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More than 800 additional children have been urged by Australian authorities to be tested for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) as an investigation into former childcare worker Joshua Dale Brown continues. Brown, aged 26, has more than 70 charges, including child rape, leveled against him in connection with the alleged abuse of eight babies and toddlers, aged between five months and two years.
The alleged crimes allegedly took place between April 2022 and January 2023 at a Point Cook childcare centre, a Melbourne suburb. Brown was arrested in May and is to appear in the Melbourne Magistrates Court in September.
Victoria Police disclosed on Wednesday that four more childcare centres had been connected to Brown, raising the total number to 23, although one of the centres previously listed was taken off the list after it was reviewed. Police continue to investigate new leads concerning Brown’s work history, leading the health department to recommend STI testing for another 800 children.
Earlier, at least 2,600 families had been reached out to, and 1,200 were recommended to screen their children for STIs. With the new additions, the health officials are currently approaching 830 more families. Tests recommended include screening for chlamydia, gonorrhoea, and syphilis STIs not usually detected in children, whose presence would point towards abuse.
Victoria’s Chief Health Officer, Dr Christian McGrath, comforted families that the risk of infection is deemed to be low but announced that testing is being done as a precaution. “It’s an extremely distressing circumstance, and we want families to understand that risk is still low,” Dr McGrath said. Families will be notified by SMS and follow-up phone call. Children who have been previously tested do not require re-screening.
Victoria Police Acting Commander Janet Stevenson recognized public frustration with delays over releasing Brown’s complete employment history, labeling the investigation “extremely complex” because employment records are so often fragmented across the childcare sector. More than 270 Crime Stoppers tips have been assessed, handwritten rosters examined, search warrants issued, and multiple witnesses interviewed by detectives.
G8 Education, where Brown worked when he was arrested, said it plans to speed up the installation of security cameras at its 400 centres and will conduct an independent review once criminal proceedings are completed. Affinity Education Group, which has been another operator impacted by the investigation, apologised to families and released new employment statistics to police.
Although previously investigated for other unrelated issues, Brown retained his Working with Children Check, which raised criticism of the screening and monitoring systems for childcare staff in Victoria. The case has triggered anger among parents and renewed demands for urgent reforms in childcare safety measures.
