[Artwork by Chris Toumanian]

ASSOCIATED PRESS: The disappearance and sudden discovery of the boy have raised questions about whether it was all an elaborate attention-getting stunt orchestrated by the Heenes or simply a bizarre case of a child who ran away and hid after getting spooked by a scolding from his father. Larimer County Sheriff Jim Alderden said authorities do not believe at this point if it was a hoax but he would meet with investigators Friday to decide whether to look into the matter further. Asked during an impromptu news conference outside his house whether the incident was a stunt, Richard Heene said: “That’s horrible. After the crap we just went through. No. No, no, no.” MORE

BBC: However, questions over the family’s motivation later emerged during a CNN interview. Mr Heene was asked by an interviewer to ask his son why he had not emerged from his hiding place when he heard his parents calling out his name. Speaking hesitantly at first, Falcon answered: “You had said that we did this for a show.” Pressed on what his son might have meant, Mr Heene struggled for an answer, saying that his son must have been confused by the family’s previous appearance on Wife Swap. In a later segment of the interview Mr Heene avoided a request to ask Falcon once again what he meant by his comment, and instead rounded on his questioner. “I’m kind of appalled after all the feelings that I went through, up and down, that you guys are trying to suggest something else,” he said. Police official Jim Alderden said his officers had been convinced throughout the day that they had been dealing with a genuine situation. However, he conceded, the CNN interview “raised some questions”. “We intend to go back and further ask the family to co-operate with our investigation through answering more questions and resolve this issue,” he told the Associated Press. MORE

RELATED: A portrait is emerging of a publicity-seeking man who fled California with unsettled financial affairs and whose recent colorful past includes an appearance on ABC’s “Wife Swap,” a series of unusual inventions and a self-produced hip-hip video. A Foxnews.com search of public records revealed that Richard Heene, 48, and his wife, Mayumi, owe thousands of dollars in connection to a company called My You Me Productions. Prior to moving to Colorado, Heene and his wife were aspiring actors in Los Angeles who met at an acting school, a source told Foxnews.com.  MORE

HUFFINGTON POST: Falcon Heene is safe and sound from a flying balloon, but he’s got the flu. As his family did the morning show circuit on Friday, he first vomited during a GMA appearance, which was pretaped. He, his two brothers and his parents were appearing via satellite from their Colorado home. As he ran off to the bathroom to vomit, Diane Sawyer encouraged his parents, who both stayed seated, to go after him. Falcon’s mom did get up. Then, live on the “Today” show, he threw up again. As his father Richard was denying the balloon chase of Thursday was hoax, the six-year-old starting puking again. His mom handed him some Tupperware to vomit into, and he did. Meredith Vieira kept talking and his father was cringing as Falcon vomited and his mother wiped his mouth. MORE

ASSOCIATED PRESS: The Larimer County sheriff in Colorado says they have no indication a family was carrying out a hoax when they reported their 6-year-old son was in a helium balloon that floated away from their home. Sheriff Jim Alderden said Friday the suggestion that the boy, Falcon Heene, was coached to hide seems inconceivable. He says the boy thought he was responsible for the balloon coming untied and hid because he was afraid he’d be in trouble. MORE

PREVIOUSLY: SOMEWHERE OVER THE RAINBOW: 6-Year-Old Boy Climbs Into Flying Saucer Balloon And Floats Away

ASSOCIATED PRESS: A 6-year-old boy climbed into a homemade balloon aircraft in Colorado and floated away Thursday, forcing officials to scramble to figure out how to rescue the boy as the balloon hurtled through the air. The bizarre scene played out live on television and prompted fears that the flying saucer-shaped balloon would crash with the young child inside. The balloon rotated slowly in the wind, tipping precariously at times. Cathy Davis of the Larimer County Sheriff’s Department told reporters the balloon was owned by the boy’s parents and tethered behind the family’s home. She said two sons were playing outside when the older boy saw the younger one go into a compartment at the bottom of the balloon and fly away. “We’ll just have to respond the best we can,” Davis said. “This is a first and we’ll do what we need to do.” MORE

WASHINGTON POST: For three hours on a workaday Thursday, a mesmerized and helpless America watched this shiny silvery disc spin slowly against a brilliant blue sky with puffy white clouds. As it tipped this way and that, emergency vehicles trailed the balloon over two counties and 50 miles. The Air Force was alerted. The Federal Aviation Administration grounded planes. A Black Hawk chopper flew in close, blades slashing, to create a downwash to defeat a contraption that looked like a giant birthday party balloon. There became one conversation, one America: What’s the latest on the balloon boy? How are they going to get him down? Here came the parade of experts, in air balloon construction, mechanics and lore. How’d he get up there anyway? MORE

UPDATE: Balloon crash lands, but no sign of boy inside.

AP: Raw Video: Homemade Balloon Aircraft Lands

UPDATE: Balloon Boy Lives! He has been found, safe and alive, in his own home. He was hiding in a box in the family’s attic.