Bodycam shows teacher breaking down during arrest for allegedly molesting 15-year-old student
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An Illinois grand jury has filed an indictment against an Illinois high school teacher on 52 additional charges relating to the alleged sexual assault and abuse of a student in 2023.

Video released in April showed 30-year-old Christina Formella getting pulled over during a traffic stop and being taken into custody after being charged with various sex crimes for having an inappropriate sexual relationship with a student in 2023.

Formella had been accused of sexually assaulting the boy in a classroom during a tutoring session before class began at Downers Grove South High School in December 2023. The victim’s mother discovered the alleged assault when looking through her son’s text message thread on his cellphone and then contacted police, prosecutors said.

During Formella’s first court appearance March 17, she was charged with two counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse and one count of criminal sexual assault.

“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 imagine 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.”

Christina formella in a police car

Christina Formella in a police car. (YouTube/APE HUNCHO Dupage County, IL)

Formella appeared in court Tuesday morning for a status hearing, where the state filed a second petition to deny her pretrial release, though Judge Mia McPherson denied the request.

Her next appearance is scheduled for Aug. 4.

Bodycam footage of Formella’s arrest showed her appearing confused when police asked her to exit the vehicle during a traffic stop.

They then arrested her and placed her in the back of a police vehicle, where she asked questions about her detention.

Formella could be heard sobbing in the back seat of a police vehicle and asked for her husband, her childhood sweetheart whom she married last year, according to reports. 

“I feel like I’m gonna throw up,” she said in the March 16 video, continuing to cry in the back seat.

Formella, who was also a soccer coach, began tutoring the alleged victim after he broke his collarbone, and they began messaging each other on a school platform, according to court documents obtained by TMZ. The pair then allegedly exchanged provocative texts, followed by FaceTime chats that led to the December 2023 sexual incident.  

Fox News Digital’s Michael Dorgan contributed to this report.

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