A most offensive and reprehensible hoax

A day or two ago, some pranksters perpetrated a hoax about a 6-year-old boy getting stuck in a runaway hot air balloon circa the western US. As it turned out, however, the boy was hiding in an attic:

Larimer County Sheriff Jim Alderden told media in Fort Collins that the 6-year-old boy thought to be missing in a balloon craft has been found alive at his home.

“He was found in a box in the attic above the garage,” Alderden said.

The sheriff indicated he did not think Falcon Heene’s parents knew the boy was there; “They thought he was missing,” he said.

Falcon’s 9-year-old brother told investigator and his parents, Richard and Mayumi Heeme, that Falcon was in the “homemade flying saucer” when it went up.

Allahpundit at Hot Air asks a good question: supposing an authoritarian tried to rescue the boy who wasn't even there, and ended up falling to his death? Did the pranksters who pulled that offensive media stunt ever think of that? The local sherrif is going to be investigating this case some more now, as even the parents may have a lot to answer for.

Others on the subject include Michelle Malkin, The Snooper Report.