Alleged childcare predator the son of Veronica Nelson prison guard

More information is coming to light about the childcare worker who allegedly abused eight children in Melbourne. *Content warning: Contains content that some may find distressing* 

*Content warning: Contains content that some may find distressing* 

A Melbourne childcare worker who allegedly abused eight children at a Point Cook centre is the son of a prison guard who was previously embroiled in a separate controversy over the high-profile death in custody of Indigenous woman Veronica Nelson.

Tracey Brown is the mother of Joshua Brown, 26, the Point Cook man charged with more than 70 alleged offences including sexual activity in presence of a child under 16, sexual assault of a child under 16 and possessing child abuse material for use through a carriage service, the Herald Sun reports.

In 2022, in an unrelated case, Ms Brown appeared before an inquest into the death of Ms Nelson, 37, a Yorta Yorta woman who died in her cell at Melbourne’s Dame Phyllis Frost Centre in January 2020 after being arrested on “minor” charges three days earlier and refused bail.

Veronica Nelson died in her call in January 2020. Picture: Supplied

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The Coroners Court of Victoria in 2023 found Ms Nelson’s death was preventable.

Coroner Simon McGregor said Ms Nelson died alone in her cell after “begging for assistance for several of the last hours of her life” and said he wondered how “the people who heard them and had the power to help her did not rush to her aid”.

The “harrowing” final few days of her life were recorded on CCTV, with Ms Nelson making 49 calls for help in the space of 36 hours, including more than a dozen on the night she died as she screamed in pain and complained of cramps in her legs and fingers.

The five-week inquest heard that on the night of Ms Nelson’s death, as she repeatedly pleaded over the cell intercom to see a doctor, Ms Brown lied to her multiple times about calling a nurse for help.

“Ms Nelson, you need to try and stop because you are keeping other prisoners awake,” she said, CCTV showed.

“It’s not an emergency, stop asking,” she told her at another point.

Ms Brown was grilled on why she didn’t walk 30 metres from her office to check on Ms Nelson when she became unresponsive over the intercom.

“I wish I had,” she told the inquest.

Prison nurse Atheana George had given Ms Nelson medication earlier that night but had not gone into the cell to check on her, the inquest heard, with CCTV showing she instead sat at the nursing station for several hours watching a movie on YouTube.

Ms Brown was the last person to speak to Ms Nelson, who died just before 8am on January 2, weighing 33kg, with an autopsy attributing her cause of death to Wilkie’s Syndrome in the setting of opiate withdrawal.

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Tracey Brown, the mother of alleged sex abuser Joshua Brown. Picture: Supplied

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Childcare allegations

On Tuesday, Victoria Police revealed the horror allegations against Mr Brown.

Police are alleging the children targeted were aged between five months and two years.

A widespread investigation has now been launched, with Victoria’s chief health officer saying 1200 children have been recommended to undergo infectious diseases testing.

Victoria Police say Mr Brown’s charges relate to eight children who were placed at a Point Cook childcare centre between April 2022 and January 2023.

The families of the eight alleged victims have been notified, and offered available support services.

Mr Brown has been remanded in custody and will appear before Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on September 15.

Police allege the man had worked at 20 childcare centres between January 2017 and May 2025.

Childcare worker Joshua Brown has been charged over allegedly abusing children . Picture Supplied.

Further investigations are taking place at a second childcare centre in Essendon.

There is no evidence to suggest any other staff member at any centre is involved in the alleged incidents.

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Acting Commander Janet Stevenson said police commenced their investigation in May, searching a Point Cook home after allegedly discovering child abuse material.

“Our number one priority was to identify any potential (alleged) victims and employment history,” she said.

Acting Commander Stevenson confirmed Mr Brown held a valid working with children’s check – which had since been cancelled – and was not known to police.

She said Victoria Police successfully applied to have a suppression order lifted to allow Mr Brown’s identity to be made public.

“We felt that it was really important,” she said.

“This is unique – 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.”

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Letter to families

The government sent a letter to families who had children at the centres with instructions and healthcare information on Tuesday.

“Records indicate your child was enrolled at one of these centres during the time this person was working there,” the letter reads.

“A comprehensive investigation is ongoing. At this stage, there is no evidence to suggest that your child has been offended against. If this changes, you will be contacted directly by Victoria Police and provided with further information, advice and assistance.”

The letter goes on to recommend that children be tested for infectious diseases “out of an abundance of caution” due to possible exposure while in the childcare centre.

“We understand this may add additional distress and we want to assure you this is highly precautionary,” the letter reads.

“We have set up a dedicated advice and support line staffed by professionals to support you and your family … we will answer any questions you may have and will also support and refer you to access any additional supports or services you may require.

“If recommended, testing will be available free of charge and we can recommend a location near you or help support care with your usual GP.”

