INQUISITR.COM / News & Politics

Search For ‘Affluenza Teen’ Intensifies, Tips Continue To Flood In

By Amy Feinstein
Published on: 23:02 PST, Dec 22, 2015

It seems it would be a gift for the people of Texas to have Ethan Couch finally in prison for Christmas, but so far, there is no sign that Couch and his mother have been located. It is thought that the Couches might have taken off in a Ford pickup truck, but authorities cannot be sure of that. Ethan Couch is now facing ten years in prison for the vehicular manslaughter deaths of four people, and the maiming of more.

According to the Inquisitr, Couch took off after a hearing was called to discuss the fact that he was taped and photographed while playing beer pong, though his probation prohibits him from being involved with alcohol. Couch is still under the legal drinking age at 19, and drink was involved in the crash that killed four. The hearing likely would have ended with him being arrested once again, so Couch and his mother took off.

The New York Times is reporting that Texas is reeling once again, as the “Affluenza” teen is making headlines. People are angry that, at every turn, Ethan Couch has been able to avoid punishment for his crimes.

“There are two social classes where we live,” said Alexander Lemus, 25, whose brother, Sergio Molina, was thrown from the car driven by Mr. Couch and is now paralyzed, brain-damaged and unable to speak.

Lemus says that his family is still struggling to take care of Molina.

“We are Latino-Americans — my mom is a first-generation Latino-American here, single mother, four kids,” he added. “What would the American public say if I was Ethan Couch?”

The case made big news when the excuse for bad behavior was called “affluenza,” instead of being spoiled and not caring.

“I wish I hadn’t used that term,” the psychologist, G. Dick Miller, told CNN at the time. “We used to call these people spoiled brats.”

People Magazine is suggesting that it won’t be just Ethan Couch who is picked up by police and imprisoned when caught; his mother Tonya will likely face charges, too. Tarrant County Sheriff Dee Anderson says that they will be happy to arrest Tonya Couch also.

“We don’t know if they are in it for sure, but we want to know where it is at least, because we haven’t been able to find it,” Anderson says of the truck. “We all strongly suspect they are together and that she is helping him. It would be a huge leap coincidence if they disappeared at the same time and are not together.”

There was a serious backlash towards Ethan Couch and his parents during and after the trial, and seeing the whole family pay for the tragedy would be satisfying.

“I can’t prove she is with him or helping him, but when we can prove it, criminal charges will be filed,” Anderson tells People. “She will answer for that, if I have anything to do with that. If there is any indication she is aiding him, we will pursue her as hard as we can.”

Anderson said it was pretty clear that Couch had violated his probation, and the county will finally get the chance to put him behind bars.

Do you think that authorities will find Ethan and Tonya Couch before Christmas, and if so, will both of them end up in jail for the holidays?

[Photo courtesy of AP/U.S. Marshals Service]

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