Disturbing text messages purportedly sent by a married high school teacher in Illinois to a 15-year-old student have come to light, with the teacher expressing love and desire for a sexual relationship with the boy. The messages, discovered on the boy’s phone, are being cited as evidence by police to support allegations of sexual assault against the teacher. The teacher in question, Christina Formella, a 30-year-old special education teacher and soccer coach at Downers Grove South High School, allegedly sent messages to the victim professing her love and enjoyment of intimate moments with him.
Formella maintains her innocence, claiming that the explicit messages were fabricated by the boy himself and sent from her phone. Despite her denials, police view the messages as proof of an inappropriate relationship between the teacher and student, with allegations of molestation dating back over two years. The relationship purportedly began during a tutoring session in December 2023 and continued until it was terminated by the boy.
Upon Formella’s arrest, additional writings were found on her phone that suggested a sexual relationship with the underage student, according to court documents. Formella dismissed these materials as simply a means to cope with anxiety, insisting that any sexual content was about her husband.
The former teacher has refuted the accusations, claiming to be the victim of a setup and coercion by the boy she tutored and coached. She alleges that she is being unfairly targeted due to her appearance and compassionate nature. Formella’s defense includes an explanation that the boy gained access to her phone, sent himself incriminating messages, deleted them from her device, and saved them as leverage.
Facing charges of aggravated criminal sexual abuse and criminal sexual assault, Formella has been barred from school premises and contact with minors. Wedding photos shared on social media suggest that she recently married her college sweetheart. The images depict a seemingly happy and healthy relationship between the couple, who were former student athletes at Concordia University.
In 2020, she joined Downers Grove High School after obtaining her teaching license in 2017. Currently, she is on paid leave from her position.
