Utah
Utah mom accused of kidnapping autistic son’s 11-year-old bully until he apologized
A Utah mother allegedly kidnapped her autistic son’s bully and kept him at her home until he apologized — then threatened to have her husband beat him up.
Shannon Tufuga, 40, was slapped with kidnapping charges Monday after she rolled up on her son’s 11-year-old bully while he was riding his bike around his neighborhood in early September, according to charging documents obtained by KSL.com.
Tufuga was “driving around looking” specifically for the boy, whom she confronted and corralled into her car without his parents’ knowledge, the documents alleged.
She allegedly hightailed it back to her home in Provo, Utah, and kept the boy there until he apologized to her son.
The boy readily apologized, but even then, the vengeful mom wouldn’t let up, according to the police report. She “threatened to have her husband beat up” the accused bully and sneered that he “was lucky she did not run over his bike,” the documents alleged.
Tufuga eventually drove the shell-shocked boy back to his home.
The alleged kidnapping caused the boy “serious emotional distress” over the following months, and he now suffers from “high anxiety and has had to alter his daily routines significantly,” according to the charging documents.
Tufuga was charged with child kidnapping and aggravated child abuse on Monday, both as second-degree felonies. The charges were lowered from first-degree felonies after the Utah County Attorney’s Office determined that a “reduction would be in the interests of justice.”
Tufuga’s son is on the autism spectrum, according to a post on her Facebook.
WEST VALLEY CITY, Utah (KUTV) — A woman was killed in a crash after running a red light on Mountain View Corridor in West Valley City.
Police said the collision was reported just before 1:30 p.m. at the intersection of 4100 South.
Officers said a northbound tow truck entered the intersection on a green light when an eastbound SUV ran a red light and was T-boned.
Both vehicles reportedly caught fire after the impact.
The SUV driver was taken to a hospital, where she later died. Authorities are working to identify her.
The tow truck driver suffered non-life-threatening injuries.
Northbound lanes at 4100 South will remain closed for several hours while crews clear the scene and investigate the crash.
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SALT LAKE CITY (KUTV) — A little mid-level moisture will drift across Utah this weekend, but most areas will stay dry.
A few very isolated mountain showers are possible, mainly in the afternoons, but nothing widespread.
The big story is the heat. High pressure will build in, pushing temperatures 15–20 degrees above normal.
It will feel more like late spring, with many areas nearing or breaking March records, especially across central and southern Utah.
Overall, expect a warm, mostly dry weekend, with just a small chance for a quick mountain shower. Rain chances increase significantly later next week.
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Utah
Case dismissed for Wyoming man charged with allegedly kidnapping missing Utah girl – East Idaho News
POCATELLO — After a search for a missing Utah girl resulted in the arrest of a Wyoming man last November, a motion was accepted to dismiss the man’s case.
Anthony Holm of Star Valley, Wyoming, was originally charged on Nov. 17 with one felony count of second-degree kidnapping, but these charges were dismissed on March 17 during his preliminary hearing.
According to court documents, Bannock County Prosecutor Alan Boehme filed a motion to dismiss the case against Holm, as Utah will bring charges against him.
The motion was granted by Magistrate Judge Carol Tippi Jarman.
EastIdahoNews.com checked Utah court records, and no charges have been filed at the time of publication.
RELATED | Man arrested on kidnapping charges; missing Utah juvenile located safely
RELATED | Wyoming man charged with kidnapping thought teenager was 18, court documents say
The original incident occurred on Nov. 14, when Bannock County Sheriff’s deputies were contacted by the Box Elder County Sheriff’s Office in Utah, which requested assistance in locating a missing juvenile.
The juvenile was believed to be with Holm, who was driving a 2024 Ford Bronco, and was suspected to be in the Lava Hot Springs area.
Court documents state that the vehicle was spotted at a hotel in Lava Hot Springs; however, the license plate did not match the reported one. Bannock County Dispatch reported that the vehicle belonged to Holm, and later confirmed that he was staying at the hotel.
Deputies spoke with Holm and the 16-year-old girl outside of a hotel room.
When asked by deputies how he knew the girl, he said they met on the app Ashley Madison the day before, and that the girl told him she was 18.
RELATED | Ashley Madison isn’t the only place to cheat. Infidelity thrives on social media
Deputies spoke with the 16-year-old, who confirmed that she had told Holm she was 18, but did not want the man to go to jail. She later told deputies the plan was for them to stay in Lava Hot Springs to swim and spend the night there.
Documents state that in Willard, Utah, Holm had picked up the juvenile and traveled to Salt Lake City, where the two stayed at a hotel, before traveling to Idaho.
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