The original content of Democracy Now! Headlines appears under the Creative Commons BY-NC-ND 3.0 License (United States). For more, including their other shows and media, visit www.democracynow.org. December 22, 2015 Texas Teen Spared Jail in "Affluenza" Drunk-Driving Case Disappears ------------------------------------------------------------------- A manhunt is underway for an 18-year-old white Texas teenager convicted of killing four people in a drunk-driving crash in 2013. Ethan Couch was not sentenced to any time in jail after a trial where a psychologist claimed he had "affluenza"—meaning his wealthy background purportedly prevented him from understanding the consequences of his actions. Couch was sent to an expensive rehab facility instead. After he missed a check-in with his probation officer, officials are concerned Couch may have fled the country. They are also searching for his mother, who may have fled with him. .