6 year old in Air Ballon at 7500 feet, Colorado

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I'm amazed at how many people are calling for the parent's blood. One of our local television stations had an internet poll and 94% wanted them to be prosecuted.

 

Gee...I wonder why....?

 

I suspect part of the reason is that people don't like it when other people think they're gullible idiots who would actually fall for such a stunt. Of course, the fact that they are gullible idiots (hence the popularity of so-called reality shows and people like Rush Limbaugh) is beside the point.

 

You don't think they should prosecuted? Consider how many resources were wasted in tracking that balloon and trying to "save" the child? Consider how tight local budgets are strapped in this economy - it's OK to pay tons of overtime out for a stunt?

 

Aldeth, I think a bill for services rendered would be sufficient punishment -- making the bill public would make others think twice before doing anything similar.

From the article Chandos linked:

And that was a small part of it....

 

I agree - I was just stunned that the fiscally conservative Mr. Snook was apparently surprised that a lot of people wanted to see thse people prosecuted.

 

I think it needs to go a little farther than just services rendered. Financial resources were wasted, true, but this could have very easily cost the state more than money. We only have so many rescue workers, so many police, and so many military helicopters. They didn't just waste the money for those things, but took those resources away from the general public. In the event that a real emergency needing some of those very same resources arose during or soon after the event, that misdirection of resources could have very well cost lives. While unlikely, this kind of thing does happen. A bill for services rendered, made public as you suggest, plus punitive damages set by a criminal or civil court would be appropriate.

 

I just don't see what it would accomplish. They obviously don't have the assets to pay any of the "fake" bills that would be calculated. Do we really want to spend additional money to prosecute them, put them in prison, and the kids in foster homes?

If I was the DA, I would make a deal. A very public apology, a promise to make full restitution (if they win the lottery), a fine, and then move on.

As an aside I have a huge problem with the way government agencies and the media calculate the cost of things. When you are calculating the cost of something you should only be including the variable (or incremental) cost of the project. All of the police, fire, rescue people get paid if they sit in the station or are out on a rescue. If they paid overtime that is a different situation, but I'm not sure they did as this entire thing was only a couple of hours long. You don't add the cost of the helicopter to the calculation, only the cost of the fuel used, etc. This in particular drives me crazy in regards to the military. Someone will come up with the cost of having an aircraft carrier battlegroup in the Persian Gulf. It costs just as much to have that carrier group off of the coast of Puerto Rico.

 

I have to say I agree with Snook. The cost should be a fine only. Do we make thieves payback the cost of the gas for the cops to arrive on the scene? No. We prosecute or fine them, depending on the level of the crime, misdeanor or felony. Those costs are already factored into the system and the budgeting for the year. If damage was caused to say powerlines from the balloon hitting them, well yes, they should payback any damages, but usage of police/military equipment is not in that scenario.

 

You have to be freakin' kidding us, RIGHT? These kids will more than likely end up in a foster home anyway, at least until Child Protective Services can figure out what's going on in that house. Who in their right mind would let these kids remain with parents who would turn their own kids into personal cash cows by forcing them to lie to the entire country on nationwide TV, getting them to file false statements with the police and officials, and contribute to the delinquency of their own kids? Just for a reality show stunt? What's wrong with you, dude?

 

What to do with the kids is another story. The parents were trying to achieve drama. They did, by getting their kids to lie. Does that make them unable to raise their kids? I'll let the experts take that one. Personally, I think the parents are idiots, but not the kind of idiots that endanger their kids, just the type of idiots that will use their kids for monetary gain and a little spotlight, even if it's just a fleeting glimpse of the spotlight. I don't think the kids should be removed from the home. IMO, the parents still love their kids and I'm sure the kids still love their parents. Why seperate them? If it turns out that after maybe say a Psyche exam, that the parents are only in it for the money grab and don't give two hoots about their kids, well, foster care could be the right call then. But not until that is determined by experts. I don't promote breaking families up unless there is an inherent danger.

 

A reasonable expectation is that you raise your kids to respect the law, not force them to break it. No one is going to breakup the family, but they will have to straighten these "parents" out with some parenting skills and family counseling before they turn them loose again.

From this event, it appears that the parents love money more.

Most kids do, but they shouldn't be victims to scam artists, even if the scammers are their parents.

 

Chandos, where I agree with you that the parents are in the wrong, I think the parents should still have the chance to atone for their mistakes to their kids. Breaking them up now ruins the chances of fixing the family. Let part of the punishment be making it up to the kids for the rest of their lives...

 

Snook, you can rest assured that the helicopter cost was calculated correctly. The two choppers used have a combined price tag of over 7 million dollars -- and the estimated costs of putting up a civilian chopper suitable for rescue missions comes in at $3,000 per hour. Helicopters are very thirsty, require specialized fuel, and their parts require frequent overhaul and replacement. They are far more costly to maintain and run than conventional aircraft. At $14,500 for two military choppers for nearly 6 hours, these morons are getting off easy...especially since they were paying reservists to fly them. Even if the reservists were on duty at the time of the incident, their training was still disrupted and they'll still have to make it up. Mechanics will also have to come in for extra duty to perform maintenance on the choppers (helicopters usually require more time in maintenance than they spend in the air).

 

As I commented earlier, I don't believe anyone is going to breakup the family. However, Mr & MS Henne have to be given a "Come to Jesus" moment in responsible parenting before they can be trusted with their kids without outside supervision.

Just giving the parents a fine and making them say they are "sorry" won't do squat to make them better or more responsible parents.

 

I agree, some court supervision is in order. I don't see how the parents wouldn't pass that eventually though, they don't seem to be crazy sociopaths, just in need of a little attention. They got that.

 

You're wrong about this Snook. The carrier battlegroup will burn through more fuel in the Persian Gulf and will have much higher logistic expenses.

 

I am in favor of extremely draconic measures in cases like this. The sheer arrogance and lack of consideration for the possible consequences of such a stupid stunt boggle the mind. They should lose their kids, and be reduced to utter penury for life as they work their butts off for the rest of their lives to pay for the taxpayer money they wasted.

What will happen is that they will get a slap on the wrist and a spot on Oprah's show, as well as about 20 others. And all the weak willed hand wringers will cheer at our society's useless response, calling it "civilized" and "fair". It sickens me.

 

I'm not against them fining the Henne's "excessively". But they will never have to pay the cost of the inconvience to the state for helicopter fuel, etc... If that was possible, every criminal ever prosecuted would have to pony up. Imagine Timothy McVeigh's bill.... or any other criminal that has fled the law. Or any serial killer. The punishment set by the court, with small fines added, will be it. If they try to add on to the fines for the extra costs to the state, his lawyers would have a field day with it.