Teacher slammed with 52 additional charges of child sexual abuse
Back in April 2025, Ace News Today reported on Christina Formella, a married Chicago suburb high school teacher charged with having sex with a 15-year-old student. Things just took a turn for the worse for that former teacher.
Illinois’ DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin announced yesterday that Formella, a former Downers Grove South High School teacher and soccer coach, previously charged with having an inappropriate sexual relationship with a student, has been indicted on fifty-two additional counts involving previously unknown sexual abuse and assault of the student.
The 30-year-old Formella appeared at a status hearing yesterday where the State of Illinois filed a second petition to deny her pre-trial release, which was denied by Judge Mia McPherson. On May 20, 2025, a DuPage County Grand Jury returned a true bill against Formella alleging:
- twenty counts of Criminal Sexual Assault (Class 1 Felony),
- twenty counts of Aggravated Criminal Sexual Abuse (Class 1 Felony),
- six counts of Indecent Solicitation of a Child (Class 3 Felony), and
- six counts of Grooming (Class 4 Felony).
On March 17, 2025, Formella appeared in First Appearance Court charged with one count of Aggravated Criminal Sexual Abuse, one count of Criminal Sexual Assault and one count of Aggravated Criminal Sexual Abuse. Following her appearance on March 17, the Court denied the State’s motion to detain her pre-trial and she was released. Conditions of Formella’s release include no entry into Downers Grove South High School and no contact with the victim or anyone under the age of eighteen.
On March 15, 2025, the victim, who was fifteen years old at the time of the alleged assault, and his parents went to the Downers Grove Police Department to report inappropriate sexual contact allegedly committed by the boy’s soccer coach/tutor, later identified as Formella. An investigation by the Downers Grove Police Department and the DuPage County Children’s Advocacy Center led to the previous charges against Formella.
On April 17, 2025, the victim and his parents went to the DuPage County Children’s Advocacy Center for interviews during which the victim disclosed additional sexual abuse, allegedly committed by Formella. Following further investigation, it is alleged that the sexual abuse began in January 2023 and continued through August/September, 2024.
It is alleged that during this time, Formella sent the victim multiple text messages that were grooming in nature and that she and the victim had engaged in sexual acts approximately fifty times, both at the school and at Formella’s home, including at least forty-five times at the school.
“The new allegations against Ms. Formella, including the allegations of grooming and that the abuse lasted nearly two years, are beyond disturbing,” Berlin said. “I thank the victim in this case for having the courage to come forward during what I image is an extremely difficult time for him. I also thank the DuPage County Children’s Center, particularly Investigator George Fencl, as well as Assistant State’s Attorneys Jaclyn McAndrew and Michael Fisher for their work not only in this case but for their continued efforts protecting our children.”
Formella’s next court appearance is scheduled for August 4, 2025, in front of Judge Mia McPherson.
Related, see:
Married Chicago suburb high school teacher charged with having sex with 15-year-old student
The DuPage County State’s Attorney Office reminds us that this complaint contains only charges and is not proof of the defendant’s guilt. A defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial in which it is the government’s burden to prove his or her guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
For more on the shocking new developments to this story, see the video below.
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(Source: DuPage County State’s Attorney Office)
Posted by Richard Webster, Ace News Today
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