Shannon Tufuga allegedly kidnaped her son’s bully and forced him to apologize. Now, she is facing child kidnapping and aggravated child abuse charges.
School is supposed to be a safe space for children, and no child should have to face bullying. They deserve a welcoming environment where they can receive an education free from harassment, and where mean comments are not tolerated.
Unfortunately, that is not the reality for all children. According to the PACER Center, one in five students (19.2%) report being bullied, while 26.1% of middle school students (grades 6–8) say they have experienced bullying.
For parents, seeing their child upset or targeted can be difficult. Many want to protect their children – and would go to great lengths to do so. One Utah mother, however, is accused of going too far when confronting her autistic son’s alleged bully.
“Made him get into her vehicle”
According to reports, Shannon Tufuga, 40, was allegedly seen “driving around looking” for her son’s bully on September 17, 2025. Charging documents state she found the 11-year-old boy riding his bike and decided to approach him, demanding an explanation for the alleged bullying.
“She stopped her vehicle in front of [the boy’s] bike and made [him] get into her vehicle. [Tufuga] transported [the boy] to her home in Provo, without [the boy’s] parents’ knowledge or permission, to have [the boy] apologize to her child,” the charging document alleges, according to UNILAD.
The boy is said to have apologized to her son. Tufuga is also alleged to have “threatened to have her husband beat the boy up.”
After the incident, KSL reports that Tufuga drove the boy back home. However, what happened is said to have triggered “serious emotional distress” to the 11-year-old, who now “has high anxiety and has had to alter his daily routines significantly.”
READ MORE
- 7 quiet signs the body may show before you die
- Quadruple amputee accused of fatally shooting man while driving
