Reward on offer for cold case information 25 years after mother and daughter disappeared in Adelaide
It has been 25 years since Rosemary Brown, 33 and her daughter Melissa, 15, were suspected of being murdered in Adelaide.
The pair were last seen in Blair Athol at about 2.30am on Saturday May 13, 2000.
At that time, they had been living at the Windsor Gardens Caravan Park with Brown's young son.
On May 3, 2000 the family were evicted due and moved into the caravan of another park resident at his invitation.
Three days later, all four residents were evicted from the caravan park and wee forced to sleep at the Garden Island boat ramp.
The caravan owner was the last person to see Brown and Melissa.
Numerous people have been questioned at length over the suspected murders — including the owner of the caravan — but there is no firm suspect.
On the day she was last seen, Brown's handbag was discovered in Stirling Street, Northfield about 14km away, but it was not handed to police until ten days later when there was a public appeal
Two months later, Brown's body was discovered in mangroves at Garden Island, in Adelaide's north, less than a kilometre from where she was last seen.
No details have been released to how she died.
Her daughter, Melissa has never been found and police believe she was murdered.
'Despite the passage of time, we remain dedicated to uncovering the truth and holding those responsible accountable,' Acting Detective Superintendent Andrew Macrae said.
'We encourage anyone with information, no matter how insignificant it may seem, to come forward. Your assistance could be crucial in helping us piece together the events surrounding this tragic incident'.
There is a reward of up to $1 million for anyone who can provide information that leads to a conviction of those responsible for the murder of the pair.
Anyone with information is asked to contact police.
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The Advertiser
23 minutes ago
- The Advertiser
Fears alleged sex offender worked with more children
A childcare operator is urgently checking its records amid fears that an accused child sex offender may have been employed longer than previously thought. Joshua Dale Brown has been charged with more than 70 sex offences after allegedly abusing eight children aged under two at a Point Cook facility in Melbourne's southwest. Victoria Police are also examining evidence of alleged offending at a centre in Essendon. A list of the 20 centres he worked at since 2017, with dates ranges, has already been made public. The parents of 1200 children have been told to get them tested for sexually transmitted infections as a precaution. Affinity Education, which operates several facilities where Brown worked, including the Essendon centre, is now reviewing its records following reports he might have been employed longer than first thought. "Given the serious nature of the matter, we are currently reviewing our records in detail to ensure completeness," a spokesperson said. "Affinity Education continues to co-operate fully with authorities and remains focused on the safety and wellbeing of the children and families in our care." Meanwhile, a former royal commissioner has slammed governments for dragging their feet on creating a national regime for working with children checks. Brown, 26, had a valid working with children check and was not known to police or subject to any complaints before his arrest in May. The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse called on the federal government in 2015 to "facilitate a national model" for working with children checks. Robert Fitzgerald, one of five members of the royal commission, said the recommendation remained unfulfilled. "My view is that is shameful," the now-age discrimination commissioner told AAP. "Ten years on, that job should have been completed and the fact that it isn't means there are gaps in our child safeguarding regime." Every state and territory maintains separate working with children schemes with different rules and requirements. Victoria, Queensland and NSW have all committed to reviewing or tightening up their regimes. A 2022 Victorian ombudsman report exposed "serious flaws" in the state's scheme after former Melbourne City Mission worker Alexander Jones was convicted of sexually assaulting a child in 2018. Jones was investigated for multiple alleged sexual offences in NSW but granted a permit in Victoria because his national police check was clean, as he had not been charged. People under investigation for serious offences can still hold a working with children check in Victoria. It can only be revoked upon criminal charges or a regulatory finding. Plans to strengthen the checks will be discussed at a meeting of state and federal attorneys-general in August. The federal government is also preparing to fast-track legislation in parliament this month to cut funding to centres with safety breaches. Federal frontbencher Clare O'Neil said she didn't have a good answer for why the royal commission's recommendations were left on the shelf. "A lot of these predators would pass a working with children check," she said. Families of the children recommended for STI testing are anxiously awaiting results. It's understood that at least two families were told to get their infants checked twice. They were first told to get their child checked for two diseases and then days later were warned about a third. The state's health department has expressed regret for causing any additional stress or anxiety. The allegations against Brown have cast a spotlight on educator-to-child ratios, which do not require more than one carer to be around a child at any given time, unlike the Netherlands' "four eyes" principle. A father whose two children attended the Point Cook centre wants CCTV installed throughout the facility. NSW has flagged a trial of CCTV cameras in centres, as an urgent Victorian review examines making the technology mandatory. 