A horrified father has admitted he had fears about his son’s ‘weird and creepy’ childcare worker three years before the alleged monster was arrested for sickening crimes against children.
But the devastated dad told Daily Mail Australia he didn’t raise the alarm for fear of being branded homophobic for speaking out against Joshua Dale Brown, 26.
The man’s child was two years old when he was placed in Brown’s care at Creative Garden Early Learning Centre Point Cook, in Melbourne’s west, for a year in 2022.
Brown has since been charged with more than 70 child sex offences, including the sexual penetration of a child and producing child abuse material.
Brown was described as socially withdrawn and unsettling around children by the father-of-one, who said he always had a bad feeling about him.
He said Brown would regularly wear inappropriate ‘skin-tight jeans and leather boots’ to work in the childcare centre, and went out of his way to avoid him.
The father said Brown also refused to make eye contact and dodged any conversation him.
‘I would try and interact with Josh when I dropped my son off and chat, and he would always turn his head and never look me in the eye. It was strange,’ he said.
Former childcare worker Joshua Dale Brown (pictured) has been charged with over 70 offences including sexual penetration of a child
Brown (pictured) would regularly wear inappropriate ‘skin-tight jeans and leather boots,’ to work in the childcare centre and went out of his way to avoid the boy’s dad
Brown (pictured) was described as socially withdrawn and unsettling around children by the father-of-one, who said he always had a bad feeling about him
‘He acted shady, would look away or at the floor, and my son never wanted to go to him, but he would run to the other educators.
‘I spoke to my wife about it and said “something is not right here”.
‘But I was worried if I followed up, I’d be “that guy” and labelled homophobic, which I’m not.
‘I had no proof and what could I say? “He wears skin tight skinny jeans and leather boots with one-inch heels and looks like he is going clubbing, not to work?”
‘I didn’t want to be that person.’
The family was among hundreds who received a text from the Department of Health and Victoria Police on Tuesday about the investigation into ‘alleged incidents in childcare centres’.
‘We understand this may be upsetting, and we want to assure you that help is available,’ it read.
The text also explained they would receive an email with more information.
The man’s child was two years old when he was placed in Brown’s care at Creative Garden Early Learning Centre Point Cook, in Melbourne ‘s west, for a year in 2022
The family was among hundreds who received a text from the Department of Health and Victoria Police on Tuesday about the investigation into ‘alleged incidents in childcare centres’
‘I just thought there must have been something weird that happened in our area, but later I saw an article with Josh’s name and photo,’ he said.
‘And bang, it was out there and I remember just thinking this can’t be real.
‘I messaged my wife and told her she better sit down before sending it to her and I just thought back to seeing him every morning and knowing that guy was shady.’
Brown was also charged with recklessly contaminating goods to cause alarm or anxiety, which is understood to refer to the alleged contamination of food with bodily fluids.
‘I know the chef who was there at that time and she had a child who was attending there too,’ the father added.
‘She would be devastated and is an alleged victim too. So many people have got life sentences from what he has allegedly done.’
Brown’s charges relate to his employment at the day-care where he worked between October 2021 and February 2024, though he also worked at more than a dozen other centres across Melbourne between 2017 and 2025.
Police said the alleged victims were between five months and two years of age.
The man messaged his wife, urging her to sit down before he delivered the news
After the news broke and the parents of 1,200 children were urged to have them tested for infectious diseases, the dad rushed to collect his son who is still attending the same daycare.
‘I picked him up on Tuesday and said, “Do you remember Josh?” and asked if he ever hurt him, and he said, “No”, and I didn’t want to push it any further.
‘When my wife was watching the news, he said, “There is my school, oh look there is Josh” and my wife and I talked about it again and decided not to go into it with him.
‘I feel like he would have said something. He is a talkative child and we also know that his behaviour didn’t change either.
‘He wasn’t quiet around that time or not himself – he hasn’t changed.’
While the dad believes his family may have had a lucky escape from the alleged crimes committed against at least eight other children, he feels for the staff and other parents involved.
‘I’m disgusted. How can anyone do that? What the hell goes through your head?’ he said.
‘I’m angry and upset and hurt – it’s a rollercoaster of different emotions.
Brown has also been charged with recklessly contaminating goods to cause alarm or anxiety, which is understood to refer to the alleged contamination of food with bodily fluids
‘I feel so awful for the people who have to get tested and wait for the results, and my heart goes out to the other educators.’
The father said he has offered support to the women educators at the centre who he said have cared for his son ‘like their own’ since he was a baby.
‘This is not on them. They didn’t know – they are mums themselves. I have asked them if they were ever suspicious like me.
‘But they just thought he was really great with the kids,’ the dad said.
The Victorian government is already reviewing the state’s Working With Children Check system and has now ordered the early childhood regulator to investigate the conduct of the childcare operators who employed Brown.
Although there have been calls to ban men from working in the industry, with a class action already underway over the allegations, the father doesn’t believe that’s the answer.
‘Kids benefit a lot from having another male role model in their lives,’ he insisted.
‘They just need to do more thorough background checks and look deeper into who these people are.
‘I don’t think it’s appropriate to sue anyone. It’s unfortunate it allegedly happened, and Josh deserves everything he gets if he is convicted.
‘But there are so many other people who are struggling. They may lose their jobs, and they have families to feed too.’
