With regard to the legal implications of child abuse:

• A. EMTs must report all suspected cases of child abuse
• B. EMTs may choose whether to report suspected cases
• C. EMTs should wait for a police directive before reporting
• D. EMTs are not required to report unless there is a confession

Answer: (A)

EMTs operate as mandated reporters for child welfare. When you suspect abuse, you must report it to the appropriate authorities—it's not optional. This obligation exists to protect the child and to trigger an official investigation, even if you aren’t certain of what happened. Your role is to observe and document what you see and hear, then report promptly. You don’t wait for a confession, you don’t wait for a police directive, and you shouldn’t rely on proof before acting. Good-faith reporting is protected by the law, but failing to report can carry consequences. Because of this, the best approach is to report all suspected cases without delay.