Left: Zachary Olpin. Right: Megan Olpin (Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office). Background: The East Idaho Aquarium in Idaho Falls where Zachary Olpin and Megan Olpin were allegedly caught on camera abusing their 7-year-old daughter (Google Maps).
An Idaho couple faces serious allegations of physically abusing their 7-year-old daughter during a visit to an aquarium. The young girl reportedly told investigators that her parents repeatedly “bonked” her on the head out of anger, according to local police. The parents were allegedly captured on video assaulting the child, with one incident showing her father forcefully hitting her head against a metal electrical box.
Zachary Olpin, 30, and Megan Olpin, 31, have been charged in Bonneville County with multiple offenses related to the alleged abuse, as detailed in court records reviewed by Law&Crime.
Zachary Olpin is facing one felony and one misdemeanor charge of injury to a child. Meanwhile, Megan Olpin faces charges of felony aggravated battery, felony injury to a child, and misdemeanor injury to a child.
According to court documents obtained by East Idaho News, the couple’s daughter recounted the alleged abuse after surveillance footage apparently captured them assaulting her at the East Idaho Aquarium in Idaho Falls on February 8. The Olpins reportedly attempted to downplay the incidents, with Zachary Olpin claiming the electrical box incident was accidental, while Megan Olpin allegedly confessed to hitting the child once with a shoe and once with a set of keys.
Authorities report that the video shows the couple repeatedly striking and dragging their daughter around the aquarium. One such instance allegedly involves Megan Olpin hitting the child with a shoe, causing her to fall. Zachary Olpin is accused of repeatedly pushing the child to the ground as she attempted to stand up.
Surveillance footage purportedly depicts Zachary Olpin carrying his daughter and forcefully striking her head against a wooden structure. He is accused of using his shoulder to repeatedly force the girl’s head into the electrical box before exiting the aquarium with her.
Police say child advocates spoke to the 7-year-old and she told them her parents “bonked” her on the head with a shoe and continued “bonking” her because they were mad at her.
The Olpins eventually admitted that their behavior was out of line, according to the court documents, and wrote apology letters expressing their regret.
The Idaho Falls Police Department arrested the couple and booked them in the Bonneville County Jail. They’re both due in court on March 24 for their preliminary hearings, according to court records.
