Tonya Couch was released on bond from the Tarrant County jail on Tuesday morning.
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Couch posted bond Monday night after a judge agreed to lower the amount from $1 million to just $75,000. Ethan Couch is being held in a Mexico City immigration detention center, and his attorney has indicated that the teen may fight efforts to deport him from Mexico.
Her son, Ethan Couch, is fighting extradition from Mexico.
The mother of a Texas teenager, now infamous for invoking the “affluenza” defense after killing four people while driving drunk, was released from police custody on Tuesday after posting bail. He has since been apprehended in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, where he was allegedly hiding out with his mother.
Tonya Couch arrived back in Texas last week.
Ethan Couch remains in Mexico.
Tonya Couch’s attorneys argued in court Monday that her initial bond of $1 million was far too high for someone charged with hindering apprehension.
Also Tuesday, Mothers Against Drunk Driving announced it has gotten the 30,000 signatures the group was seeking on a petition demanding that Couch’s case be moved to adult court.
“The nation has watched with anger and disdain as Couch continues to show blatant disregard for the law”.
After being convicted of four counts of intoxication manslaughter, and two counts of intoxication assault causing serious bodily injury, Ethan was sentenced to therapy and 10 years probation.
According to an arrest warrant, Tonya Couch is accused of telling her estranged husband, Fred Couch, that he would never see her or his son again before fleeing.
The mental examination will determine whether there is clinical evidence to support the argument that Tonya Couch may be incompetent to stand trial.
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At the hearing, Couch’s lawyer asked that her bond be reduced to $15,000. Tonya Couch was quickly deported and had been in the Tarrant County Jail since Thursday. The teen didn’t have his own ID, however, Gabbert said. Couch is expected to appear in court on January 19 to face his flight from the law. An order for pizza was what was reported to have tipped authorities off as to the pair’s whereabouts. Tarrant County Magistrate Judge Matt King issued a mental exam for Couch under the belief she might have “a mental illness or is a person with a mental retardation”.
