Hundreds of children to be tested for disease after childcare centre rape charges
Joshua Dale Brown, 26, is accused of abusing eight children under the age of two, including a five-month-old baby, at a childcare centre in Melbourne between April 2022 and January 2023.
Police have not ruled out that Mr Brown, who has worked at 19 other childcare centres over the past eight years, could have preyed on more alleged victims.
Officers arrested him at his home in Melbourne on May 12 after uncovering evidence of child abuse material.
The charges he faces include sexual penetration of a child under 12, attempted sexual penetration of a child under 12, sexual assault of a child under 16 and producing child abuse material for use through a carriage service.
Janet Stevenson, the Victoria Police acting commander, said it had taken the 'unusual decision' to lift the suppression order on Mr Brown's name so that parents could check whether he would have come into contact with their child.
Health authorities have contacted 2,600 families and have recommended the testing for 1,200 children who may have come into contact with him as a precaution.
A website listing the centres at which Mr Brown worked and the known employment dates has been set up by the government, as well as a dedicated hotline for families.
The eight children who police allege were abused by Mr Brown were all under the age of two and attended one childcare centre in a suburb of Melbourne.
Dr Christian McGrath, the chief health officer in Victoria, did not disclose whether the suspect had tested positive for sexually transmitted infections, but said the manner of the alleged offending meant some children may be asked to undergo screening for infectious diseases.
He said: 'This is another distressing element to the situation, and we're taking this approach as a precaution. We do believe it's a low risk, but we want to offer this to provide assurance to the parents about the health and well-being of their children.'
Detectives are also investigating alleged offences at a childcare centre in Essendon, another Melbourne suburb, 'as a priority'.
Police believe Mr Brown had acted alone and that the offending was confined to Victoria. He was not known to police beforehand, and his alleged offending was only uncovered because of a proactive investigation and not a tip-off or complaint.
Mr Brown is yet to enter a plea to the charges and has been remanded in custody. He is due to appear at Melbourne magistrates' court on September 15.
Jacinta Allan, the premier of Victoria, said she was 'sickened' by the allegations, adding: 'My heart breaks for the families who are living every parent's worst nightmare.'
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