Tina Resch was born on October 23, 1969, and later adopted by John and Joan Resch, a Columbus, Ohio couple known for fostering hundreds of children. Tina's early life was marked by emotional hardship, instability, and reported abuse. The Resch household appeared stable from the outside, but Tina later claimed her adoptive parents were physically abusive.

Her name first appeared in national headlines in 1984, at the age of 14, during what became known as the “Columbus Poltergeist” case. The family had contacted local media after claiming that objects in their home were moving on their own. Photographer Fred Shannon of The Columbus Dispatch captured a now-famous photo showing Tina seated in a chair with a telephone flying through the air. The image led to coverage in Unsolved Mysteries and attention from both believers and skeptics of paranormal activity.

Parapsychologist William Roll investigated the case, claiming the phenomena were genuine, though he never witnessed any object moving without explanation. Skeptics like James Randi and other scientific investigators strongly doubted the claims, asserting that Tina had orchestrated the events for attention. In fact, a TV crew later caught Tina deliberately knocking over a lamp and faking surprise. This evidence, along with photographic inconsistencies, led many to dismiss the case as a hoax.

After the media frenzy, Tina moved on with her life. She married and divorced twice, eventually taking the name Christina Boyer. She had a daughter named Amber and moved to Georgia in the early 1990s.

On April 14, 1992, three-year-old Amber Boyer was found dead while in the care of David Herrin, Tina’s boyfriend at the time. Tina had reportedly left Amber with Herrin while she was at work. When she returned, her daughter was unresponsive. The autopsy revealed that Amber died from blunt force trauma to the head.

Tina and Herrin were both arrested shortly afterward. Tina denied causing any harm and said Herrin must have inflicted the injuries. Herrin, on the other hand, claimed Tina had been abusive and blamed her for Amber’s death. The medical examiner testified that the injury had occurred shortly before Amber died.

Faced with the threat of the death penalty and a trial that could last for months, Tina accepted a plea bargain in 1994. She entered an Alford plea—pleading guilty while maintaining her innocence. In doing so, she avoided trial but was sentenced to life in prison plus 20 years. Herrin was convicted of child cruelty and received a 20-year sentence. He was released in 2011.

Despite her plea, Tina has consistently denied that she harmed her daughter. Over the years, her case gained attention from artists, activists, and journalists. Dutch photographer Jan Banning, who first photographed her during a prison project, later investigated her case in depth. Banning came to believe that Tina had not received a fair trial and might be innocent.

The case inspired a podcast, documentaries, and even a support team working to prove her innocence. Some claim her background—especially her notoriety from the poltergeist case—played a role in how she was portrayed and ultimately punished. However, as of June 2025, Christina Boyer remains incarcerated at Pulaski State Prison in Georgia. Her supporters continue to push for parole or a retrial, arguing that there was insufficient evidence to prove her guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.