Homosexual childcare worker charged with raping eight babies and toddlers

A homosexual childcare worker has been charged with sexually abusing babies and toddlers at a childcare centre in Point Cook, Melbourne.

Alleged child rapist Joshua Dale Brown, 26, was arrested on May 12 and charged with 70 child sex offences against eight children aged between five months and two years old at Creative Gardens Early Learning Centre, Point Cook, between April 2022 and January 2023.

The charges included sexual penetration of a child under 12, sexual assault, sexual activity in the presence of child, produce child abuse material for use through a carriage service, and possess child abuse material.

Brown, who appeared with pink and blue dyed hair in a Facebook photo with his boyfriend during the same time period he worked at the Point Cook centre, had no criminal record and had a valid Working With Children Check. It has since been cancelled.

Victoria Police said on Tuesday they were now investigating whether there are more victims as Brown worked at 20 childcare centres around Melbourne between January 2017 and May 2025, and are examining evidence of an allegation at a second centre in Essendon.

Brown also tested positive for a sexually transmitted disease, and authorities have contacted the families of 1,200 children who attended the same childcare centres to urge them to get tested.

The alleged paedophile first appeared in court in May but a suppression order issued by Magistrate Michael White and applied for by police and the Office of Public Prosecutions meant the case could not be make public at the time.

But as the investigation developed in scale and the need to notify more than 2,600 families as a precaution became apparent, the suppression order was revoked and police announced the charges, and made the unusual decision to release the alleged child rapist’s name.

Crime Command Acting Commander Janet Stevenson described the situation as “unique” and “deeply distressing”.

“It is very important to ensure that every parent out there that has a child in childcare knows who he is and where he worked. It was an unusual decision but it is before the courts and is public knowledge,” she said.

She said the investigation was “proactive” and revealed it was not until after police raided Brown’s home in Point Cook and allegedly seized child abuse material that they identified his alleged victims.

“It was very complex … it wasn’t through someone’s complaint; we didn’t have a victim for quite some time,” she said.

Police do not believe any other staff members were involved, and that all of the alleged offending took place in Victoria.

Brown will face Melbourne Magistrates Court on September 15.

List of centres where Brown worked:

Header image: Left, Joshua Dale Brown at a childcare centre. Right, with his male partner (Facebook).

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