The Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office says Tonya Couch will face a judge Tuesday for an extradition hearing after she and her son, Ethan, were found in Mexico after authorities in Texas raised the alarm.
The hearing will happen some time between 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., depending on attorney, judge, and jail transport logistics.
Spokeswoman Jane Robison says the hearing should only last a few minutes, with Tonya Couch then heading back to jail once it's finished. Robison says even if Couch waives extradition — which she's expected to do — she won't be put on a plane for Fort Worth Tuesday.
The Tarrant County DA's office says they expect Tonya Couch to return to Texas Wednesday, at the earliest. Once here, Tonya Couch will have a court appearance in front of Judge Wayne Salvant, where she'll face a charge of hindering apprehension.
Her son, Ethan, did not show up for a probation meeting last month, and authorities allege Tonya helped him escape to Mexico.
The two were nabbed in Puerto Vallarta December 28, after having been in the country for at least nine days, according to accounts of those who saw them starting December 19. Ethan had changed his appearance, dying his light-colored hair black.
The hindering apprehension charge is a third-degree felony, according to Tarrant County District Attorney Sharen Wilson. If convicted, Tonya Couch could face 2-10 years in prison.
Ethan Couch is currently serving probation for killing four people in a drunken driving wreck in 2013, when he was a juvenile.
