New charge, 3rd lawsuit filed against former Celina ISD coach Caleb Elliott

CELINA, Texas - A former Celina ISD middle school coach is now facing yet another criminal charge, filed on the same day a third civil lawsuit was brought forward, as community members continue to question whether additional allegations may still come to light.

New charges against Caleb Elliott

What we know:

Celina police filed a new charge of sexual performance of a child on Tuesday against 26-year-old Caleb Elliott, the former Moore Middle School football coach already accused of secretly recording boys as they changed in a locker room.

The department announced last week that its investigation had identified 38 victims. But with the latest criminal complaint, investigators say the number has now increased to 39.

The new charge was filed the same day two more alleged victims, both football players, submitted a lawsuit claiming they were among the boys recorded in the locker room. 

According to the filing, Elliott instructed one boy to perform jumping jacks and burpees while nude in the shower area, and directed another to do burpees while unclothed.

Police have not confirmed whether the new sexual performance charge is tied to those allegations, but in a news release, the department noted that sexual performance includes "asking victims to perform activities while they were naked or partially clothed."

Concerns from the Celina community

Local perspective:

Among those watching the case closely is Kyle Sims, a Celina ISD grandparent who spoke out during the district’s most recent school board meeting.

"I hope and pray that more kids don’t come forward, just because I don’t want to see more damaged," Sims said. "But I’m afraid they might."

Sims said parents and grandparents continue to fear the scope of harm.

"There’s a lot at stake here for these innocent children that are going to be damaged for life," he said.

Allegations against Celina ISD

Dig deeper:

Elliott’s father, Bill Elliott, is Celina High School’s state-championship winning football coach. He remains on administrative leave while a third-party review hired by the district continues. Police say he has been cooperative throughout the investigation.

Lawsuits filed by several families have alleged that school officials ignored or covered up past incidents involving Caleb Elliott, but investigators say there is no evidence to substantiate those claims. 

The Texas Education Agency has launched its own inquiry into the district’s handling of the situation.

"As I’ve said before, we’ve got an epidemic going on, especially in public education, it seems," Sims added.

"did nothing to supervise Elliott’s actions…"

What they're saying:

The attorney representing the two football players behind the latest lawsuit told FOX 4 that Celina ISD "did nothing to supervise Elliott’s actions in the locker room, and no Celina ISD employee reported his misconduct."

What's next:

Police emphasized that their investigation, while in an active conclusion phase, is not closed to new information. They say additional witnesses could still come forward, and with them, the possibility of more charges.