Ethan Couch, the "affluenza" teen, appeared in adult court for the first time on Wednesday after quietly spending his 19th birthday on Monday behind bars in Fort Worth, Texas.
Tarrant County Criminal District Judge Wayne Salvant could decide to keep Couch in jail for four more months, as a condition of his probation, or set him free, according to
WFAA-TV. Authorities believe the teenager, who killed four people in a drunk driving incident in 2013, violated his probation and then fled to Mexico with his mother last year.
Salvant indicated his decision wouldn't be made on Wednesday, said
NBC News.
"You're not getting out of jail today," the judge told Couch at the hearing, without specifying how long Couch would remain behind bars.
He and his mother, Tanya Couch, were found in Puerto Vallarta in late December and returned to the United States, said
CNN. The case had already gained national attention when Couch was sentenced to probation in the vehicular deaths after offering the "affluenza" defense, describing him as a rich kid whose parents did not set limits on him.
The probation violation claim stemmed from a video posted on social media that allegedly showed Couch at a party where alcohol was being consumed, said CNN. His probation officer could not reach him after the video surfaced, which was also a possible violation.
The
Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported Tuesday that Couch received "residential care and support" at the North Texas State Hospital in Vernon before fleeing to Mexico, with taxpayers picking up most of the $200,000 cost.
Judge Jean Boyd, who is now retired, ordered Couch to the rehabilitation, which cost $673 per day, or about $20,000 a month, the Star-Telegram said case documents revealed.
The newspaper said Couch ended his stay there in November 2014 and was placed in the Next Step Program in Amarillo, according to court documents. His parents were ordered to pay for his stay there, costing a total of $11,000.
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