On December 10, 2013, a 16-year-old boy in a Fort Worth juvenile court in Texas was sentenced to 10 years of probation after he confessed to intoxication manslaughter in the June 15 crash that killed four pedestrians. He is currently residing in a therapeutic facility in California costing $450,000 annually.
Prosecutors sought the maximum 20 years in state custody for the teen, according to the Associated Press. However, psychologist G. Dick Miller testified for Ethan Couch, claiming that Couch was suffering from a serious case of “Affluenza”. According to pbs.org, Affluenza is an epidemic of stress, overwork, waste and indebtedness caused by dogged pursuit of the American Dream.
” Money and influence run the world. It’s sad, and definitely not fair, but true,” said junior Hannah Gross. “It’s an issue that people like this think they can get away with stuff like this, but is being wealthy a mental illness? No.”
Couch caused a fatal accident that left four people dead and two others severely injured. The 16-year-old was driving 70 mph in a 40 mph zone when the accident occurred. Afterwards police found he had a blood alcohol level of 0.24, three times the legal adult limit. Later, valium was also found in his system.
Authorities said Couch and his companions were seen on a surveillance camera the day of the accident stealing two cases of beer from a store. While driving his Ford F-150, Couch slammed into Mitchell, whose car had broken down. Jennings, and the two Boyles had all come to Mitchell’s aid, and were casualties of the incident as well.
“Nowhere in this process did Ethan ever say to the families, to the court, ‘I’m so sorry for what happened,'” said Eric Boyles, who lost his wife and daughter. “Nowhere did Ethan express any remorse or anything.”
ABC News learned from county court records that both of Couch’s parents had a number of previous charges from alleged misdemeanors, most of them traffic-related. Couch’s mother, Tonya, had five charges while his father, Fred, had 22 incidents, since 1989. The charges against them were sometimes dismissed or paid with fines. Now, Couch’s parents are facing civil lawsuit charges from the parents of the victims, since they weren’t getting anywhere with the case against their son.
“This is totally ridiculous- someone needs to answer for those people’s lives. There must be something going on here,” said junior Rachael Griffin. “I wouldn’t be surprised if his parents knew someone who knew someone who got him off with that pathetic excuse.”
People across America were shocked with the decision of the court and rightfully so. Did the judge not consider that this teenager is hiding behind a mental illness so that the court will not see him for what he is, nothing more than a spoiled brat? Affluenza may be an issue, but it is in no way an excuse to get away with manslaughter. There are spoiled children everywhere, and this court’s decision is continuing the myth that little rich kids can get whatever they want, even if it compromises the lives of others. Ethan Couch needs to learn that, eventually, there will be consequences for his actions. If the not the blood of Ethan’s future victims will be on the hands of the judge who didn’t hold him accountable the first time.