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I'm pretty embarrassed for them. I can't believe they would do something involving a 6 year old and actually expect to get away with it...children tell the truth. I really don't have much else to say about them other than it's really sad that they felt the need to do this and now one or both of the parents will be facing charges and are being investigated by child protective services. I guess at the end of the day they really just need to ask themselves "was it really worth it?"

Rosa, Miscortes,

I doubt that the dad will ever ask himself, "Was it worth it," because he seems to be a narcissist, someone who believes they are the center of the universe and that what they do is right and that if they are accused of something, they have been wronged. I am sure that in the dad's mind, he has moved completely past the part where he thought up this scheme without regards to others, and has gone straight to the place where he is "wrongly accused" and "a victim of the media" (even though he did call the TV station before he called 911. WHAT?)

I heard one estimate of the rescue costs -- between law officers on the ground, helicopters in the air, the number of personnel used, and the distance covered -- could hit $2 million. That's taxpayer money that will probably never be recovered.

I fear for how the 6-year-old boy will process this after being used as a pawn and being made to be in the center of this massive deception. Apparently, the poor boy threw up on two tv shows the next morning. I can't say I blame him.

I know Diane, the poor child did actually throw up on television. What would cause this family to stress this poor boy out so much that it is causing him to be physically ill? Let the plot thicken, there I guess we gave him his 2 minutes of shame.

I saw a replay on CNN of the interview with the poor child sitting on his father's lap - throwing up. When he told his parents he feared he was going to vomit (and stress will often make a child vomit) not only did they decide to continue with the interview, but asked for a bowl so the child could throw up! If that wasn't dreadful enough, Meredith Vieira (a professional media person) continued to interview the couple, all the while seeing the child vomit! What the heck is wrong with us as human beings - and our media personnel - that we can allow this! Ms. Vieira should have shut down that interview immediately but chose to continue getting her "scoop". And as Dad grimaced at the child vomiting, Mom kept reaching over to wipe his mouth and adjust the bowl so he could vomit into it and not spill anything. It would be funny if there were not kids involved, not to mention hundreds of thousands of dollars due to the investigation. These parents are disgraceful and so is the media for jumping all over it.

Now the mom has confessed that it had all been planned at least two weeks in advance. There are also rumblings of domestic violence against her. My intuition tells me that he has beaten her in the past - based on his violent behavior to another woman on the show Wife Swap, as well as 911 calls to his home in the recent past. But I also get the feeling she's going to used Battered Woman's Syndrome as her get out of jail card. Even if she has been battered, she willingly took part in faking 911 calls, sobbing on cue, training her kids to lie and then partaking in a media blitz in order to garner a reality show. I fully believe Battered Woman's Syndrome to be a legitimate condition, but I'm very cautious to buy her whole story (and it's coming, believe me) regarding this whole disaster. Her lawyers are prepping a defense of this nature, as I type, mark my words. However, I think it's a defense that is ill earned and is doing an enormous disservice to legitimate claims of Battered Women's Syndrome.

I also worry that if this man is left alone with his wife and children that a murder-suicide is a risk. This man has a history of violence and I don't believe he is immune to hurting his wife and kids and then ending it all himself. It may sound very dramatic but the entire balloon hoax is something out of a movie, yet very real. I do find this man to be a real risk to his family. His entire adult life has been dedicated to garnering fame, no matter the consequences, and this may be his ultimate curtain call.

You know, so many people bitch and whine about "kids these days" but it is we adults who have much to be ashamed of. Children may end up 'good' or 'bad' but they most definitely start off as innocent. I can only imagine the abusive home life these lovely little boys have been exposed to, by parents interested in nothing but fame and money. Shame on us adults who do this to defenseless children.