Illinois special education teacher charged with molesting student claims teen sent texts to himself from her phone to ‘blackmail’ her

The Illinois special education teacher, Christina Formella, who was accused of molesting her 15-year-old student, is claiming that she was set up to be blackmailed by the alleged victim. She denies ever assaulting the teen while tutoring him inside a classroom at Downers Grove South High School in December 2023. Formella, who is 30 years old and married, stated that the student had broken into her phone and sent himself inappropriate text messages to blackmail her.

She told investigators that the student had grabbed her phone, entered her passcode, sent the messages to his phone, deleted them from her phone, and saved them on his phone as blackmail. Formella believes she was targeted because of her looks and caring nature, stating that everyone comes after her because she is good looking and cares too much.

The victim’s mother discovered the messages on her son’s phone after buying him a new phone and linking it to his iCloud account. The messages discussed sexual contact and a relationship that the boy reportedly ended. After confronting her son, they both went to the Downers Grove Police Department to report the allegations.

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. She denies the allegations and claims she never had sexual contact with the student. Formella was charged with two counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse and one count of criminal sexual assault.

Prosecutors sought to keep her detained, but a judge denied the request. 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 been placed on paid administrative leave from the school, and the principal, Arwen Lyp, wrote a message to parents expressing devastation over the allegations. Formella, who married her college sweetheart in August, has been a licensed teacher since 2017 and volunteered as the high school’s soccer coach for both boys and girls since 2021. The community is reeling from the news, and the school is providing support to students impacted by the situation.