Zavalla woman gets 3 years for forcibly tattooing children

LUFKIN, Texas (KTRE) — An Angelina County judge has sentenced a Zavalla woman who forcibly tattooed her young children to three years in prison.

Megan Farr pleaded guilty in April to unlawful restraint and injury to a child. She received three concurrent sentences. At that time, Farr elected to have Judge Todd Kassaw decide her punishment rather than a jury.

Kassaw sentenced her to two years in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice for unlawful restraint and three years for injury to a child. The sentences will run concurrently.

Kassaw handed down the sentences following testimony on Wednesday.

Before sentencing, Megan Farr addressed the court directly and her children. In a letter read aloud, she wrote: “I wanted to be a good mother... I would do anything to undo the harm I’ve made.”

Addressing her children she added: “I love you beyond anything in this world. I failed to be your safe place.”

After the sentencing, Megan’s family said their goodbyes. Her children hugged her one last time before she was placed in handcuffs and led away.

According to the Angelina County District Attorney, the crime happened in April 2023. Farr tied the hands and feet, duct-taped the mouth, and covered the face of a 5-year-old child who was resisting being tattooed by Farr’s husband, Gunner Farr.

A 9-year-old child was also tattooed. Teachers discovered the tattoo on the 5-year-old’s foot when she complained of foot pain. The 9-year-old’s tattoo was discovered shortly after.

Farr was alerted that the tattoos had been discovered and attempted to rid the children of the tattoos using a solution of lemon juice, salt, and vinegar combined with scrubbing the tattoos with a Brillo pad. The wounds from the attempted removal were discovered and reported.

On a later day, it was observed that the 5-year-old’s tattoo had been removed by removing the flesh from her foot.

During the investigation, according to the DA’s office, Farr denied the children having tattoos and told investigators it was just a pen.

She concealed the 9-year-old child from law enforcement; removed the children from school; convinced a 17-year-old to lie to law enforcement regarding the wound on the 5-year-old’s foot from removal of the tattoo; requested the 17-year-old to conceal the tattooing equipment following Farr’s arrest to prevent its availability for investigation and prosecution; and threatened to kill the children’s father, while attempting to obtain a gun, for making a report to CPS.

Farr’s husband, Gunner Farr, received five years in April for the crime.

In court, Kassaw acknowledged that Farr has completed parenting classes and has changed.

“That does not change the consequences of what you did,” Kassaw said.