The mother of the six-year-old US boy once feared missing inside a runaway helium balloon admitted the whole saga was a hoax, according to court documents.

US investigators pored over e-mails, phone records and financial documents from the home of Richard Heene as they weighed felony charges and sought to determine who else might have helped the alleged balloon-boy hoax get off the ground.

AUTHORITIES investigating the family accused of perpetrating the balloon boy hoax to promote a reality show said yesterday they don’t expect to bring possible charges until at least next week.

The father accused of masterminding a hoax in which emergency services chased an out-of-control balloon in which his son was feared to be trapped could be charged as early as today, his lawyer has said.

The boy-in-a-balloon story that sparked a frantic search in Colorado was a hoax concocted to land a reality television show, authorities said.

A SHERIFF has said he was pursuing criminal charges in Colorado’s “balloon boy” saga, which first sparked fear for the child, then relief and now suspicions of a hoax.

Police searched the home of the parents of Colorado’s “balloon boy” early today after the sheriff said he was pursuing criminal charges.

Police are to reinterview a Colorado couple today as speculation mounted that the balloon drama that sparked a frenzied search for their six-year-old son was a huge publicity stunt.

A TODDLER missing for three-and-half years whose tattered clothes were discovered last week was probably attacked by a mountain lion, authorities said. Three-year-old Jaryd Atadero vanished on October 2, 1999, while on a hiking trip with a church group. He had been running ahead so he could find hiding places and say “Boo!”.