'Affluenza' Teen Has Gone Missing

Warrant issued for Ethan Couch
By Evann Gastaldo,  Newser Staff
Posted Dec 16, 2015 12:41 PM CST
'Affluenza' Teen Has Gone Missing
In this image taken from a video, Ethan Couch is seen during his court hearing in December 2013.   (AP Photo/KDFW-FOX 4)

The "affluenza" teen is missing: A probation officer hasn't been able to reach Ethan Couch, who was sentenced to 10 years of probation after killing four people while driving drunk in 2013, or Couch's mother. A warrant has been issued for the Texas 18-year-old; if he's found to have violated his probation, he could be sentenced to jail for up to a decade, the Dallas Morning News reports. "We have recently learned that, for the last several days, the juvenile probation officer has been unable to make contact with Ethan or his mother, with whom he has been residing," Couch's lawyers tell ABC News.

Sources tell WFAA that Couch missed a check-in with his probation officer earlier this month. The news comes as authorities investigate whether Couch, who made headlines when his lawyers used his "affluenza" to defend him in the drunk driving case, is shown playing beer pong in a video that surfaced recently. Couch is not allowed to drink alcohol, take drugs, or drive during his probation, and his lawyers are also investigating whether he violated those terms. The Tarrant County DA's Office has filed a motion to move Couch's case from juvenile court to adult district court in April, when he turns 19. (More Ethan Couch stories.)

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