’45 times at the school’: Additional charges filed in Christina Formella case, teacher accused of abusing a 15-year-old boy

Shocking new court revelations have emerged in the Christina Formella case, once a trusted special‑education teacher and soccer coach at Downers Grove South High School in Illinois.

The 30‑year‑old now faces a staggering 55 criminal counts, including allegations that she sexually abused a 15‑year‑old boy at least 45 times on school grounds, with more incidents reportedly occurring at her home.

At Formella’s June 17 status hearing, prosecutors revealed her indictment, originally filed in March with just three felony counts, had expanded after investigators uncovered hundreds—possibly thousands—of explicit text exchanges and a digital “memoir” on Formella’s phone, detailing emotional manipulation and sexual encounters.

Prosecutors: Formella is “conniving” and “controlling”

According to the DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office, Formella allegedly groomed the teenager starting when he was 14, initiating the relationship in January 2023 and continuing until around August or September 2024

Court testimony painted a harrowing portrait. DuPage prosecutors described Formella as “conniving” and “controlling,” citing explicit text messages exchanged with the boy in 2023.

At her first court appearance on March 17, Formella faced one count of criminal sexual assault and two counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse—but the May grand jury added 52 more charges, including aggravated sexual assault, grooming, criminal sexual abuse, and solicitation of a child.

If convicted, she could spend up to 60 years in prison.

Awkward: Formella arrived at court with her husband

During the dramatic June hearing, Formella arrived at DuPage County Circuit Court flanked by her legal team—and notably, accompanied by her husband, Michael Formella, standing stoically by her side.

Media footage and online outlets captured the couple entering hand‑in‑hand. Michael, her college sweetheart from Concordia University Chicago, has publicly denied any prior knowledge of the abuse. He told investigators he only knew the student as a soccer player and didn’t review his wife’s phone.

Judge Mia McPherson, while branding the allegations “horrifying,” denied the prosecution’s request to revoke Formella’s bail.

Instead, the court released her under strict conditions: she must wear a GPS ankle monitor, submit devices for monitoring software, and is barred from entering any school, contacting minors, or leaving Illinois. Formella remains free pending trial, but under heavy restrictions. Her next scheduled court date is August 4, 2025.