Tingalpa childcare worker charged with indecent treatment of child

A worker at a South East Queensland childcare centre has been charged with the indecent treatment of a young child at the facility.

Police allege the offence against the child occurred at a Tingalpa childcare facility. File picture: iStock

A Brisbane childcare worker has been charged with sexually abusing a child under his care in a horrific incident which has shocked parents.

The worker, 21, has been charged with indecent treatment of a child after an incident at the Tingalpa childcare centre where he worked in July.

The childcare centre, which cannot be named for legal reasons, immediately reported the worker to police when it became aware of “complaints” and stood him down.

Investigations by the Bayside Child Protection Investigation Unit remain ongoing.

Premier David Crisafulli said the alleged incident was “sickening” and “horrific”.

“What parents are comprehending at the moment right across the state is not what any parent should have to go through when they are dropping their kids off to a place where they need to know that their kids are safe,” he said.

Minister for Police and Emergency Services Dan Purdie. Picture: Liam Kidston

A centre spokeswoman said the matter was being taken extremely seriously.

“The safety and wellbeing of all children and staff at our centres is our highest priority, and we will continue to co-operate with regulatory authorities and support our families and team during this time,” she said. “Upon becoming aware of complaints regarding the individual, we immediately reported the matter to the relevant authorities, including police, and stood down the individual.

“As this is an active investigation, communications with parents regarding this matter is being managed by Queensland police. We are supporting all families in any way we can, including offering counselling support services.”

Horrified parents of other children at the centre said they felt left in the dark after not being told of the charges until they received a letter at 4pm on Thursday. The letter to parents outlined the man’s arrest and confirmed the charges related to only one centre. It also said they had conducted all the relevant checks on the man and he held a current Working With Children Check.

Premier David Crisafulli. Pic: Adam Head

“Police have advised they will be in direct contact with any families who may have been impacted. If you are not contacted by police, this means you are not currently considered to be an impacted family,” the letter said.

A concerned parent at the centre said she had spoken to a number of the educators, who were beside themselves.

“I am shocked, it’s too close to home,” she said. “You want to trust your gut instinct. And I never had anything to tell me that they were unsafe here.

“So we just kind of have to wait and see what the allegations are, we hope they are false, but I know that the centre will do what’s right by the kids.”

Education Minister John-Paul Langbroek said while it was “a terrible situation”, it was “not commonplace”.

“We must maintain faith in our over 3300 centres, with nearly 50,000 teachers and educators ... the gross majority are doing the right thing,” he said.

The Tingalpa worker was given conditional bail and is expected to appear in Brisbane Magistrates Court on August 4.

Minister for Education John-Paul Langbroek. Pic: Adam Head

Originally published as Tingalpa childcare worker charged with indecent treatment of child