Where Is Mimi From OutDaughtered Now? The TLC Star's Arrest, Explained

If Michelle "Mimi" Theriot were a disappearing royal, she'd be Kate Middleton because her fans desperately want her to return to the spotlight. Seasons 9 and 10 of the TLC series "OutDaughtered" came and went without a sighting of the feisty grandma, who once made regular appearances on the show — Theriot wasn't filmed with her family during their fun-filled trip to Walt Disney World, nor was she around for any holiday celebrations. What many viewers have noticed is that her disappearing act happened after she was arrested.

After her daughter, Danielle Busby, gave birth to quintuplets, Theriot was a big help. She also played a major role in one of the most memorable "OutDaughtered" storylines. When Hurricane Harvey devastated the Gulf Coast in 2017, Theriot's home was destroyed by flood waters. "It has been very emotional...having to throw away family heirlooms, photos from when we were all kids...just... all around our memories," Busby wrote on her It's a Buzz World blog at the time. She also informed fans that they could help Theriot by sending her gift cards. But eventually, Busby quit mentioning her mom on her blog or sharing photos of her on social media — she didn't even pay tribute to Theriot in a lengthy Mother's Day post in 2024.

Members of the Busby family have been mysteriously tight-lipped about Theriot's absence on "OutDaughtered" and their many social media accounts, but she didn't completely go into hiding after details of her DUI arrest were revealed.

In October 2020, TMZ reported that Mimi Theriot had been arrested in League City, Texas, and charged with a DUI. The outlet learned that the grandmother sprayed perfume inside her vehicle after seeing those heart-stopping police cruiser lights behind her in an apparent attempt to mask the smell of alcohol. She was reportedly showing signs of intoxication, including slurring her words, and she couldn't keep her story straight about what she had to drink before getting behind the wheel; she tried downgrading a couple of glasses full of wine to Michelob Ultras.

While Theriot did have to spend a little time in jail after cops booked her, she later learned that she wouldn't be returning to a cell. In 2021, TMZ reported that her punishment was a few days' worth of community service and a year-long diversion program that required her to avoid booze. Random drug tests would be used to ensure that she wasn't drinking or using other illicit substances.

Her court-ordered punishment might seem like a slap on the wrist for behavior that was potentially deadly, but Theriot faced an additional repercussion: the humiliation of everyone seeing her mugshot and knowing the embarrassing details about her arrest. In a case such as hers, a reality show star might issue an apology for their actions. However, she chose not to publicly address the matter. Her silence has given rise to rampant speculation about the status of her relationship with the rest of her family.

According to TvShowsAce, Mimi Theriot updated her Instagram account on Christmas Day in 2021, but she was alone in the picture that she shared. As of 2023, it was her final post. She eventually made her account private.

Theriot resumed working as a real estate agent after her arrest. In a March 2021 Facebook post, Scott Realty Group congratulated her on a closing, and according to the Houston Association of Realtors website, she rented a property in March 2022.

No one knows for certain why Theriot's DUI possibly ended her reality show career for good, but "OutDaughtered" fans have plenty of theories. As a Redditor noted, TLC probably didn't give her the boot, as the network didn't sever ties with "Welcome to Plathville" star Kim Plath after her DUI arrest. Matt Roloff also got arrested for driving under the influence, and his trial was filmed for a "Little People, Big World" episode. Some fans think the Busbys made the controversial decision to stop featuring Theriot on "OutDaughtered." One Redditor theorized, "Being that the Busbys make their money off of being a likeable, wholesome family, Mimi's DUI could have been a PR-liability for them. I bet Danielle had to draw a line in the sand professionally and personally." It was also suggested that Theriot simply didn't want to feel pressured to speak about her arrest on the show. With so many fans still talking about her, at least she knows she's missed.