Honk News (Chicago, IL) – An Illinois special education teacher, who is married, has been taken into custody for reportedly molesting a 15-year-old student during a tutoring session, as stated by prosecutors.
Christina Formella, 30, was arrested in the Chicago suburb of Downers Grove on Sunday, just days after a student reported to police that she had molested him in a classroom at Downers Grove South High School in December 2023.
Formella, who tied the knot with her college sweetheart in August 2024, also took on the role of soccer coach at the school.
Prosecutors in DuPage County reported that Formella acted as a tutor for the boy and allegedly coached him, with the purported sexual assault occurring prior to the start of the school day.
At the time of the reported event, she was 28 years old.
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“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.”
On Friday, the boy’s mother discovered the purported assault while setting up his new phone and connecting it to his iCloud account, as detailed in a DuPage County detention petition acquired by the Daily Herald.
She reportedly discovered text messages exchanged between her son and Formella that talked about sexual contact — and even a relationship.
Following a confrontation with her son, they both visited the Downers Grove Police Department on the same day to file their claims.
Authorities apprehended Formella during a routine traffic stop in the village on Sunday.
The petition reveals her denial of the allegations, yet prosecutors assert that investigators have found additional evidence suggesting sexual contact occurred between the two parties.
The young man is said to have ended their relationship.
Formella faces serious allegations, including two counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse and one count of criminal sexual assault.
Following her booking, Formella was released with stipulations that she must refrain from any contact with individuals under 18 and is prohibited from entering Downers Grove South High School.
According to the Herald, she has also been placed on paid administrative leave from the school.
Formella has been teaching there since 2020, having obtained a teacher’s license in 2017, and started volunteering as a soccer coach for both boys and girls in 2021.
“We are devastated, and our community is reeling,” school principal Arwen Lyp wrote in a message to parents Monday.
“An adult has been charged with the most serious of violations, and trust has been broken. Our team is here to support students who are impacted by this terrible news.”