A mother is accused of abducting a child whom she claimed was harassing her own son and compelling him to apologize.
Shannon Marie Tufuga faces charges of child kidnapping and aggravated child abuse, as detailed in a probable cause document provided to Oxygen by the Utah County Attorney’s Office on March 23.
Tufuga’s attorney told KSL News Utah that the allegations “stem from a troubled child and are not accurate.”
Authorities report that in September 2025, an 11-year-old boy identified as “KB” was cycling through his Provo neighborhood when Tufuga, who had been searching for him, allegedly coerced him into her vehicle.
Without the permission of the boy’s parents, Tufuga is accused of driving him to her residence, where she insisted he apologize to her child for purported bullying.
The document also states that Tufuga threatened KB with potential violence from her husband and remarked that he was fortunate she hadn’t damaged his bicycle.
After obtaining the apology from KB, Tufuga reportedly returned him to his home, as noted in the report.
The incident has caused KB “serious emotional distress,” according to the probable cause document, including high anxiety, which has significantly affected his daily routine.
The alleged victim’s mother Amberlee Collazo claimed to KSL News that Tufuga’s child has been bothering her son for the last two years, suggesting the kid had a crush on her son.
When he rejected the child with an “unkind” comment, Collazo said, Tufuga got involved.
Tufuga’s attorney Pona Sitake called the matter “a symptom of society’s failings” in a statement to KSL News Utah, adding, “It is unfortunate that we find ourselves in a position where we must defend the safety of our children.” He did not immediately respond to a request for comment by Oxygen.
Tufuga will appear in court on April 30, according to a spokesperson from the Utah County Attorney’s Office.
