Ethan Couch: who is the 'affluenza' teen on the run?

US marshals are leading a manhunt for Ethan Couch – the Texas teenager spared jail for the drink-driving manslaughter of four people following claims he suffered from 'affluenza' – after he allegedly violated the terms of his probation.

Who is Ethan Couch?

Couch's story made international news last year when he was spared a prison term despite killing four people while driving drunk. On 15 June 2013, Couch, then aged 16, was driving at 70mph along a rural road, three times over the legal blood alcohol limit, when he crashed into a group of people trying to start a stalled car. Four people were killed, including a mother and daughter who had left their nearby home to help the stalled motorist. Couch pled guilty but – despite facing a maximum of 20 years in prison for intoxication manslaughter – was let off with ten years on probation and a mandatory stay at a rehab facility after presenting a controversial 'affluenza defence'.

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What is affluenza?

Dr G Dick Miller, a psychologist employed by Couch's defence, claimed that the teen's privileged upbringing meant he had been shielded from the consequences of his actions. He referred to this underdeveloped moral state as "affluenza", brought about by his rich parents' indulgence and failure to teach him the concept of personal responsibility.

Miller argued that Couch's parents had set the example that "if you hurt someone, you sent him money". Miller also suggested that the teenager should cease contact with his parents, who he described as volatile and emotionally unstable.

'Affluenza' is not recognised as a mental disorder by the American Psychiatric Association and the sentence generated scorn. One psychologist, Dr Gary Buffone, called the 'affluenza' defence "laughable", while Dr Suniya Luthar warned CBC News: "We are setting a double standard for the rich and poor." Many were outraged that the teen's privilege appeared to be protecting him from the consequences of his actions, pointing to numerous cases where poor and minority teenagers were given lengthy jail terms for similar or lesser crimes.

What has happened now?

Couch is thought to have fled after missing a mandatory probation meeting, and is now officially a fugitive, wanted by US marshals and the FBI. Reuters reports that Couch and his mother took their belongings and passports when they left the home they shared, sparking fears he may have escaped the country. The 18-year-old's flight may have been precipitated by a video clip released on social media earlier this month that appeared to show Couch drinking alcohol at a party, a violation of his probation terms.