INSIDE EDITION is learning more about the Affluenza teen Ethan Couch's lavish lifestyle before he killed four people in a drunk driving incident.
INSIDE EDITION is learning more about the lavish lifestyle of the teenager who avoided jail because he has "Affluenza."
Sixteen-year-old Ethan Couch was reportedly allowed to live home alone and in luxury in a $400,000 home near Austin, Texas. It's built on six acres and has a pool, a playground, a stable for horses and a sauna.
HLN host Jane Velez-Mitchell told INSIDE EDITION, "It's got all of the lavish things you expect in a mansion. One thing is missing. Parental supervision!"
Watch More of Jane Velez-Mitchell's Interview
A real estate website calls it “truly amazing...perfect for entertaining.”
Ethan entertained big time. He reportedly threw wild alcohol-fueled parties for his friends.
One friend said, "The first thing Ethan did was jump in the pool with his clothes on, rip his shirt off, then start downing a big bottle of vodka." (source Daily Mail)
The house is just a quarter-mile from the spot where Ethan plowed into four people in a drunk-driving accident. All were killed.
INSIDE EDITION's Paul Boyd asked Velez-Mitchell, "What is your reaction to the news about the house that his parents essentially bought for him and he was living in all alone?
Velez-Mitchell said, "This should be a wake up call to America! It is not about stuff. It's not about giving kids things. It is about giving them love, giving them discipline. Giving them what they really need to become productive members of society."
Ethan's defense attorney successfully argued that Ethan shouldn't be jailed because his wealthy parents failed to teach him right from wrong.
Ethan may also have lied about his age, perhaps to legally buy alcohol. Documents obtained by INSIDE EDITION list his birthday as May 1992, which would make him 21 years old. He is really 16.
Mitchell said, "I think we need to take a look at these parents. Are they liable for what happened?"