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service 1800 211 028 A childcare operator is urgently checking its records amid fears that an accused child sex offender may have been employed longer than previously thought. Joshua Dale Brown has been charged with more than 70 sex offences after allegedly abusing eight children aged under two at a Point Cook facility in Melbourne's southwest. Victoria Police are also examining evidence of alleged offending at a centre in Essendon. A list of the 20 centres he worked at since 2017, with dates ranges, has already been made public. The parents of 1200 children have been told to get them tested for sexually transmitted infections as a precaution. Affinity Education, which operates several facilities where Brown worked, including the Essendon centre, is now reviewing its records following reports he might have been employed longer than first thought. "Given the serious nature of the matter, we are currently reviewing our records in detail to ensure completeness," a spokesperson said. "Affinity Education continues to co-operate fully with authorities and remains focused on the safety and wellbeing of the children and families in our care." Meanwhile, a former royal commissioner has slammed governments for dragging their feet on creating a national regime for working with children checks. Brown, 26, had a valid working with children check and was not known to police or subject to any complaints before his arrest in May. The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse called on the federal government in 2015 to "facilitate a national model" for working with children checks. Robert Fitzgerald, one of five members of the royal commission, said the recommendation remained unfulfilled. "My view is that is shameful," the now-age discrimination commissioner told AAP. "Ten years on, that job should have been completed and the fact that it isn't means there are gaps in our child safeguarding regime." Every state and territory maintains separate working with children schemes with different rules and requirements. Victoria, Queensland and NSW have all committed to reviewing or tightening up their regimes. A 2022 Victorian ombudsman report exposed "serious flaws" in the state's scheme after former Melbourne City Mission worker Alexander Jones was convicted of sexually assaulting a child in 2018. Jones was investigated for multiple alleged sexual offences in NSW but granted a permit in Victoria because his national police check was clean, as he had not been charged. People under investigation for serious offences can still hold a working with children check in Victoria. It can only be revoked upon criminal charges or a regulatory finding. Plans to strengthen the checks will be discussed at a meeting of state and federal attorneys-general in August. The federal government is also preparing to fast-track legislation in parliament this month to cut funding to centres with safety breaches. Federal frontbencher Clare O'Neil said she didn't have a good answer for why the royal commission's recommendations were left on the shelf. "A lot of these predators would pass a working with children check," she said. Families of the children recommended for STI testing are anxiously awaiting results. It's understood that at least two families were told to get their infants checked twice. They were first told to get their child checked for two diseases and then days later were warned about a third. The state's health department has expressed regret for causing any additional stress or anxiety. The allegations against Brown have cast a spotlight on educator-to-child ratios, which do not require more than one carer to be around a child at any given time, unlike the Netherlands' "four eyes" principle. A father whose two children attended the Point Cook centre wants CCTV installed throughout the facility. NSW has flagged a trial of CCTV cameras in centres, as an urgent Victorian review examines making the technology mandatory. 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service 1800 211 028 A childcare operator is urgently checking its records amid fears that an accused child sex offender may have been employed longer than previously thought. Joshua Dale Brown has been charged with more than 70 sex offences after allegedly abusing eight children aged under two at a Point Cook facility in Melbourne's southwest. Victoria Police are also examining evidence of alleged offending at a centre in Essendon. A list of the 20 centres he worked at since 2017, with dates ranges, has already been made public. The parents of 1200 children have been told to get them tested for sexually transmitted infections as a precaution. Affinity Education, which operates several facilities where Brown worked, including the Essendon centre, is now reviewing its records following reports he might have been employed longer than first thought. "Given the serious nature of the matter, we are currently reviewing our records in detail to ensure completeness," a spokesperson said. "Affinity Education continues to co-operate fully with authorities and remains focused on the safety and wellbeing of the children and families in our care." Meanwhile, a former royal commissioner has slammed governments for dragging their feet on creating a national regime for working with children checks. Brown, 26, had a valid working with children check and was not known to police or subject to any