Andrew Childs wore an EMS uniform, a symbol of public trust, while secretly distributing child pornography and producing videos of animal sexual abuse. He has now been sentenced to 18 years in federal prison. But his case exposes three dangerous failures in our laws that allowed him to operate undetected for years.

First, emergency responders access our homes and our most vulnerable people with minimal background screening. Comprehensive digital checks are not standard or required for EMS workers. That must change.

Second, federal penalties still treat the distribution of child pornography as only marginally worse than mere possession. Distributing this material means more children are exploited, more abuse is captured, and more suffering is normalized. Those who spread it must face consequences that match the harm they cause.

Third, animal crush video laws remain dangerously weak. The abuse Childs documented was a federal crime, yet sentences under the Animal Crush Video Prohibition Act fall far short of the severity of these acts. Victims, human and animal alike, deserve far stronger protections.

We are calling on Congress to act on all three fronts. Mandate comprehensive, recurring background checks for all EMS and emergency service workers, including digital screening. Increase federal penalties for distributing child sexual abuse material. And strengthen the Animal Crush Video Prohibition Act with sentencing that reflects the true gravity of these crimes.

The people we trust to save lives must be held to a higher standard. The laws meant to protect children and animals must have real teeth. One case should not be the only reason we act, but it is reason enough to start.

Sign this petition and demand Congress close these gaps before another predator hides behind a badge of public service.