A 40-year-old Utah woman faces charges of child kidnapping and aggravated child abuse after allegedly forcing an 11-year-old boy into her vehicle to make him apologize for bullying her daughter. The incident occurred in Provo in September 2025, with charges filed this week. The boy's mother described tensions stemming from her son's rejection of unwanted attention from the suspect's daughter.
Shannon Tufuga was charged on Monday with one count each of child kidnapping and aggravated child abuse, according to court documents obtained by Cowboy State Daily and KUTV. Police affidavits state that on September 17, 2025, Tufuga drove around a Provo neighborhood searching for 11-year-old K.B., whom she believed was bullying her children, some of whom have special needs. She allegedly blocked the boy's bike with her vehicle, grabbed his arm, and took him to her home without his parents' permission to force an apology to her daughter. K.B. complied, but Tufuga then threatened to have her husband beat him and said he was lucky she had not run over his bike, the documents say. Her husband was reportedly in the room with a gun on his hip, according to statements from the boy's mother, Amberlee Collazo, to KSL-TV. Conflicting accounts exist on how K.B. returned home: Collazo said he ran, while court papers indicate Tufuga drove him. Collazo told KSL that her son had grown tired of Tufuga's daughter's two-year crush, leading to a negative comment that prompted Tufuga's actions. She added that Tufuga never contacted her about the issue. The boy suffered serious emotional distress and high anxiety, altering his routines, per the affidavit. Tufuga, formerly a Provo City crossing guard, was let go after the allegations surfaced. Her attorney, Pona Sitake, denied the charges in a statement to KUTV: 'We respectfully deny the allegations... these allegations stem from a troubled child... We look forward to presenting evidence... regarding repeat challenges our client's children have faced at school.' Tufuga told KUTV her children had been bullied by K.B., with no school action taken. The Provo City School District declined comment due to an ongoing investigation. Tufuga was not listed on the Utah County Sheriff's inmate roster as of Wednesday, with her next court date set for April 30.