By The Associated Press
The latest on Tonya Couch, the mother of a Texas teen who used an “affluenza” defense in a drunken wreck (all times local):
9:20 a.m.
The mother of a fugitive teenager known for using an “affluenza” defense in a fatal drunken-driving wreck has been released from a Texas jail.
Tonya Couch was released on bond from the Tarrant County jail in Fort Worth shortly before 9 a.m. Tuesday. She’s charged with hindering the apprehension of a felon for allegedly helping her 18-year-old son flee to Mexico.
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Her son, Ethan Couch, is fighting extradition from Mexico.
A judge on Monday lowered the mother’s bond from $1 million to $75,000. She must wear an electronic ankle monitor and remain at the home of her 29-year-old son, Steven McWilliams, except for appointments with her doctor and lawyer.
Authorities believe the pair fled as Texas prosecutors investigated whether Ethan Couch violated his probation in the 2013 wreck that killed four people. During the trial, a defense witnesses said the teen was coddled into a sense of irresponsibility by his wealthy parents, a condition the expert called “affluenza.”
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1 a.m.
The mother of a Texas teenager who used an “affluenza” defense after killing four people in a drunken wreck has posted a reduced bond and is expected to be released soon.
In a tweet late Monday night, Tarrant County Sheriff Dee Anderson said Tonya Couch had posted $75,000 bond and was expected to be released Tuesday morning after being fitted with a GPS monitor, “barring any unseen delays.”
A judge decreased Couch’s bond Monday from $1 million to $75,000. She was brought back to Texas last week after being caught with her son, 18-year-old Ethan Couch, in the Mexican resort town of Puerto Vallarta. She’s now charged with hindering the apprehension of a felon.
