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A Utah mother is facing serious charges after allegedly kidnapping a young boy she accused of bullying her child, compelling him to issue an apology.
Shannon Marie Tufuga has been charged with child kidnapping and aggravated child abuse, according to a report from the Utah County Attorney’s Office shared with Oxygen on March 23.
Tufuga’s attorney told KSL News Utah that the allegations “stem from a troubled child and are not accurate.”
The incident reportedly occurred in September 2025, when an 11-year-old boy, known as “KB,” was riding his bike in his Provo neighborhood. Authorities claim Tufuga approached him, insisting he get into her vehicle.
Without informing or obtaining permission from the boy’s parents, Tufuga allegedly transported him to her residence. There, she pressured him to apologize to her child for what she described as bullying behavior.
Documents reveal that Tufuga also warned KB that her husband could physically harm him and remarked that he was fortunate she didn’t damage his bicycle by running it over.
After the child apologized to Tufuga’s kid, per the document, Tufuga took him home.
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.