‘Affluenza’ teen’s mom waives extradition to Texas

CNN reports that Tonya Couch, whose son has become widely known as the “Affluenza teen”, is expected to appear in court for a hearing in Los Angeles on Tuesday regarding extradition to Texas.

If convicted of the hindering charge, Tonya Couch could face two to 10 years in prison, Tarrant County Sheriff Dee Anderson said.

The mother accused of helping her son flee to Mexico while he was on probation for killing four people in a drunk driving accident is being extradited from Los Angeles to Texas… The pair fled south of the border while Texas prosecutors investigated if Ethan had violated his probation.

Ethan Couch was being held at a detention facility in Mexico City after winning a court reprieve that could lead to a weekslong or even monthslong legal process in Mexico.

Tonya Couch, the mother of “affluenza teen” Ethan Couch, arrived Thursday morning at Los Angeles International Airport after she was deported from Mexico to to the United States.

In Texas, prosecutors charged Tonya Couch with hindering apprehension of a felon.

According to the Inquisitr, Tonya Couch tried to fight deportation from Mexico, but the paperwork didn’t come in time, and U.S. Marshals came and took her into custody.

Ethan Couch is still in Mexico; when he returns to the United States depends in large part on whether he decides to contest his deportation.

Her son was sentenced to ten years of drink- and drug-free probation, which critics saw as leniency because of his family’s wealth. Her attorney said there was no way his client could make bail, and they could ask for a bond reduction hearing.

The Couches were arrested last Monday after using a phone to order pizza that was traced to a condominium complex in the resort city of Puerto Vallarta. During his trial, a psychologist testified on his behalf that he suffered from “affluenza”, meaning he was so spoiled by riches that he could not tell right from wrong.

Her attorneys have previously released a statement saying they do not believe that she has broken any Texas laws. Her attorney maintains that she violated no laws. The condition is not recognized as a medical diagnosis by the American Psychiatric Association, and its invocation during the legal proceedings drew ridicule.