Pocatello couple charged with felony child abuse after violent incident at East Idaho Aquarium
IDAHO FALLS, Idaho — A Pocatello couple is facing multiple felony charges after a disturbing incident where they allegedly beat a 7-year-old girl while on a trip to Idaho Falls' East Idaho Aquarium.
Zachary and Megan Olpin have both been charged with Felony Injury to a Child and Misdemeanor Injury to a Child. Megan Olpin faces an additional charge of Felony Aggravated Battery.
The charges stem from an incident on February 8, 2026. Idaho Falls Police responded to the East Idaho Aquarium after witnesses and staff reported a child being mistreated.
While the father, Zachary, initially brushed off the girl’s injuries as accidental, investigators and court documents say security footage and witness cell phone video tell a far more violent story.
According to the probable cause affidavit, Megan Olpin, the girl's stepmother, was captured on video hitting the 7-year-old in the face with a shoe and dragging her through the facility. Afterwards, Zachary Olpin was captured carrying his daughter off the property while hitting the back of her head against a wall and an electrical box.
Investigation and Medical Findings
Police later located the child at her grandmother’s home in Pocatello. The grandmother expressed deep concern for the girl's safety, leading officers to document multiple bruises and marks on the child's body.
A Medical evaluation at Portneuf Medical Center confirmed that the child did not suffer broken bones or a concussion. However, the physical evidence was consistent with the reported abuse, according to court documents.
Following the medical evaluation, the officers developed a "safety plan," and the girl was placed in the care of her grandmother.
New Evidence and Confessions
During the investigation, the officers spoke with the girl's parents at their home. Zachary initially told police his daughter's head hitting the wall and the electrical box was an accident. But the stepmother reportedly admitted to hitting the 7-year-old with a shoe and also a set of keys in the car.
The case intensified the following day when investigators obtained improved security footage. The affidavit states the new video revealed a "more prolonged and severe assault than initially seen."
The improved footage allegedly showed Megan striking the girl multiple times with a shoe and her hand, before knocking her to the ground. The video also captured Zachary pushing the girl down by her mouth before using his shoulder to "drive her head" into a metal electrical box three separate times.
During a re-interview on February 12, both parents were confronted with the clearer video. Zachary admitted he was "out of line" and wrote a letter of apology stating, "I hit you" and "I pushed you into things," states the affidavit.
On February 18, the child was interviewed at the Upper Valley Child Advocacy Center. She told specialists that Megan "bonked" her with a shoe and that Zachary "kept bonking me on stuff because he was mad at me."
The couple posted bond on March 12 and was released from jail. They are scheduled to appear in court for preliminary hearings on March 24, 2026.
If the couple is convicted of the Felony Injury to a Child charges, they each face a maximum sentence of up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $50,000. Additionally, Megan Olpin faces a separate maximum sentence of 15 years in prison and an additional $50,000 fine for the felony aggravated battery charge, bringing her potential total prison time to 25 years.