complaints before his arrest in May. The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse called on the federal government in 2015 to "facilitate a national model" for working with children checks. Robert Fitzgerald, one of five members of the royal commission, said the recommendation remained unfulfilled. "My view is that is shameful," the now-age discrimination commissioner told AAP. "Ten years on, that job should have been completed and the fact that it isn't means there are gaps in our child safeguarding regime." Every state and territory maintains separate working with children schemes with different rules and requirements. Victoria, Queensland and NSW have all committed to reviewing or tightening up their regimes. A 2022 Victorian ombudsman report exposed "serious flaws" in the state's scheme after former Melbourne City Mission worker Alexander Jones was convicted of sexually assaulting a child in 2018. Jones was investigated for multiple alleged sexual offences in NSW but granted a permit in Victoria because his national police check was clean, as he had not been charged. People under investigation for serious offences can still hold a working with children check in Victoria. It can only be revoked upon criminal charges or a regulatory finding. Plans to strengthen the checks will be discussed at a meeting of state and federal attorneys-general in August. The federal government is also preparing to fast-track legislation in parliament this month to cut funding to centres with safety breaches. Federal frontbencher Clare O'Neil said she didn't have a good answer for why the royal commission's recommendations were left on the shelf. "A lot of these predators would pass a working with children check," she said. Families of the children recommended for STI testing are anxiously awaiting results. It's understood that at least two families were told to get their infants checked twice. They were first told to get their child checked for two diseases and then days later were warned about a third. The state's health department has expressed regret for causing any additional stress or anxiety. The allegations against Brown have cast a spotlight on educator-to-child ratios, which do not require more than one carer to be around a child at any given time, unlike the Netherlands' "four eyes" principle. A father whose two children attended the Point Cook centre wants CCTV installed throughout the facility. NSW has flagged a trial of CCTV cameras in centres, as an urgent Victorian review examines making the technology mandatory. 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service 1800 211 028 A childcare operator is urgently checking its records amid fears that an accused child sex offender may have been employed longer than previously thought. Joshua Dale Brown has been charged with more than 70 sex offences after allegedly abusing eight children aged under two at a Point Cook facility in Melbourne's southwest. Victoria Police are also examining evidence of alleged offending at a centre in Essendon. A list of the 20 centres he worked at since 2017, with dates ranges, has already been made public. The parents of 1200 children have been told to get them tested for sexually transmitted infections as a precaution. Affinity Education, which operates several facilities where Brown worked, including the Essendon centre, is now reviewing its records following reports he might have been employed longer than first thought. "Given the serious nature of the matter, we are currently reviewing our records in detail to ensure completeness," a spokesperson said. "Affinity Education continues to co-operate fully with authorities and remains focused on the safety and wellbeing of the children and families in our care." Meanwhile, a former royal commissioner has slammed governments for dragging their feet on creating a national regime for working with children checks. Brown, 26, had a valid working with children check and was not known to police or subject to any complaints before his arrest in May. The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse called on the federal government in 2015 to "facilitate a national model" for working with children checks. Robert Fitzgerald, one of five members of the royal commission, said the recommendation remained unfulfilled. "My view is that is shameful," the now-age discrimination commissioner told AAP. "Ten years on, that job should have been completed and the fact that it isn't means there are gaps in our child safeguarding regime." Every state and territory maintains separate working with children schemes with different rules and requirements. Victoria, Queensland and NSW have all committed to reviewing or tightening up their regimes. A 2022 Victorian ombudsman report exposed "serious flaws" in the state's scheme after former Melbourne City Mission worker Alexander Jones was convicted of sexually assaulting a child in 2018. Jones was investigated for multiple alleged sexual offences in NSW but granted a permit in Victoria because his national police check was clean, as he had not been charged. People under investigation for serious offences can still hold a working with children check in Victoria. It can only be revoked upon criminal charges or a regulatory finding. Plans to strengthen the checks will be discussed at a meeting of state and federal attorneys-general in August. The federal government is also preparing to fast-track legislation in parliament this month to cut funding to centres with safety breaches. Federal frontbencher Clare O'Neil said she didn't have a good answer for why the royal commission's recommendations were left on the shelf. "A lot of these predators would pass a working with children check," she said. Families of the children recommended for STI testing are anxiously awaiting results. It's understood that at least two families were told to get their infants checked twice. They were first told to get their child checked for two diseases and then days later were warned about a third. The state's health department has expressed regret for causing any additional stress or anxiety. The allegations against Brown have cast a spotlight on educator-to-child ratios, which do not require more than one carer to be around a child at any given time, unlike the Netherlands' "four eyes" principle. A father whose two children attended the Point Cook centre wants CCTV installed throughout the facility. NSW has flagged a trial of CCTV cameras in centres, as an urgent Victorian review examines making the technology mandatory. 