A former New Berlin school district employee is facing multiple felony charges following a child sexual abuse investigation.
Sangamon County authorities say 43-year old Lyndsey Prather of New Berlin was arrested on Thursday on five counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse, along with one count involving child sexual abuse material after a warrant was issued by a grand jury.
According to the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office, the case began in April of 2025 when the New Berlin School District notified police of an alleged inappropriate relationship between an employee and a minor.
The investigation was later turned over to the sheriff’s office, with assistance from the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, the Sangamon County Child Advocacy Center, and the Sangamon County State’s Attorney’s Office.
New Berlin Superintendent Jillinda Larson said in a press release on Friday that Prather was placed on leave in April of last year and was terminated later that month by the school board. In the statement, Larson says student safety remains the district’s top priority and that it is continuing to cooperate fully with law enforcement in the ongoing investigation. Public records show Prather had been working as a paraprofessional in the district since 2021.
Sangamon County Authorities say no additional information is being released at this time. Prather remains held at the Sangamon County Jail pending a court appearance.