A former teacher employed by a Christian prep school in Sunnyvale will face child abuse charges based on allegations she had a sexual relationship with a 13-year-old student for several years beginning in 2001, Department of Public Safety investigators announced Thursday.
Abigail Anne Holloway, 33, was arrested in Colorado on Sunday in Arapahoe County by investigators from Sunnyvale. Holloway was employed as a teacher at St. Mary's Academy in Englewood, Colo., according to the Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety.
Holloway is expected to be transported to Santa Clara County where she is accused of developing a sexual relationship with a 13-year-old female student at the King's Academy, a "Christ-centered" preparatory school, in the spring of 2001 and pursuing it for several years, according to the public safety department.
Holloway taught physical education at the school.
"It was a shock," said the academy's public relations manager, Kriss Hayward.
"We are saddened to learn the news when we got a call from the Sunnyvale Police Department yesterday afternoon," said Hayward.
Few people on campus Friday knew Hollloway, because she left the school almost 6 years ago.
And one parent says she hasn't lost faith in the school, despite the allegations.
Local
"Until proven guilty, she's just a normal person like anyone else," said Jennifer Johnson, who had just picked up her kids for the school.
Investigators reported becoming aware of the alleged abuse in December and are still trying to determine if there may have been additional juveniles victimized by Holloway, either at King's Academy, or between 2003 and 2005 when she worked as a teacher at other Santa Clara County schools.
Anyone who may have information regarding Holloway or the suspected child abuse is asked to contact Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety Detective Kirk Kim at 408-730-7120
