a "nightmare for the family." By Nick McMaster 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. Read These Next A former NFL Pro Bowler has died at age 36. The massive AWS failure exposed a big problem with the internet. Backlash for Trump nominee who said he has 'a Nazi streak.' Marco Rubio struck a controversial deal with El Salvador. Report an error