A US couple convicted of criminal charges in the so-called balloon boy hoax that fascinated the world more than a decade ago were pardoned earlier this week by the governor of Colorado.
Richard and Mayumi Heene reported their 6-year-old son had floated away in an homemade UFO-shaped silver helium balloon in 2009.
Dozens of emergency responders and two Colorado National Guard helicopters scrambled to save the boy as video footage of the enormous balloon floating far above the ground made news around the world.
But the child was never on the balloon, and he was later found unharmed at his home in Fort Collins, about 97 kilometres north of Denver. Authorities said the Heenes staged the ordeal to get publicity for reality TV shows they were trying to pitch.
The Heenes were amateur storm chasers and had twice appeared on the ABC reality show "Wife Swap".