The Illinois teacher charged with sexually assaulting a 15-year-old student was accompanied by her husband into court on Monday.
Christina Formella, 30, faces sexual assault and sexual abuse charges in the case. On Monday, the Daily Herald reported that Formella pleaded not guilty to the charges. If convicted of the most serious charges, Formella faces four to 15 years in prison.
Formella was the boy's tutor and soccer coach. His mother went to police after finding inappropriate messages between the pair on his phone.
Some of the text messages were released in court documents, WGN-TV reported:
Student: "I love you so so much mama."
Formella: "I love you sooooo much baby... Even though this morning was short, it was perfect"
Student: "I know baby it was perfect baby so perfect."
Formella: "I love having sex with you."
Student: "I know baby I love it so much... It feels so good... It's so passionate. .. It's so intimate ... It's so perfect."
Formella initially told police that the boy was her stalker and that her husband was aware that she was being stalked by a student. However, in court documents, police stated, "Oddly enough, her husband told detectives that he knows nothing about [accuser] beyond his status as a soccer player," the New York Post reported.
On Monday, Formella was accompanied by her husband into court, but she did not comment to the press regarding the charges, the New York Post reported.
The case has generated intense media coverage. So much so that a hearing was held on whether The Daily Mail would be allowed to take photos and videos of Formella's court appearances, the Daily Herald reported.
"These videos and photographs will undoubtedly make its way to other media outlets, whose main interest is to appeal to the salacious appetite of a certain segment of the population, who has a bizarre fascination with the facts of this case," two prosecutors argued in a written response according to the newspaper.
