An extra 800 children will be tested for STIs after authorities revealed four more daycare centres that alleged Melbourne paedophile Joshua Dale Brown worked at.
About 830 families will be contacted after police revealed the new details about centres on Tuesday, the state’s chief health officer said in a statement.
Joshua Dale Brown worked at more than 20 childcare centres across Melbourne and Geelong.
“This is obviously a highly distressing situation, and I want to reassure all families being contacted that the potential exposure risk to an infectious disease for their child remains low.”
“Our recommendation for testing is a precaution and the test results we’ve received to date as part of this investigation reaffirms that the risk is low.”
The new centres included are: Kids Academy Waratah Estate in Mickleham, where Brown worked for one day on August 29, 2024; Milestones Early Learning in Tarneit on September 10 and 13, 2024; Milestones Early Learning in Braybrook on December 4 and 6, 2024; and Milestones Early Learning in Greensborough on December 5, 2024, January 31, 2025 and February 27, 2025.
Authorities have also updated Brown’s employment dates for 10 childcare centres previously listed.
“Each piece of information has to be individually assessed and verified before it can be used as part of the investigation or released to the public,” Victoria Police Acting Commander Janet Stevenson said.
“I understand there are people who will be frustrated, and I want to reinforce that this is a continually evolving and changing situation. What hasn’t changed is that this investigation remains the highest priority for Victoria Police.”
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