Lifetime nixes balloon boy 'Swap' episode

NEW YORK, Oct. 24 (UPI) -- A representative for Lifetime says the U.S. cable network pulled a rerun of a "Wife Swap" episode featuring the so-called balloon boy.

The unidentified Lifetime representative confirmed the "Swap" episode featuring the family of Falcon Heene of Fort Collins, Colo., will not air as scheduled next week, CNN reported Saturday.

Heene, 6, gained instant notoriety as the balloon boy Oct. 15 amid concerns he had accidentally floated into the air on a homemade helium balloon.

While a major search for the child was conducted, he was later found safe at his family's home.

Police allege the incident was a hoax and local authorities have filed charges against the boy's parents, Richard and Mayumi Heene. The incident reportedly also is being investigated by the Federal Aviation Administration.

The Heene family was featured on a past episode of "Wife Swap," in which mothers from two families switch positions,

"Once we found out" (it was allegedly a hoax), the Lifetime representative told CNN, "we decided to pull it off the air. At this time, we don't have any plans to air it in the near future."