The mother of a boy believed trapped in a homemade balloon over Colorado admitted to police that the incident was a hoax, newly-released court documents say.
According to the affidavit, the parents of six-year-old Falcon Heene "knew all along" that the boy was actually hiding in the family's garage.
Video images of the silver-coloured balloon were broadcast around the world as news reports surfaced on Oct. 15 that a child was trapped inside the floating device.
But mother Mayumi Heene told police that the saga was staged as a way to increase the family's media exposure, the affidavit states.
The document was written so police could get a search warrant for the family home, which is located near Denver.
"Mayumi described that she and Richard Heene devised this hoax approximately two weeks earlier ... She and Richard had instructed their three children to lie to authorities as well as the media regarding this hoax," the affidavit reads.
However, father Richard Heene has denied that the balloon ordeal was an intentional hoax aiming to make his family famous.
His lawyer David Lane echoed that opinion and said that all the evidence needs to come out before any conclusions are drawn.
"Allegations are cheap," Lane told The Associated Press.
The couple is being represented by different lawyers, and council for Mayumi Heene wasn't available for an interview because she was travelling, The AP said.
The Heenes could face several criminal charges, including conspiracy, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, making a false report to authorities, and attempting to influence a public servant.
Larimer County Sheriff Jim Alderden has said that he will pursue criminal charges against the family. Police did not make any public statements on Friday.
The Heene family had appeared twice on the ABC reality show "Wife Swap," and Richard had reportedly pitched reality shows to cable producers in the U.S.
