More Allegations|Against ‘Affluenza’ Killer

FORT WORTH (CN) - The mother of "affluenza" killer Ethan Couch waived extradition to Texas amid reports that her son ran up a $345 bill at a Mexican strip club while they were fugitives.

Tonya Couch, 48, appeared briefly Tuesday before Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Sergio Tapia II. Standing inside a glass-paneled cage in the courtroom, Couch confirmed that she was the person wanted by Texas authorities and that she had signed forms waiving extradition.

Tapia remanded her without bail pending her pickup by Texas authorities, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Tarrant County authorities plan to charge Couch with one felony count of hindering apprehension, punishable by up to 10 years in state prison.

Couch and her son, Ethan, 18, were captured last week in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, after two weeks on the run . Tonya Couch was deported to Los Angeles. Her son is being held by Mexican immigration officials in Mexico City, fighting extradition or deportation .

Ethan Couch killed four people in 2013 while driving drunk on stolen beer in south Fort Worth. He was publicly scorned after defense psychologist G. Dick Miller testified at trial that he was a product of "affluenza," that his family felt their wealth bought privilege and there was no rational link between behavior and consequences.

Miller said Ethan's parents gave him "freedoms no young person should have."

He was sentenced in 2013 to 10 years of probation and therapy. He vanished in December after failing to check in with a probation officer. He fled after a Twitter user posted a video that appears to show him playing beer pong. He is prohibited from drinking while on probation.

Employees of the Harem strip club in Puerto Vallarta said Tuesday that Ethan Couch was extremely drunk on Dec. 23 when he was at the club with his mother. The Couches entered the club that night for drinks before Tonya Couch left, ABC News reported.

Strip club employees claimed that Ethan was $345 short and was escorted back to the hotel for his mother to pay. When his mother did not have the cash to cover the bill, Ethan allegedly handed over a Rolex watch as a guarantee that he would satisfy the debt the next day.

He killed mother and daughter Hollie and Shelby Boyles, youth pastor Brian Jennings and Breanna Mitchell in the collision. He was driving a truck as much as 30 mph over the speed limit and had a blood alcohol level of 0.24 - three times the legal limit for adults. It is illegal for a minor to drive with any alcohol in his system.

Tonya Couch's attorneys, Stephanie K. Patten and Steve Gordon in Fort Worth, denied their client is guilty of the felony charge."While the public may not like what she did, may not agree with what she did, or may have strong feelings against what she did, make no mistake - Tonya did not violate any law of the State of Texas and she is eager to have her day in court," they said in a statement Tuesday

Follow @davejourno

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