Joshua Dale Brown: Parents sent STI warning text, kids potentially in contact with alleged sex offender

A distressing text message sent to parents whose children could have been in contact with an alleged sex offender working at a Melbourne childcare centre has been revealed.

Joshua Dale Brown, 26, has been charged with over 70 offences related to eight alleged victims at the Creative Garden Early Learning Centre in Point Cook, in Melbourne’s western suburbs, between April 2022 and January 2023.

Police said the alleged victims were between five months and two years old.

Victorian health authorities urged around 1200 children to get tested for sexually transmitted infections.

One woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, has spoken out after finding out her child had attended a centre where Mr Brown was employed.

The mother was left furious after being left on hold with the Victorian Government hotline for three hours.

“They told me there had been a person who had been charged with sexual abuse and things related to children, and that person had worked in the centre at a point in time as well,” she told the ABC.

The distressed mother later received a text message which was reportedly sent to families linked to the childcare centres where Mr Brown worked.

“Thank you for speaking with me today. It is recommended your child be tested for chlamydia and gonorrhoea,” the message read.

“Please show this message to your Urgent Care Clinic.”

The woman said she was upset with how little direct communication was given, and said she only learned about the allegations when the news broke publicly.

Chief Health Officer Christian McGrath acknowledged the delays but said 1300 families were assisted over the phone on Tuesday.

“I should have been contacted earlier, particularly before the media release. I shouldn’t be finding out off the TV,” the woman said.

A father of three has also recalled the harrowing moment he unknowingly handed his daughter over to the alleged sex offender.

The father visited the Point Cook childcare centre on Wednesday after recognising Mr Brown on the news to seek advice on whether two his children needed to be tested for potential diseases.

“I dropped off my child into his hands a couple of times,” he told AAP.

“I’m a bit worried, I (need) to find out everything. I’ve seen him in the classroom where I dropped my children.

“There’s a lot of stress, it’s very distressing.”

Mr Brown was not known to Victoria Police until the start of the investigation, and there were no formal complaints against him. He had a valid working with children check.

The Victorian Government has ordered an urgent child safety review, a register of all early childhood educators and moved forward a mobile phone ban in facilities to late September with $50,000 fines for breaches.

But the “band-aid measures” didn’t tackle the root causes of issues in a sector where half of all educators had been working for less than three years, early education advocate Lisa Bryant said.

Parents demanded answers on Wednesday, questioning why clear “red flags” such as Brown’s extensive work history had not been identified by authorities.

Victoria will consider introducing mandatory CCTV in centres, while there are also calls for a national overhaul of background checks.

1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732)

National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service 1800 211 028

Crime Stoppers 1800 333 000

- With AAP