Christina Formella, recently married special ed teacher at Illinois’ Downers Grove South High School arrested sexually abusing 15 year old boy during tutorial lesson claims being blackmailed by alleged victim, after boy allegedly sent incriminating texts from her phone.
A married Illinois special ed teacher accused of molesting a 15 year old student claims the teen sent incriminating texts to himself from her phone in a bid to blackmail her.
Christina Formella, 30, denied ever assaulting the teen while tutoring him inside a classroom at Downers Grove South High School in December 2023 following her arrest Sunday. Doubling down on claims that the newly married teacher had ever sexually abused the teen, Formella claimed being ‘targeted’ because she was ‘good looking.’
The texts were un-earthed after the boy’s mother went through text messages on the alleged victim’s phone.
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Did teen victim really blackmail special education teacher, Christine Formella?
During police questioning, Formella allegedly told investigators that the student had broken into her phone and used her number to send himself inappropriate text messages to ‘blackmail’ her.
It remained unclear why the boy would seek to blackmail the 30 year old educator.
‘She claimed that one day, [the boy] had grabbed her phone unattended, had entered her passcode … had sent the message to his phone, had then deleted the message from her phone, and had saved it to his phone as blackmail,’ court documents viewed by the dailymail alleged.
Formella, who also coached soccer at the school, told police that her looks and caring “too much” made her a target.
‘[Formella said] everybody comes after her because she is good looking and she is just a good person who cared too much about [the boy],’ according to the court documents.
Formella was 28 at the time of the alleged incident.
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‘I know baby I love it so much… It feels so good… It’s so passionate. .. It’s so intimate … It’s so perfect.’
The victim’s mother discovered the messages on Friday after she bought him a new phone to replace his broken one and link it to his iCloud account, DuPage County prosecutors said.
She allegedly came across text messages between her son and Formella that discussed sexual contact — and even a relationship, which the boy reportedly ended.
After confronting her son, they both went to the Downers Grove Police Department that day to report their allegations, and investigators said they discovered additional evidence indicating sexual contact between the two.
A sample of one text thread message involved the 15 year old newly married teacher professing their love for each other.
Student: ‘I love you so so much mama.’
Formella: ‘I love you sooooo much baby… Even though this morning was short, it was perfect.’
Student: ‘I know baby it was perfect baby so perfect.’
Formella: ‘I love having sex with you.’
Student: ‘I know baby I love it so much… It feels so good… It’s so passionate. .. It’s so intimate … It’s so perfect.’
Abuse of trust, authority and power
Formella — who had been working as a special education teacher at the school since 2020 — was arrested by Downers Grove detectives during a traffic stop on Sunday.
She denied the allegations and told police she never had sex with the student.
Formella was charged with two counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse and one count of criminal sexual assault.
‘The allegations against Ms. Formella are extremely disturbing,’ DuPage County Attorney Robert Berlin said in a statement.
‘It is alleged that she used her position of trust and authority as a tutor and a coach to sexually assault a minor student. The type of abuse and behavior alleged in this case will not be tolerated.’
Prosecutors sought to keep her detained following her arrest, but a judge denied the request.
However, she was released on the condition that she have no contact with anyone under 18 and not enter Downers Grove South High School.
Formella’s next court appearance is scheduled for April 14.
She has since been placed on paid administrative leave from the school.
Formella — who married her college sweetheart in August — has been a licensed teacher since 2017.
She also volunteered as the high school’s soccer coach for both boys and girls beginning in 2021.
