A former teacher at a Christian preparatory school in Sunnyvale was arrested on sexual-abuse charges stemming from allegations involving a 13-year-old girl she taught eight years ago.

Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety Capt. Doug Moretto said Abigail Anne Holloway, 33, who taught physical education at Kings Academy on North Britton Avenue, was arrested Thursday in Englewood, Colo., where she had been teaching at another Christian school.

Holloway is expected to have an extradition hearing in Colorado and be transferred to the Santa Clara County Jail next week, Moretto said.

He described the arrest warrant as containing “multiple counts of child abuse that are sexual in nature.” The allegations stem from 2001.

Moretto declined to say how the case came to the attention of Sunnyvale authorities, saying only that information about the alleged abuse emerged in December.

According to authorities, Holloway had an illegal sexual relationship with a 13-year-old girl — her student — when she worked at Kings Academy. Holloway was employed there from 2000 to 2002, according to the school’s public relations director, Kriss Hayward.

“As with all our teachers and coaches, she underwent a full background check and fingerprinting,” Hayward said, adding that her criminal history came up clean.

“It’s always shocking and sad” to hear news of this nature, Hayward said.

None of the current 860 students attended school when Holloway taught, since she left the school years ago.

Hayward also said most school administrators do not know Holloway, or the identity of the 13-year-old student, who is now likely 21 years old.

Other than Kings Academy, Moretto said Holloway’s employment history is “sketchy,” although public safety officers believe she worked at other schools in Santa Clara County in 2004 and 2005, the year she moved to Colorado.

Anyone with information regarding this case, or who believes they were a victim, is encouraged to call detective Kirk Kim at (408) 730-7120, police said.

Contact Lisa Fernandez at lfernandez@mercurynews.com or (408) 920-5002.

Contact Lisa Fernandez at lfernandez@mercurynews.com or (408) 920-5002.