Does 'Affluenza' Mom Tonya Couch Have Mental Illness?
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FORT WORTH (CBSDFW.COM) - A court has ordered experts to assess Tonya Couch for a mental illness. The order includes assessing whether the mother of Ethan Couch is competent to stand trial for the charge of hindering apprehension of her son.
Two different defense attorneys told CBS 11 News that the order is unusual. It means that the court received information, at some point, that Couch may suffer from a mental illness. The court filing, signed by Magistrate Matt King, says that there is "reasonable cause" to believe Couch "has a mental illness or is a person with a mental retardation."
Mental Health Mental Retardation of Tarrant County has 30 days to provide a report back to the court, and could include recommended treatment.
Read More About Tonya Couch's Case
In 2006, a social worker wrote that Couch had been diagnosed in 1993 with depression. The report was part of Couch's divorce from Frederick Couch, Ethan's father.
Couch is due in court Monday for a bond hearing. Her attorney filed a motion asking that her bond be reduced from $1 million to $25,000.