Prosecutors in Texas have joined Mothers Against Drunk Driving advocates in demanding that "affluenza teen" Ethan Couch's case be moved to adult court.

Yahoo News reports representatives from the state's attorney office formally submitted their request to a judge on Tuesday. Couch remains in Mexico, where he is being held in an immigration detention center.

The then 16-year-old became a household name in 2013 following a drunk driving crash in which he killed four people. At trial, attorneys for Couch used an "affluenza defense" on behalf of their client, arguing that he had grown up too sheltered to distinguish right from wrong. The affluenza diagnosis is not recognized by the American Psychiatric Association.

Ultimately, Couch was sentenced to probation in juvenile court, a sentence that many have criticized as too lenient. More recently, he fled to Mexico with his mother, after a video emerged appearing to show him drinking with friends, a gross violation of his probation.

If Couch is found guilty in adult court of having violated his probation, he could be sentenced to four months in prison. Another probation violation after that could land him a punishment as harsh as 40 years behind bars.

Meanwhile, attorneys for Couch contend the current proceedings should be brought to a halt because their client is not present to defend himself.

Tarrant County prosecutors contend Couch forced his own absence by fleeing to Mexico and fighting his extradition back to the U.S.

Couch and his mother are rumored to have driven to Puerto Vallarta. They were on the run for more than two weeks. Tonya Couch has since been charged with a third-degree felony for helping her son flee and now faces as many as 10 years in prison if convicted.

The Dallas Morning News reports MADD reps are planning to present the judge with a formal petition calling for Couch's case to be moved to adult court.

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