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 is accused of abusing their 7-year-old daughter during a trip to an aquarium, with the girl telling investigators they kept "bonking" her over and over on the head because they were mad at her, according to police. The parents were allegedly caught on video beating the child, including an incident in which her father slammed the girl's head into a metal electrical box.
Zachary Olpin, 30, and Megan Olpin, 31, are both charged in Bonneville County with multiple crimes related to the alleged abuse, according to court records viewed by Law&Crime.
Zachary Olpin is facing one felony count and one misdemeanor count of injury to a child. Megan Olpin is charged with felony aggravated battery, felony injury to a child, and misdemeanor injury of a child.
Court documents obtained by East Idaho News describe how the couple's daughter spoke to investigators about the alleged beatings after her parents were apparently caught on surveillance video pummeling her at the East Idaho Aquarium in Idaho Falls on Feb. 8. The Olpins tried to downplay what happened, with Zachary Olpin saying the electrical box incident was an accident, according to the documents, while Megan Olpin allegedly admitted to hitting the child once with a shoe and just once with a set of keys.
Police say the pair was caught on video striking their daughter multiple times and dragging her around the aquarium, including an attack that saw Megan Olpin waylaying her with a shoe and knocking her down. Zachary Olpin allegedly kept pushing the child down repeatedly as she tried getting up off the ground.
At one point, Zachary Olpin can be seen on the surveillance tape carrying the girl and slamming her head against a wooden structure, according to the documents obtained by East Idaho News. He allegedly used his shoulder to force the child's head into the electrical box at least three times before leaving 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.
Comments