A disturbing case of child abuse has come to light in Zavalla, Texas, where a couple, Megan and Gunner Farr, pleaded guilty to forcibly tattooing their two young children while they were restrained, blindfolded, and gagged.
The horrifying act was done using a staple, and the children, aged 5 and 9, were left with visible injuries. When the tattoos were discovered, the couple reacted callously, laughing at the abuse they inflicted.
The Abusive Incident
According to police reports, Megan and Gunner Farr tied their children up with ropes, covered their mouths with tape, and blindfolded them before using a staple to forcibly tattoo the 5-year-old’s foot and the 9-year-old’s shoulder.
The abuse occurred in the couple’s Zavalla home in April 2023, and when Child Protective Services (CPS) was notified, the parents tried to remove the tattoos by scraping and scrubbing the children’s skin so aggressively that flesh was removed in the process.
Interim Zavalla Police Chief Lt. James Denby explained, “There were visible injuries on the child at the specific location of the tattoo and it appeared that the flesh was removed from the body at the tattoo location,” highlighting the extreme nature of the abuse.
Discovery and Aftermath
The children’s biological father and stepmother became suspicious when they noticed the tattoos and asked Megan about them. According to the father, Megan laughed before driving off, which led him and his wife to contact CPS on April 17, 2023.
The CPS investigation revealed the horrific details of the abuse, which prompted the couple to attempt to erase the tattoos by using lemon juice and scrubbing the children’s skin with such force that it caused further injury.
The authorities intervened quickly, removing not only the abused children but also their younger siblings from the home. Police later discovered a tattoo kit during their investigation, further confirming the couple’s disturbing actions.
Legal Consequences
Both Megan and Gunner Farr faced legal repercussions for their crimes. Gunner Farr pleaded guilty in March 2023 and was sentenced to five years in prison for bodily injury and two years for unlawful restraint, with the sentences to be served concurrently.
Megan Farr, who pleaded guilty to injuring a child, will be sentenced in May 2025. Her guilty plea marks another step in bringing justice for the victims of this harrowing case.
The Impact on the Family
The case has left the children’s extended family devastated. Megan Farr’s actions, especially her apparent indifference to the trauma she caused, have shocked those who know her.
Ana Vasquez, a family member, spoke out about the pain they are feeling, calling the situation “unfathomable” and lamenting how the abuse has irreparably broken their family.
As the legal process continues, the community remains horrified by the extent of the abuse and the apparent lack of empathy shown by the perpetrators.
The children, who have already suffered unimaginable trauma, are now in the care of authorities as their biological family works to recover from this ordeal.