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service 1800 211 028
7NEWS
3 hours ago
- 7NEWS
Message Victorian Government sent to parents after alleged childcare sexual assault offences
Text messages sent to the parents of the child victims of two alleged offenders have revealed for the first time which sexually transmitted infections their children must be tested for. A message sent from the Victorian Department of Health has asked parents to test their children for serious sexually transmitted infections (STI), including syphilis. 'It is recommended your child be tested for chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis,' the message read. 'Please show this message to your Urgent Care Clinic or your GP so they can arrange the test. ' It was revealed by The Age that some parents were required to retest their children as certain tests were not in the original message. Michael Simon Wilson, 36, was charged over the alleged rape of a teenage boy in Hoppers Crossing on April 16 which led police to uncover evidence of horrific alleged sexual abuse of children at Melbourne childcare centres, the Herald Sun reports. Childcare worker Joshua Brown, 26, who worked at more than 20 centres across Victoria between 2017 and May 2025, was charged on Tuesday. He is facing more than 70 child sex charges relating to the alleged abuse of eight children aged between five months and two-years-old. His charges include sexual penetration of a child under 12, attempted sexual penetration of a child under 12 and producing child abuse material. He is also accused of using his bodily fluids to contaminate children's food, reported. The charges against the two men prompted an urgent recommendation from the Victorian Government that 1200 children seek STI tests. On Wednesday, Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan announced that personal devices will be banned at all childcare centres across the state by September 26. Childcare centres that did not comply will face fines of up to $50,000. Families affected by the abuse, including those referred for testing, will be eligible for a $5000 immediate needs payment. Allen has also commissioned an urgent review into childcare safety, including the possibility of installing CCTV cameras in centres, as well as deploying a 'four eyes' principle, meaning children should not be left alone with a single adult. Working with Children Checks are reviewed every five years. The state government will now be reviewing whether the timeframe for this should be shortened. Wilson and Brown are reportedly known to each other, though the nature of the relationship is unclear, and Wilson's alleged offences are not believed to involve childcare centres or any of Brown's alleged victims. Wilson and Brown are due to appear in Melbourne Magistrates Court on September 15. Young people seeking support can phone beyondblue on 1300 22 4636 or go to Crime Stoppers: 1800 333 000.
Sydney Morning Herald
8 hours ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
Who is Joshua Brown, the alleged Melbourne childcare rapist?
Even as a teenager, Joshua Brown knew his future lay in childcare. In his final three years of high school, he was already studying early childhood education at TAFE, fast-tracking his path to a job only weeks after graduation. Working at 20 childcare centres across Melbourne, Brown apparently attracted no notice from regulators for almost a decade until he was charged with 70 counts of child sex abuse, including rape, this year. When police raided the 26-year-old's home in Point Cook in May, he had a valid working with children check and no criminal record. Minutes down the road from his house were his old Catholic schools, as well as the Creative Garden Early Learning Centre, where it's alleged he abused at least eight babies and toddlers and contaminated children's food with bodily fluids. Brown's former classmates at Emmanuel College were shocked when the news broke on Tuesday. They described a 'loner' in high school with few friends but no obvious concerns. Few people wanted to comment, and Brown's social media presence appeared to have been wiped clean since his arrest in May. Brown grew up in Point Cook and remained in the area in a rented home which he shared with a male housemate and a cat, which is now sitting vacant. Nearby were at least five of the childcare centres where he worked, though authorities are still scrambling to update his full employment history, after this masthead revealed it was wider than first released publicly to families. Brown was easily recognisable to parents for his distinctive Celtic arm tattoos and ginger-coloured hair, which he often dyed different colours. Some families spoke of his easy laughter. He worked at large childcare chains G8 Education and Affinity Education and often did short-stint relief work at other centres.
