Background: Information footage of an elementary college in Provo, Utah (KUTV). Inset: Shannon Tufuga (Fb).
A Utah mom was arrested after police mentioned she kidnapped an 11-year-old boy who she believed was bullying one in every of her youngsters.
Shannon Tufuga, 40, was charged with youngster kidnapping and aggravated youngster abuse on Monday. In keeping with an affidavit obtained by Montana-based information outlet Cowboy State Day by day, Tufuga allegedly drove round a neighborhood in Provo, Utah, someday in September 2025 in search of an 11-year-old boy recognized in courtroom paperwork as Okay.B.
After Tufuga discovered the boy using his bike, she allegedly pulled her car in entrance of the boy’s path and made him get inside her car. She then allegedly drove the boy again to her residence.
In keeping with the affidavit, Tufuga introduced Okay.B. again to her household’s residence towards his will and with out his dad and mom’ permission. Police mentioned that Tufuga believed the boy was bullying her youngsters, a few of whom have particular wants. Tufuga allegedly introduced Okay.B. again to her residence to drive him to apologize to her daughter.
Native CBS affiliate KUTV additionally obtained the courtroom paperwork, which acknowledged that Okay.B. did ultimately apologize to Tufuga’s daughter. However then Tufuga allegedly “threatened to have her husband beat up Okay.B.” and instructed the boy he was “fortunate she didn’t run over [his] bike.”
Amberlee Collazo, the boy’s mom, spoke to native NBC outlet KSL and offered extra particulars concerning the state of affairs between the 2 households and what led as much as the alleged incident on Sept. 17, 2025. She instructed KSL that Tufuga’s daughter had a crush on her son for the previous two years, however the consideration she was giving him was turning into overwhelming for the boy.
Collazo instructed KSL, “Someday he bought fed up with the truth that she would not depart him alone.” She mentioned her son responded to Tufuga’s daughter with a destructive remark. After that purported interplay, Tufuga allegedly began focusing on Collazo’s son.
In keeping with Collazo, Tufuga allegedly grabbed her son’s arm when she discovered him using his bike. After bringing the boy to her household’s home, Tufuga’s husband was purportedly standing in the identical room with a “gun on his hip.” As soon as the alleged confrontation was over, Tufuga allegedly instructed the boy to “get the eff out, and he ran all the best way residence.” Each KUTV and Cowboy State Day by day reported that in accordance with the courtroom paperwork, Tufuga introduced the boy residence herself.
KUTV reported that Tufuga was working as a crossing guard for Provo Metropolis, however she was not employed after the allegations have been made towards her.
Tufuga’s lawyer, Pona Sitake, offered a written assertion to KUTV that learn partly, “We respectfully deny the allegations made within the charging doc filed this week. We consider these allegations stem from a troubled youngster and usually are not correct. We stay up for presenting proof to the State relating to repeat challenges our shopper’s youngsters have confronted in school, together with the elementary college administration’s ongoing efforts to handle bullying and preserve a secure setting.”
KUTV reported that Tufuga instructed them that her youngsters, a few of whom have disabilities, have skilled bullying by Collazo’s son prior to now. When the alleged habits was introduced up at their elementary college, no motion was taken. KUTV reported that the Provo Metropolis College District wouldn’t present a remark as a result of an ongoing investigation.
The affidavit acknowledged that the boy suffered “critical emotional misery” and “excessive anxiousness” that triggered him to “alter his day by day routines considerably.” Collazo instructed KSL that Tufuga by no means contacted her about what was occurring between their youngsters.
Tufuga was charged with one rely every of kid kidnapping and aggravated youngster abuse. She didn’t seem on an inmate roster for the Utah County Sheriff’s Workplace on Wednesday. Her subsequent courtroom date is scheduled for April 30.
