OK, I don't think that anyone can contest at this point that the "Balloon" Dad (and in all likelihood Balloon Mom) are very disturbed individuals, who will soon be charged with serious crimes: at least 2 felonies and 1 misdemeanor.

The more difficult question is: what should be the role of Family Services (or Child Protection Services) in this situation? What will happen to those 2 poor boys, who to me are the REAL victims of their parents' ridiculous hoax?

For the father to force a 6-year old to participate in this public farce, and then force him to lie to everyone...to the point that the poor innocent kid is vomiting on camera from the stress of participating in this lie...that (to me) constitutes child abuse, pure and simple.

On the other hand: to strip these kids permanently away from their parents, whose nuttiness they may have gotten somewhat used to over the years, would be equally traumatic. This may need to happen regardless of Family Services investigation: if the judge throws the book at the parents and they get sent to jail for 5-10 years. In that case, I would think next of kin would be the best temporary option, assuming those next of kin are not in posession of the same crazy "fame at all costs" gene. One would hope there is a reasonable grandmother or an aunt who can gently and lovingly tend to these kids while thier koo-koo parents are in the slammer.

And then when the parents get out of jail, I would re-evaluate them very intensely before re-uniting the kids with them. You hate to break up a family, and I would hope the parents get some serious help while they are in the slammer.

But still a no-win situation for these kids.

What sayeth the X5 peeps?