Two former fifth-grade teachers from River Crest Elementary School in Hudson, Wisconsin, have been found guilty of sexual misconduct involving minors. Abigail Faust, aged 25, appeared in St. Croix County Court on Monday, 14th September, where she accepted responsibility for sexually assaulting two teenage boys aged 15. Her fellow educator, Madison Bergmann, 26, had previously admitted to engaging in sexual activities with an 11-year-old student.
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Faust, during her court appearance, pleaded guilty to charges including child enticement and second-degree sexual assault of a minor. She acknowledged that her actions were deliberate and not merely a lapse of judgement. “What I did was not a mistake,” she stated, adding that she is currently undergoing therapy to comprehend why she made such poor choices.
Prior to her arrest in connection with the assaults, Faust had been accused of inappropriate behaviour towards one of her elementary school students. In May 2025, she resigned amid accusations of misconduct in which she allegedly kept a fifth-grade student after school hours, pushed him against a wall, and kissed him on the cheek. This incident led to her being charged with several offences, including child enticement and sexual misconduct involving a member of school staff or a volunteer.
In the same month that Faust resigned, Bergmann also left her teaching position under troubling circumstances. She was implicated in a separate case involving an 11-year-old student, reportedly involving thousands of text messages including references to physical interactions described as “making out.” After pleading guilty to child enticement and two counts of sexual misconduct, Bergmann has been sentenced to six years in prison.
Both teachers were found to have exchanged messages regarding their relationships with students, highlighting the disturbing nature of their actions. Additionally, Faust was alleged to have been aware of Bergmann’s inappropriate relationship with the 11-year-old but did not report it, raising significant questions about her professional responsibilities.
As part of Faust’s plea bargain, many of the other charges against her were dismissed, including the allegations of inappropriate physical contact with the fifth grader. On top of her charges in Wisconsin, she was also charged in Washington County, Minnesota. There, she pleaded guilty to third-degree criminal sexual conduct related to the 15-year-old victim, for which sentencing is also pending.
Faust’s plea deal in the Minnesota case stipulates a recommended three-year prison sentence, along with ten years of probation and a year in jail, which will run concurrently with her Wisconsin sentence. Both Faust and Bergmann’s actions have drawn significant criticism from the community, with the school facing tough questions over how such misconduct could occur under its watch.
Faust’s attorney has yet to issue a statement regarding the case, and it remains to be seen how the legal proceedings will unfold as both educators face potential prison time for their heinous actions. The cases have prompted wider discussions on safeguarding measures in schools and the importance of staff training in recognising and reporting inappropriate behaviours among educators.