Tax Payers to foot the bill of Ethan Couch's treatment (Killed 4 people while driving drunk)

Remember Ethan Couch? The teenager from Texas that killed 4 people and severely injured 7 while driving drunk? Originally his parents had agreed to pay the entire cost of his treatment at a California facility.

But things have taken a disgusting twist. His parents had agreed to pay the $450,000 cost of treatment

But now?

During Friday's hearing, the state-run facility said that Couch's care will cost $715 per day. It recommended his parents be ordered to pay a maximum of $1,170 per month - less than two days per month of treatment

Texas taxpayers will foot the bill for the remaining cost of the care each month.

Link

Keep in mind the parents are filthy rich. The judge in this case has since retired.

I think she retired after some pretty big deposits were made into her offshore accounts by the couch family.

Pretty disgusting.

Now you might say that if this kid had gone to jail then the tax payers would still be footing the bill, and that's true. But at least then he would be getting what he deserves.

I guess it does help to expose our so called "great justice system". It's only great if you have money. If you don't then tough luck. Enjoy having your door kicked in during the middle of the night for an unpaid traffic ticket or overdue library book!

In keeping with good Texas justice, I'm not too worried. While we may foot the bill now, I'm pretty sure junior is about to have a pretty lousy life from here on out.

Call me back in a few years when this kid ends up a drug addict, or complete waste of life because he was not accepted in the business world...or society.

I can't vouch for the following source (Radar Online), but here's what they have to say about the parents:

"Fred Couch — who reportedly let Ethan live on his own after his split from Tonya — has had four criminal misdemeanor allegations and 18 traffic citations (paying for nine of those). He’s been arrested in connection with theft, evading arrest and domestic violence. The latter occurred in 1996, when he was accused of assault against his ex-wife Tonya. Fred, according to court records, “intentionally and knowingly caused bodily injury to Tonya Couch by striking [the woman] on or about the face with his hands causing Tonya to fall, and by grabbing [the woman] on or about the neck with his hands, scratching [the woman's] neck.”

He got out of it when Tonya agreed to a sworn affidavit of non-prosecution, making the case go away.

As for Tonya, her biggest legal infraction came ten years ago — and on the road — when she was fined $500 and sentenced to six months of community supervision in connection with misdemeanor reckless driving, after authorities said she tried to run another driver off the road. Tonya, according to court docs, “intentionally and knowingly drove a motor vehicle in a willful or wanton disregard for the safety of persons or property.”

So, for what it's worth, we can try to rehabilitate this kid, or we can railroad his life. I'm pretty sure I know which is likelier...

I am simply not surprised. There is no justice left in the United States.

reply to post by incoserv


Oh, I believe there is justice. It's just a matter of how you define it...pardner.

reply to post by muse7


I live in TX and saw this all over the local news stations the past couple days. It's ridiculous.

Literally everyone here thinks what this kid got was because his parents are rich. He killed 4 people, injured a few others, and gets a little slap on the wrist. With the way this entire case happened in the courts, Im not surprised that we have to pay for this kids "rehab".

"Affluenza"??? Yeah right, nobody bought into that defense during the trial.....except the judge in this case.

reply to post by jrflipjr


I guess I see what you are saying but that is assuming this kid feels remorse for his actions.
The family bio didn't do much but show that he gets it from his dad. He saw his dad do what ever he wanted it seemed and probably used his money to get out of it, The kid took notes and followed suite
The fact the family is not paying for his treatment is sick, the fact this kid is not in jail is disgusting
I don't care how bad his life might be, to be honest I don't think this will eat at him for the rest of his life. He doesn't think like the most, he could very well believe he was just out right better then those people and doesn't need to feel bad about it

reply to post by Sremmos80


I'm not suggesting he feels remorse for his actions at all. I would argue one of the primary symptoms of "affluenza" is that one feels bad for a situation until said situation is no longer an issue.

Currently, this kid feels INCREDIBLY bad for his situation and I'm sure rehab will have him "accept responsibility for his actions", [which is Step 3 in the, "It's Your Life - Take Charge" portion of the program (followed by the "How a Mani/Pedi Will Resolve Most Problems" portion)]

As for jail time. I was recently reminded that, according to the local (TX) police academy, jail is designed to rehabilitate, not incarcerate as punishment.

I know for a fact this this will not eat at him for the rest of his life. He will likely forget about this the instant Rolex changes their marketing campaign.

You are absolutely correct in that he doesn't' think like "the rest of us". That's not his fault. I believe no kid "thinks like the rest of us". That's why parents are the critical component for raising kids.

But when kids are raising kids, this is the result....

reply to post by jrflipjr

As for jail time. I was recently reminded that, according to the local (TX) police academy, jail is designed to rehabilitate, not incarcerate as punishment. - See more at: www.abovetopsecret.com...

Wonder if some time would have helped rehabilitate him from his crippling case of "afluenza"

reply to post by muse7


I think it has to do with his age at the time of the incident - 16 years old.

Okay. So what are the alternatives? How much would it cost to incarcerate or kill him or incarcerate then kill him? And who would pay for that? And who would profit whlle the parents would pay nothing. Plus, yeah, his age.

The Price of Prisons What Incarceration Costs Taxpayers

What parents have that kind of money? They don't have that kind of money do they? Anything else would be ridiculous.

Unity_99
What parents have that kind of money? They don't have that kind of money do they? Anything else would be ridiculous.

His parents have the money... And even if they didn't who cares... They can be in crippling debt like the rest of the US.
Their kid killed 4 people and the defense was that he was to rich to know what was wrong from right.
How about we take him out of that situation so he can learn what is wrong or right.

He killed four people... he needs to have something other then court ordered rehab that he doesn't even have to pay for