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The 'Affluenza Teen' Was Arrested in Mexico

Texas teenager Ethan Couch, famous for evading jail time after killing four people while driving drunk in 2013, was arrested with his mother on Monday in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.
Photo via Jalisco State Prosecutor's Office

Previously: We Asked a Private Investigator How to Catch the 'Affluenza Teen'

Texas teenager Ethan Couch, famous for killing four people while drunk driving in 2013, then avoiding jail time, was arrested with his mother on Monday in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, after fleeing the US, American and Mexican officials told the New York Times.

In 2013, the now-18-year-old evaded going in prison thanks in part to the idea, posited by his psychologist during his trial, that Couch was so spoiled by his wealthy parents that he never learned right from wrong. The Texas judge appeared to buy that argument at least somewhat, and sentenced him to ten years of probation rather than hard time.

He popped back up in the news earlier this month when a video surfaced of him playing beer pong at a party, a likely violation of his probation agreement. Officials now believe that he had a "going-away party" before fleeing the country with his mother, though obviously the pair have little to celebrate now.

According to CNN, Tonya Couch, Ethan's mother, is being charged with hindering the apprehension of a juvenile and could be sentenced to between two and ten years in prison. Ethan's potential punishment is a little more complicated: If his case remains in the juvenile system, he can only be given 120 days in jail. If a judge transfers his case to adult court, the punishments for violating probation are more severe but his violations would not carry over—meaning that Couch could get off relatively lightly once again.