Detectives from the Sexual Crimes Squad are currently investigating a number of alleged sexual assaults linked to an employee who worked at a number of childcare centres across Melbourne.
On 12 May, police arrested and charged 26-year-old Point Cook man Joshua Brown with over 70 offences including:
• Sexual Penetration of a Child Under 12
• Attempted Sexual Penetration of a Child Under 12
• Sexual Assault of a Child Under 16
• Sexual Activity in Presence of a Child Under 16
• Produce Child Abuse Material for use through a carriage service
• Use Carriage Service to Transmit Child Abuse Material
• Possess Child Abuse Material for Use Through a Carriage Service
• Recklessly Contaminate Goods to Cause Alarm or Anxiety
• Use Carriage Service to Offend
• Use Carriage Service to Cause Child Abuse Material to be Transmitted to Self
These charges relate to eight victims, who were placed at a Point Cook childcare centre between April 2022 and January 2023.
Brown was remanded and has remained in custody since that time.
He will appear at Melbourne Magistrates' Court on 15 September 2025.
Since his arrest, a significant investigation has taken place led by detectives from the Sexual Crimes Squad assisted by a number of specialist investigators.
The families of the eight victims have been notified and have been provided with all available support services.
The Victorian government has set up a website with further health information for impacted families and this is accessible at https://www.vic.gov.au/childcare-centres-investigation
It has been established that the man worked at 20 childcare centres between January 2017 and May 2025 and the above website has a full up to date list of impacted centres including the date range the man was employed at each centre.
As part of this ongoing investigation, detectives are also examining evidence of an allegation of offending at a second childcare centre which is based in Essendon. This matter is being investigated as a priority.
Investigators are working with a range of other agencies including the Department of Health, Commission for Children and Young Persons, Family Safety Victoria, Department of Families, Fairness and Housing, Gatehouse, Department of Education, and the Royal Children's Hospital to ensure the right support services are in place and that families are given as much information as possible about the process from here.
Families who had children placed at the impacted centres during the time of the man's employment are in the process of being contacted.
While the alleged offences the man has currently been charged with are limited to one childcare centre at this time, families who had children placed at any of the centres during the periods of the man's employment are in the process of being contacted. This is to ensure appropriate support and welfare services are provided.
At this stage it is believed all alleged offending has taken place within Victoria.
There is no evidence at this time to suggest any other staff member at any centre is involved in this matter.
Police understand this will be incredibly distressing information for those in the community, particularly for those families with children at the childcare centres he worked at.
Any families who may have additional information they wish to provide police are urged to contact Crime Stoppers in the first instance and this will be passed on directly to investigators.
Police are urging anyone with information to contact Crime Stoppers on www.crimestoppersvic.com.au or via 1800 333 000.
Quotes attributable to Acting Commander Janet Stevenson, Crime Command:
"This is an incredibly distressing and confronting investigation for all involved and I know many members of the community will hear this news and feel enormously concerned.
"The most important thing for our investigators was that we needed to identify the victims involved. These are some of the most vulnerable members of our community and the conversations police have had to have with their families were no doubt life changing in the worst possible way.
"Detectives have been working alongside a range of agencies during this investigation to ensure as much information has been provided to impacted parties as soon as possible.
"There will be people in the community who hear this news and feel very concerned about their own children. Parents who had a child at a centre at the time of the man's employment are being notified today and a website has been set up by the Victorian Government with further information for impacted families.
"We know there are potentially people out there who have information about this investigation that they wish to pass on to police. This may be people who had children at a centre where the man worked or staff who may have worked with him and noticed particular behaviours. If you do have information then we urge you to contact Crime Stoppers.
"There is also a number of support services available for people who have been impacted by this matter. Investigators are working closely with the families of victims to ensure they are well supported during this difficult time."
