More than a thousand children will be asked to undergo health screening after police charged a childcare worker with more than 70 offences allegedly linked to a childcare centre in Point Cook, in Melbourne's south-west.
Warning: This story contains details of alleged child sex abuse that may distress some audience members.
Detectives from the Sexual Crimes Squad have arrested 26-year-old Point Cook man Joshua Dale Brown in relation to alleged sexual and other offending against eight children between April 2022 and January 2023.
Police said the alleged victims were between five months and two years of age.
[Live moment]Deputy Commissioner Wendy Steendam joined senior police, the premier and Victoria's chief health officer in addressing the media about the investigation on Tuesday.
"I will say from the outset that this is an incredibly distressing investigation and the information we are going to provide today is particularly confronting as it involved offences [allegedly] committed against some of our vulnerable people in our community," she said.
The charges include sexual penetration of a child, producing child abuse material and recklessly contaminating goods to cause alarm or anxiety.
Health authorities say they've taken a "cautious" approach in recommending 1,200 children linked to the case be tested for potential infectious diseases.
Tests could take days or even weeks to come back.
Acting Commander Janet Stevenson said Mr Brown was not known to police before the investigation began in May and he had a valid Working with Children Check.
She would not reveal what prompted the investigation but said there were no other childcare workers alleged to be involved.
She said the families of the eight alleged victims were informed last week.
“As you can imagine, this was deeply distressing for the families to hear,” Acting Commander Stevenson said.
She said Victoria Police and the Victorian Department of Health today sent a letter to all families who had children enrolled in the centres where Mr Brown worked, but she said it was not alleged that offences occurred at all the centres.
"I understand this information will be deeply concerning and come as a great shock to many of the community," she said.
Acting Commander Stevenson said the investigation was ongoing.
Mr Brown has been remanded in custody to appear at Melbourne Magistrates Court in September.
Police said the man had worked at 20 childcare centres between January 2017 and May 2025, and they were investigating an allegation of offending at a centre in Essendon.
Police said the families of the eight alleged victims have been notified and offered support.
Health screening established as allegations investigated
The Victorian Department of Health has initiated a public health response following the allegations.
Chief Health Officer Christian McGrath would not reveal whether Mr Brown had tested positive to sexually transmitted infections but said the manner of the alleged offending meant some children may be recommended for screening for infectious diseases.
"This is a very complex and distressing matter, and our highest priority is the health and wellbeing of the children and families," Dr McGrath said.
Dr McGrath says 2,600 families who had attended the relevant childcare centres had been contacted about the recommended health screening.
"We do understand that this is another distressing element to the situation and we're taking this approach as a precaution," he said.
"We do believe it is a low risk but we want to offer this to provide assurance to the parents about the health and wellbeing of their children."
He said the infections children have been potentially exposed to can be treated with antibiotics.