Chief health officer Christian McGrath described the matter as “complex” and “distressing”, saying 2600 families had been contacted and 1200 children had been recommended to undergo infectious diseases testing.

“As a precaution we are recommending that some children undergo testing for infectious diseases due to a potential exposure risk in that period,” Dr McGrath said.

“We do understand this is another distressing element to the situation and we’re taking this approach as a precaution.

“We do believe it’s a low risk.”

Dr McGrath said any infections children had potentially been exposed to could be treated with antibiotics, and there was no broader risk to public health.

G8 Education responds

In a statement, G8 Education, which operates the Point Cook centre, said it was aware of the charges against its former team member.

“These allegations are serious in nature and are extremely distressing,” the company said.

“We are focused on supporting all those impacted not just at our centres, but across the community.

“Aligned with G8 Education’s commitment to child safety and protection, during the former team member’s employment, all required employment and background checks, including Working With Children Checks (WWCC), were current in accordance with legal and regulatory requirements.

“The individual involved in this matter is no longer employed by G8 Education and is in police custody.

“We are co-operating fully with Victoria Police, the Victorian Government and other relevant authorities as part of the investigation. We are committed to supporting the legal process in every way we can.

“G8 Education has no tolerance for any behaviour that compromises the safety or wellbeing of children.”

Premier ‘sickened’

Premier Jacinta Allan said she was “sickened” by the allegations.

“My heart just breaks for the families that are living every parent’s worst nightmare,” she said.

“Every health and mental health support will be provided to these families.

“As a parent, this will be felt far beyond the families affected.”

Ms Allan said the early childhood regulator would immediately open an investigation into the conduct of the centres Mr Brown had worked at, and that the government was already working to improve safety and strengthen regulation.

“If there are further changes we can make out of the police investigation (or) out of the regulator’s investigation … then we will take every action within our power to keep Victorian children safe.”

Acting Commander Stevenson said the alleged acts were “incredibly distressing” and “confronting”.

“The most important thing for our investigators was that we needed to identify the alleged victims involved,” she said.

“These are some of the most vulnerable members of our community and the conversations police have had to have with their families were no doubt life changing in the worst possible way.

“Detectives have been working alongside a range of agencies during this investigation to ensure as much information has been provided to impacted parties as soon as possible.”

She said there maybe parents who “hear this news and feel very concerned about their own children”, adding the families who attended the childcare centres where Mr Brown worked would be notified today.

“We know there are potentially people out there who have information about this investigation that they wish to pass on to police,” she added.

“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.

“If you do have information then we urge you to contact Crime Stoppers.”

Police are continuing their investigations. Image: Newswire

Urgent calls for review

Labor has been called on to urgently review national child protection protocols.

Both the Coalition and Bravehearts have called on the federal government to review national child protection protocols in light of the horrific allegations.

Bravehearts chief executive Alison Geale said the charges were “deeply distressing” and showed the “urgent need for systemic reform in how we protect our most vulnerable”.

“We urgently call for a national review of child protection protocols in early learning settings, including more rigorous screening, monitoring, and reporting systems,” she said.

The Coalition has also issued a joint statement from education and early learning spokesman Jonno Duniam and assistant minister Zoe McKenzie, which called for a review of Australia’s child safety safeguards, and said they were “ready to work with the government” to boost transparency and accountability.

This includes an audit into the National Quality Framework.

“These allegations represent a fundamental breach of trust in the very places on which parents rely to care for their children and keep them safe,” they said.

“This is every parent’s worst nightmare – and the Coalition extends our deepest sympathies to the alleged victims, their families, and everyone else affected.”

Speaking from Sydney on Tuesday, Early Childhood Minister Jason Clare flagged incoming legislation which would strip government funding from unscrupulous childcare centres.

The Bills are expected to be introduced over the coming months when parliament returns in July.

Under proposed legislation, providers who persistently fail to meet minimum standards and repetitively breach laws will not have access to the Child Care Subsidy funding.

“This is extremely serious. There is nothing more serious than this. The alleged perpetrator is in custody right now, but this is one of the reasons why this was top of the agenda when education ministers met in Adelaide on Friday,” he said.

“It’s one of the reasons why I will bring legislation to the federal parliament in the next few months to cut off funding to childcare centres that aren’t up to scratch.”

He also flagged new laws which state instances of physical and sexual assault in childcare centres must be reported within 24 hours, and bans mobile phone use in centres.

“There are more than 1 million parents who rely on our early education and care system to care for our children, to educate our children and to keep our children safe,” he said.

“This is personal for me because I’m one of those parents, and there is nothing more important to me than making sure that we take every step we need to take to keep our kids safe.”

Originally published as Alleged childcare predator the son of Veronica Nelson prison guard