Overview
- Shannon Marie Tufuga, 40, was charged Monday with child kidnapping and aggravated child abuse as second-degree felonies, according to the Utah County Attorney’s Office.
- Prosecutors say she spent September 17, 2025 driving around to find an 11-year-old, blocked his bike, and took him to her Provo home without his parents’ knowledge to make him apologize to her child.
- The complaint says she threatened to have her husband beat the boy and told him he was lucky she did not run over his bike before returning him home the same day.
- Charging documents report the boy has suffered serious emotional distress since the incident, including high anxiety and significant changes to his daily routine.
- Tufuga is not in custody, a court hearing is set for April 30, and reporters note unresolved questions about the delay in filing and whether she has legal representation.