About 1,200 children are being urged to undergo testing for infectious diseases after a Melbourne childcare worker was charged with a string of offences including child rape. Joshua Dale Brown was arrested in May and faces 70 charges, with police alleging he abused eight children - including a five-month-old - between April 2022 and January 2023. The 26-year-old has worked at 20 childcare centres since 2017, prompting local health authorities to notify parents of any children who may have been in his care, recommending many be tested as a "precaution". Brown, who is yet to enter a plea to the charges, has been remanded in custody and is due to appear at Melbourne Magistrates Court in September. The eight children - all under the age of five - who police allege were harmed attended the Creative Gardens Early Learning Centre in Point Cook, in Melbourne's south-west. Brown is accused of child rape and sexual assault offenses, as well as producing and transmitting child abuse material. Detectives are also investigating alleged offences by Brown at a childcare centre in Essendon "as a priority". At a press conference, authorities said he had a valid working with children check and was employed as a fill-in childcare worker when he was arrested. Brown was not known to them before the investigation, they said, adding that they believed he acted alone and that the alleged offending only happened in Victoria. Revealing Mr Brown's identity was an "unusual decision", Victoria Police's Janet Stevenson said, but this is a "unique" case. "It's very important to ensure that every parent out there that has a child in childcare knows who he is and where he worked," she said. Chief Health Officer Christian McGrath would not say if Mr Brown had tested positive to sexually transmitted infections, but said the manner of the alleged offending meant some children may be asked to undergo screening for infectious diseases. About 2,600 families had been contacted, with 1,200 children recommended for testing, she said, adding that the infections that the children may have been exposed to can be treated with antibiotics. Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan said she was "sickened" by the allegations. "My heart breaks for the families who are living every parent's worst nightmare," she said. Families across Victoria will be "angry and frightened" by the case, Allan said, adding that a dedicated website has been set up for those impacted.
Hundreds of kids to be tested for disease in Australia after childcare rape charge
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"Melbourne Childcare Worker Faces Multiple Charges; 1,200 Children Urged to Get Tested"
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TruthLens AI Summary
In Melbourne, Australia, approximately 1,200 children are being encouraged to undergo testing for infectious diseases following the arrest of childcare worker Joshua Dale Brown, who has been charged with multiple offenses including child rape. Brown, 26, was apprehended in May and faces a staggering 70 charges related to the alleged abuse of eight children, some as young as five months old, between April 2022 and January 2023. His employment history spans 20 childcare centers since 2017, which has prompted local health authorities to alert parents of children who may have been in his care. As a precautionary measure, these parents are being advised to have their children tested for potential exposure to infectious diseases. Brown has not yet entered a plea regarding the charges and is currently held in custody, awaiting his next court appearance at the Melbourne Magistrates Court in September.
The allegations against Brown include child rape, sexual assault, and the production and distribution of child abuse material. The children he is accused of harming attended the Creative Gardens Early Learning Centre located in Point Cook, a suburb in Melbourne's southwest. Authorities have stated that Brown had a valid working with children check and was serving as a fill-in childcare worker at the time of his arrest. They emphasized that he was not previously known to law enforcement and believe he acted alone, with the alleged offenses confined to Victoria. Victoria Police, in a rare move, disclosed Brown's identity to ensure that parents are aware of the situation. Chief Health Officer Christian McGrath indicated that while they could not confirm if Brown tested positive for sexually transmitted infections, the nature of the allegations warranted screening for the children involved. The Victorian Premier expressed deep concern for the affected families, acknowledging the profound distress this situation has caused across the community and announcing the establishment of a dedicated website for those impacted by the case.
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