Sexually molested 15-year-old boy in special class, 30-year-old newly-married school teacher arrested

CHICAGO: A teacher has been arrested in the case of molesting a student. Christina Formella (30), a teacher and soccer coach at Downers Grove South High School, in Chicago suburb in the US, has been arrested. The Downers Grove police and the DuPage County State Attorney General announced that a 15-year-old student and the child’s mother have filed a complaint against Christina.

The incident in question took place in 2023. The child’s complaint states that Christina sexually molested him while she was tutoring him in a special education session before regular classroom. The child’s mother told the police that she came to know about this when she saw a message on her son's phone. She allegedly came across text messages between her son and Formella that discussed sexual contact — and even a relationship. After that, they both went to the Police Department to report the allegations.

The police arrested Christina on the complaint and produced her in court. The court granted bail to the young woman on certain conditions before the argument. The condition is that she should not enter Downers Grove South School and should not have any contact with anyone under the age of 18.

Formella is charged with two counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse and one count of criminal sexual assault. She was also placed on paid administrative leave from the school, according to a media source.

Christina married her college sweetheart in August 2024. Wedding pictures from social media show her smiling last fall with her new husband, who played baseball for their alma mater, Concordia University Chicago.

School officials have stated that strict action will be taken in the incident. Christina was appointed to Downers Grove South School in 2020 after receiving her teaching licence in 2017. She also started working as a soccer coach in 2021. She is scheduled to appear in court again on the 14th of next month.