Teachers Arrested for Child Sexual Abuse Allegations

Christina Formella, a special education teacher in Illinois, was arrested on March 16, 2025, for allegedly sexually abusing a 15-year-old student during a tutoring session in December 2023. The arrest came after the victim's mother discovered explicit text messages on her son's phone and reported them to police. Formella faces charges of aggravated criminal sexual abuse and criminal sexual assault. Separately, Mark Betts, a former teacher from Bathurst, NSW, was charged with multiple historical sexual assault offenses against students under his authority between 1988 and 1990. Betts was arrested at Sydney International Airport and charged with 20 offenses, including sexual intercourse with minors. Both cases highlight serious allegations of abuse by educators, emphasizing the need for stringent safeguards in educational environments.