Affluenza Teen Ethan Couch And Mother Detained In Mexico

A wealthy Texas teenager famous for his "affluenza" defense during a trial for killing four people in a 2013 drunk driving crash has been taken into custody with his mother in Mexico, the Tarrant County District Attorney's Office said.
Ethan Couch, 18, and his mother Tonya, with whom he lives, were in custody of Mexican authorities early Tuesday, after setting off a manhunt that involved the U.S. Marshals and the FBI after the two went missing earlier this month.
Couch and his mother were taken into custody around 6 p.m. Monday evening in the coastal resort city of Puerto Vallarta, Mexican authorities told Telemundo. Officials said they had been tracking the pair since Friday.

via Reuters

The sheriff's office started searching for Couch and his mother after he missed an appointment with his probation officer. Officials went to the house where he was allegedly staying with his mom, and found the place empty — save for a pinball machine, according to Reuters.
Tonya Couch's mother also grew concerned over their whereabouts and contacted the sheriff's office to report her as a missing person.
Earlier this month, a brief video emerged on Twitter of young men playing beer pong. The person who posted the video claimed Couch, who cannot drink or use drugs and drive, was in the video and was violating his court terms. The Tarrant County district attorney has said the office was investigating the claim.
Couch met with his probation officer around the time the video surfaced, but didn't return after that, Reuters reported.
Tarrant County Sheriff Dee Anderson previously told NBC News that he was "not surprised at all" that Couch ran and that he believed Couch and his mother had fled the country.
Anderson told NBC News that he believed "the video was the trigger" for Couch and his mother to run.

Dec. 20: U.S. Marshal's Service Believes 'Affluenza' Teen Is Getting Help Escaping 2:31

Couch admitted to the 2013 crash but did not get any jail time, thanks in part to an unusual defense strategy: A psychologist who testified on the wealthy teen's behalf said Couch was afflicted with "affluenza," which made him unable to distinguish right from wrong due to his privileged upbringing.
Affluenza is not recognized by the American Psychiatric Association as an official diagnosis.
At the time of the crash, Couch was 16 and had a blood-alcohol level nearly three times the legal limit. He received 10 years of probation and orders to go to a rehab center.

Richie Duchon