Background: News footage of an elementary school in Provo, Utah (KUTV). Inset: Shannon Tufuga (Facebook).
A Utah woman finds herself behind bars after allegedly abducting an 11-year-old boy she suspected of bullying her child.
Shannon Tufuga, aged 40, faces charges of child kidnapping and aggravated child abuse. According to an affidavit cited by Cowboy State Daily, a Montana news outlet, Tufuga reportedly scoured a neighborhood in Provo, Utah, in September 2025, in search of a boy, identified in legal documents as K.B., whom she believed to be bullying her children.
Upon locating the boy as he rode his bike, Tufuga is said to have blocked his path with her vehicle and coerced him into her car. She then allegedly drove him to her residence.
The affidavit reveals that Tufuga took K.B. to her home without his consent and without notifying his parents. Authorities state that Tufuga’s motivation was to confront K.B. over alleged bullying of her children, some of whom have special needs, and to demand an apology to her daughter.
According to court documents obtained by CBS affiliate KUTV, K.B. ultimately apologized to Tufuga’s daughter. However, Tufuga allegedly escalated the situation by threatening K.B., suggesting her husband might physically harm him, and remarking that he was fortunate she hadn’t damaged his bike.
Amberlee Collazo, K.B.’s mother, provided further insights into the family dynamics and events leading to the incident in an interview with NBC affiliate KSL. She explained that Tufuga’s daughter had been infatuated with her son for two years, but her attention had become increasingly intrusive for him.
Collazo told KSL, “One day he got fed up with the fact that she doesn’t leave him alone.” She said her son responded to Tufuga’s daughter with a negative comment. After that purported interaction, Tufuga allegedly started targeting Collazo’s son.
According to Collazo, Tufuga allegedly grabbed her son’s arm when she found him riding his bike. After bringing the boy to her family’s house, Tufuga’s husband was purportedly standing in the same room with a “gun on his hip.” Once the alleged confrontation was over, Tufuga allegedly told the boy to “get the eff out, and he ran all the way home.” Both KUTV and Cowboy State Daily reported that according to the court documents, Tufuga brought the boy home herself.
KUTV reported that Tufuga was working as a crossing guard for Provo City, but she was no longer employed after the allegations were made against her.
Tufuga’s attorney, Pona Sitake, provided a written statement to KUTV that read in part, “We respectfully deny the allegations made in the charging document filed this week. We believe these allegations stem from a troubled child and are not accurate. We look forward to presenting evidence to the State regarding repeat challenges our client’s children have faced at school, including the elementary school administration’s ongoing efforts to address bullying and maintain a safe environment.”
KUTV reported that Tufuga told them that her children, some of whom have disabilities, have experienced bullying by Collazo’s son in the past. When the alleged behavior was brought up at their elementary school, no action was taken. KUTV reported that the Provo City School District would not provide a comment due to an ongoing investigation.
The affidavit stated that the boy suffered “serious emotional distress” and “high anxiety” that caused him to “alter his daily routines significantly.” Collazo told KSL that Tufuga never contacted her about what was going on between their children.
Tufuga was charged with one count each of child kidnapping and aggravated child abuse. She did not appear on an inmate roster for the Utah County Sheriff’s Office on Wednesday. Her next court date is scheduled for April 30.
