A Utah mother is facing felony charges after police say she tracked down an 11-year-old boy she believed was bullying her autistic son, forced him into her vehicle, and drove him to her home.
Shannon Marie Tufuga, 40, has been charged with child kidnapping and aggravated child abuse following the alleged incident in Provo, according to court records.
Investigators say the encounter began on September 17, 2025, when Tufuga drove around the area searching for the boy, who is identified only by his initials in charging documents.
When she found him riding his bike, authorities say she stopped in front of him and made him get into her vehicle.
According to the charges, Tufuga then drove the child to her home without permission from his parents and forced him to apologize to her son.
Even after the boy apologized, prosecutors say she continued threatening him.
She allegedly told the child she would have her husband beat him up and warned him he was “lucky she did not run over [his] bike,” according to the charging document.
Police say she eventually drove the boy back to his parents’ home after the encounter.
The child later showed signs of emotional trauma following the incident.
“The incident has caused [the boy] serious emotional distress. [He] now has high anxiety and has had to alter his daily routines significantly,” the charges state.
Authorities have not explained how the case surfaced months after the alleged kidnapping.
Tufuga has been ordered to appear at the Utah County Jail before April 30 to be processed, though it was not immediately clear if she had surrendered.
If convicted of the kidnapping charge, a second-degree felony, she could face up to 15 years to life in prison.
The case is one of several recent incidents involving parents accused of taking violent action against children they believed were bullying their own kids.
In one case in November, a mother and father allegedly boarded their child’s school bus and confronted multiple students they believed had bullied their son.
According to a probable cause affidavit, Donquarious Ridley, 27, and Raven Barner, 25, followed their child onto the bus despite being told they were not allowed to board.
Witnesses say the pair began yelling at children almost immediately. Barner allegedly singled out one child and threatened him directly.
She told the child she would “beat his a–” and said she intended to get her stepson to do the same.
Investigators say she then encouraged her son to “start an altercation” with the alleged bully. The situation escalated as the bus driver attempted to intervene.
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Barner is accused of striking two children during the confrontation, including one child unintentionally. Ridley also allegedly took part in the attack.
According to the affidavit, he encouraged his son to hit the boy, and the child complied.
Ridley then allegedly threw the victim to the ground while his son “began striking him repeatedly.”
The two adults left the bus shortly after the confrontation and were later arrested during a traffic stop.
Barner was charged with two counts of battery on a child under 14, while Ridley faces the same charges along with contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
In Missouri, another case involving a parent on a school bus led to felony charges after a confrontation involving a young child.
Authorities say Maurice Fox boarded a school bus and directed his 6-year-old daughter to attack another child.
Video of the incident shows Fox walking onto the bus and confronting a 7-year-old girl.
“’Cause if I find out you’re touching her again, your parents are gonna have to talk to me,” Fox told the child, according to an affidavit.
The driver attempted to stop him, but Fox pushed past and continued toward the children. Footage shows his daughter repeatedly punching the girl as Fox stood nearby.
After the initial blows, Fox allegedly demanded more. “I want her crying, again,” he said, according to the affidavit.
Fox later defended his actions in an online statement. “It wasn’t an easy decision,” he wrote. “But it was the only thing that finally stopped the other child from continuing to hurt her.”
“I felt I had no other choice as a parent. My only intention was to protect my child and empower her in a world that hasn’t protected her.”
Prosecutors said the allegations remain preliminary and that additional charges could be filed.
“An adult cannot enter a school bus and direct his 6-year-old daughter to assault another child,” a prosecutor said. “This is not the way we handle conflict.”
The Ferguson-Florissant School District called the incident “completely unacceptable” and said it is cooperating with investigators.
Another case in New York involved a parent accused of attacking a teenager during a dispute tied to her daughter.
Police say Toni Monroe, 35, struck a 14-year-old multiple times with a metal Stanley cup after an argument between the teenagers outside a school.
Witnesses say Monroe asked her daughter for the cup before turning toward the other teen.
“Give me your Stanley,” she said, according to local reporting.
The victim described the attack in detail. “Her mom just came in and started beating me with the cup,” the teen said. “I touched my head because I saw blood dripping.”
“I touch my head and I saw blood all over my hands,” she added. The victim required 17 stitches following the incident.
Monroe was arrested at the scene and charged with two felony counts of second-degree assault and endangering the welfare of a child.
Her attorney said the altercation stemmed from ongoing bullying involving Monroe’s daughter.
In Arizona, a separate case led to an attempted murder charge after a confrontation escalated at a park.
Authorities say Brandie Gotch, 30, drove her truck toward a group of children after accusing them of bullying her kids.
Investigators say she had earlier confronted several children and grabbed a 14-year-old boy by the hair.
Witnesses reported she threatened the group during the encounter.
“I am going to kill you and run you over,” she yelled, according to court documents.
Police say Gotch then returned to her truck, where her four children were inside.
Instead of leaving, she allegedly accelerated toward a group of about 15 children standing in the playground area. One girl was struck and suffered an ankle injury.
Gotch later told investigators she did not initially realize she had hit the child. “I hope I didn’t,” she said during questioning.
She was later arrested at her home and booked on one count of attempted first-degree murder along with multiple additional charges, including endangerment and aggravated assault.
According to court documents, Gotch told police her children had been bullied and that prior complaints to school officials and law enforcement had not resolved the situation.
She said the confrontation escalated after she saw children throwing wood chips and hitting one of her daughters.
Investigators say video captured part of the incident, including her retrieving a stick and chasing one of the children.
