Ethan Couch, the "affluenza" teenager who fled to Mexico last month after a video of him possibly violating his probation surfaced, arrived at a Texas juvenile detention center Thursday after being deported back to the United States.
The 18-year-old arrived at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport just before 11 a.m. via Aeroméxico and was taken into custody by
Tarrant County Sheriff deputies, according to The Dallas Morning News.
Mexican authorities captured Couch and his mother, Tonya Couch, on Dec. 28 in Puerto Vallarta two weeks after Tarrant County juvenile officials began a manhunt for the teenager when probation officers failed to get in
contact with him, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported.
Tonya Couch, who is facing a felony hindering apprehension charge, was released from jail on bond two weeks ago, the newspaper said.
Now, a judge will decide on Feb. 19 whether Ethan Couch, who will turn 19 in April, should be transferred to adult court.
The teen was sentenced to 10 years' probation and rehab for killing four people in a 2013 drunken driving accident when he was just 16. A judge at the time accepted his lawyer's "affluenza" defense, which claimed Couch's privileged upbringing prevented him from understanding right from wrong.
Public outrage boiled over in early December when a video surfaced on Twitter allegedly showing Ethan Couch at a party with alcohol — something that may constitute a probation violation.
That's when authorities claim the Couches fled North Texas for Mexico.