14 December 2013 (Daily Sheeple) - A 16 year old boy from a wealthy Texas family was driving drunk when he crashed into four people standing at the side of the road with a disabled vehicle. Four of his own passengers were thrown from the vehicle, one of whom suffered a brain injury and can no longer move or speak.

Authorities have said the teen and friends were seen on surveillance video stealing two cases of beer from a store. He had seven passengers in his Ford F-350 pickup, was speeding and had a blood-alcohol level three times the legal limit, according to trial testimony. His truck slammed into four people standing near a disabled car on Burleson-Retta Road, killing Brian Jennings, 43, Breanna Mitchell, 24, Shelby Boyles, 21, and her mother, Hollie Boyles, 52. (source)

According to the courts, however, it wasn’t really Ethan Couch’s fault. He can’t help it that he suffers from a condition called “affluenza”.

You read that right – “affluenza”. It sounds like some kind of contagious disease, but in reality, it is an excuse for horrendous behavior.

It means that because Ethan grew up rich, he is not responsible for his own actions.

Psychologist Dr. G. Dick Miller said Couch’s parents gave him “freedoms no young person should have.” He called Couch a product of “affluenza,” where his family felt that wealth bought privilege and there was no rational link between behavior and consequences.

He said Couch got whatever he wanted. As an example, Miller said Couch’s parents gave no punishment after police ticketed the then-15-year-old when he was found in a parked pickup with a passed-out and undressed 14-year-old girl.

Miller also pointed out that Couch was allowed to drive at age 13. He said the teen was emotionally flat and needed years of therapy. (source)

Despite the fact that Ethan Couch pleaded guilty to drunk driving and manslaughter, he will serve no jail time.

NONE.

He will be on probation for 10 years.

Through his spoiled, irresponsible actions, he caused the death of 4 people and altered irrevocably the life of another person.

Wealth is not a mental illness. Plenty of children grow up with families who have money and are raised in loving homes, with limits on their behavior. This is nothing more than an excuse for dreadful parenting and a way to let the rich live by a different set of rules than the rest of us.

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