Texas couple pleads guilty to forcibly tattooing tied-up kids with staples, and then trying to cover up the assault: ‘Flesh was removed’

Content warning: This article contains graphic descriptions of child abuse. Please take care while reading.

A horrific child abuse case has emerged from Zavalla, Texas where a mother and stepfather have pleaded guilty to tying up, blindfolding, and gagging children before forcibly tattooing their skin with staples.

Once the abuse was discovered, the couple then allegedly tried to scrub the tattoos off with lemon juice. “It appeared that the flesh was removed from the body at the tattoo’s location,” Zavalla Interim Police Chief James Denby told the press.

The kids were ages 9 and 5

“Megan Mae Farr & Gunner Farr restrained their children and forcibly tattooed them before trying to conceal the tattoos by cutting & scraping the areas, as well as attempting to use lemon juice to fade the ink, local police & CPS allege.” https://t.co/7kTPTM2udm pic.twitter.com/iiUYA1CdcU

— John 🌈🦂 (@introvertedme76) April 26, 2023

According to several reports, it was in 2023 when Megan Mae Farr, 29, and her husband, Gunnar Farr, 25, allegedly tied the 9- and 5-year-old children with rope, taped their mouths shut, and blindfolded them before tattooing them.

The incident reportedly happened with other people in the house, and the children’s biological father and stepmother noticed the tattoos when they picked the children up.

He reportedly asked Farr about what he saw, and she told him what happened and laughed before she drove away.

The child’s father contacted Texas authorities, and after learning of a Child Protective Services (CPS) investigation, Megan and Gunnar attempted to remove the tattoos using harsh methods, including scrubbing with Brillo pads and applying lemon juice, which caused additional injuries to the children. ​

According to Police Chief Denby, “Someone came forward and turned in a tattoo kit that she claimed was loaned to Gunner to perform tattoos. She didn’t know it was going to be performed on a child.”

No motive has been disclosed

The specific motive behind Megan and Gunner Farr’s decision to forcibly tattoo Megan’s two young children remains unclear, as court documents and police reports do not provide a definitive explanation. The couple did not publicly state their reasoning, and authorities have not disclosed any particular motive.​

After a yearslong investigation, Gunnar Farr pleaded guilty in March 2025, to one count of unlawful restraint of a child and four counts of bodily injury to a child. He was sentenced to five years in prison, with all sentences running concurrently.  Megan Farr has since also pleaded guilty and will be sentenced at a later date.

Referring to the case, Angelina County Assistant District Attorney David Griffin said in court, “To forcibly hold down your own children and tattoo them, is completely unacceptable and will never be allowed in Angelina County.”  Griffin added, “You have children who couldn’t stand up for themselves, weren’t allowed to fight back.”