The home of a childcare worker charged with more than 70 sex offences against infants and toddlers was advertised for rent the day its occupant’s alleged crimes were revealed.
Joshua Dale Brown was arrested in May after police raided his two-storey residence at Point Cook in Melbourne‘s south-western suburbs and allegedly found child abuse material.
The three-bedroom, two-bathroom house which 26-year-old Brown shared with another man was offered for rent at $500-a-week on Tuesday, but the keys would not be available until August 7.
‘This beautifully presented home located opposite parkland in one of Point Cook’s finest locations, Innisfail Estate, offers a relaxed, low-maintenance lifestyle,’ advertising material states.
Brown is facing charges including the sexual penetration of a child under 12, attempted sexual penetration of a child under 12 and sexual assault of a child under 16.
He is also accused of engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child, producing child abuse material and recklessly contaminating goods to cause alarm or anxiety. The latter charge refers to allegations he added bodily fluids to children’s food.
Brown’s eight alleged victims were aged between five months and two years.
Police have said a major investigation into Brown followed the execution of a search warrant at his home, which allegedly uncovered a cache of child abuse material.
Joshua Dale Brown was arrested in May after police raided his two-storey residence at Point Cook in Melbourne ‘s south-western suburbs and allegedly found child abuse material
The home (above) of a childcare worker charged with more than 70 offences against infants and toddlers was advertised for rent the day its occupant’s alleged crimes were revealed
Acting Commander Janet Stevenson did not disclose what led police to raid Brown’s home when she spoke at a press conference but said the investigation had been a ‘proactive’ one.
‘It was very complex… it wasn’t through someone’s complaint,’ Acting Commander Stevenson said on Tuesday. ‘We didn’t have a victim for quite some time.’
Brown was arrested on May 12 but his identity and alleged crimes could not be published until police successfully sought to have a court suppression order lifted on Tuesday.
Victoria’s Department of Health and Victoria Police have urged the parents of 1,200 children who attended daycare centres where Brown worked to have them tested for infectious diseases. The transmission of STIs via food is low but is increased if there someone has cuts or sores.
Chief Health Officer Dr Christian McGrath said on Wednesday the testing was out of an ‘an abundance of caution … (but) there’s not no risk, which is why we are making this recommendation’.
Brown’s alleged offending occurred only during his employment at Creative Garden Early Learning Centre in Point Cook between October 2021 and February 2024.
Pictures have emerged of Brown interacting with children at one of the daycare centres where he cared for children and police are investigating allegations of other offending at an Essendon facility.
The alleged paedophile has distinctive arm tattoos and was known to dye his hair different colours. One photograph posted by his boyfriend on December 21 showed him with blue hair.
Brown worked at 20 childcare centres over an eight-year period between January 2017 and May 2025, and authorities have contacted 2,600 families of children who attended those centres.
The house is described as a ‘beautifully presented home located opposite parkland in one of Point Cook’s finest locations, Innisfail Estate’ which ‘offers a relaxed, low-maintenance lifestyle’
Brown’s home at Point Cook has three bedrooms and two bathrooms plus a downstairs powder room. The main bedroom includes a walk-in wardrobe and en suite bathroom
Brown was not known to police before his arrest and had a valid Working With Children Check, which has since been cancelled.
He will next appear at Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on September 15.
It was revealed on Wednesday a second Victorian man has been charged with 45 child sex offences as part of the police investigation into Brown.
Michael Simon Wilson is facing charges including bestiality, rape and possession of child abuse material, according to court documents seen by the ABC.
It is understood Brown and Wilson are known to each other, but Wilson’s charges are not related to any childcare centre and involve different alleged victims.
Wilson is due to appear in court in September on the same day as Brown.
Responding to the charges laid against Brown, Premier Jacinta Allan said she was ‘sickened by these allegations of abuse’.
Minister for Children Lizzie Blandthorn said on Tuesday an investigation into whether there was anything educators could have done to prevent Brown’s alleged offending would begin immediately.
Brown is facing charges including the sexual penetration of a child under 12, attempted sexual penetration of a child under 12 and sexual assault of a child under 16
She said her department would consider other security measures including the introduction of security cameras.
‘One of the areas, for example… that I would like to see brought forward is a national system for registration for workers,’ she said.
Acting Commander Stevenson said the case had been ‘deeply distressing’.
‘We know there are potentially people out there who have information about this investigation that they wish to pass on to police,’ she said.
‘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.’
