Months After Son Trigg’s Accidental Drowning, Emilie Kiser Returns to Social Media
Months After Son Trigg’s Accidental Drowning, Emilie Kiser Returns to Social Media
On May 12, 2025, just before 7 p.m., police rushed to the Kiser family’s home outside Phoenix after a frantic 911 call reported a possible drowning. Three-year-old Trigg Kiser was found unresponsive in the family’s backyard pool. Officers performed CPR on the scene before paramedics arrived, and Trigg was swiftly taken to Chandler Regional Medical Center. Due to the severity of his condition, he was airlifted to Phoenix Children’s Hospital, where he fought for six days. Despite medical efforts, Trigg succumbed to his injuries on May 18, leaving his parents, Emilie and Brady Kiser, and their newborn son, Theodore, in a haze of grief. The Chandler Police Department expressed their condolences, stating, Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with the child’s family and loved ones during this unimaginable time.
Emilie, a social media star with 4.1 million TikTok followers, was not home at the time, having stepped out with friends. Brady was watching both Trigg and one-month-old Theodore when the accident occurred. The pool, equipped with safety netting that was not in use, became the site of a tragedy that would spark both heartbreak and controversy.
The Weight of Public Eyes
Emilie Kiser’s online presence has long been a window into her life as a devoted mother. Her posts, filled with Trigg’s infectious smile and family moments, resonated with millions. But after the accident, her social media went silent. Her last post, a Mother’s Day tribute on May 11, celebrated her boys’ love. Since then, she has not shared publicly, and comments on her accounts remain disabled as she navigates her grief. The tragedy, however, drew over 100 public records requests to the city of Chandler and the Maricopa County Medical Examiner’s Office, turning a private loss into a media frenzy. Emilie is trying her best to be there for her surviving son…but every day is a battle, her lawsuit later stated.
The intense scrutiny prompted Emilie to file a lawsuit on May 27 in Arizona Superior Court for Maricopa County, seeking to keep details of Trigg’s death private. She argued that the graphic nature of police reports, security footage, and autopsy records could cause further emotional harm. Emilie is going through a parent’s worst nightmare right now, the suit emphasized, highlighting her need to protect her family’s dignity. On August 7, a judge granted her request to redact two pages of a police report, a small victory in shielding Trigg’s memory from public consumption.
A Father’s Actions Under Scrutiny
As details emerged, the Chandler Police Department’s investigation revealed a more complex picture. Brady Kiser told authorities he lost sight of Trigg for three to five minutes while tending to Theodore. I didn’t have a clock, obviously, I don’t know the exact time, but it was moments, it wasn’t minutes, he said. However, surveillance footage painted a different story: Trigg was unsupervised in the backyard for over nine minutes, seven of which he spent in the water after tripping on an inflatable chair. The pool’s safety net was not in place, and Trigg, despite having taken swim lessons, did not fully know how to swim.
Police noted that an NBA playoff game between the Knicks and Celtics was on TV when they arrived, and Brady had placed a $25 bet on the game at 5:14 p.m., over an hour before the incident. He insisted his focus was on his newborn, not his phone or the game. Brady’s statements do not match what is seen on the video; he did not accurately describe one thing [Trigg] did after he went outside, the police report concluded, leading investigators to recommend a Class 4 felony child abuse charge against him.
A Legal Outcome and a Family’s Grief
On July 25, the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office announced that Brady would not face charges, citing no reasonable likelihood of conviction. Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell explained that proving criminal negligence beyond a reasonable doubt was unlikely, as surveillance video clarified the timeline of events. We are grateful to law enforcement and the county attorney for conducting a thorough investigation and confirming that this was a tragic accident, Brady’s attorney, Flynn P. Carey, said. Brady remains in the midst of the grieving process and is thankful to be with his family as they heal together.
Emilie’s legal efforts focused on shielding her family from further pain. Her attorney, Shannon Clark, emphasized that the redacted report pages protected the dignity of a little boy whose memory should reflect the love and light he brought to the world. The lawsuit argued that Arizona’s Public Records Law, while granting public access, recognizes a family’s compelling privacy interest in preventing the disclosure of graphic materials related to a loved one’s injuries or death.
The Broader Conversation on Child Safety
Trigg’s death underscores a sobering reality: drowning is the leading cause of death for children ages 1 to 4 in the U.S., often occurring during non-swim times in moments of brief distraction. The Kisers’ tragedy has sparked discussions about pool safety, with experts urging measures like alarms, secure fencing, and constant supervision. It’s not always negligence. Sometimes, it’s just a horrible, fleeting accident, one report noted, highlighting the unpredictability of such incidents.
Emilie’s 2023 TikTok post about Trigg’s swim lessons, where he joyfully jumped off a diving board, added a layer of heartbreak. At our friend’s birthday that other day, he was literally jumping on and off the diving board, probably 40 times, I kid you not, she shared. Yet, she later told police her son didn’t fully know how to swim, a reminder that lessons alone aren’t enough without vigilant oversight.
A Mother’s Heart and a Community’s Response
In a court filing, Emilie poured out her pain: The most severe and emotional event I have ever experienced. I was not home when this happened. I will forever second guess that decision, among many others. The tragedy already haunts me. Her words resonate with any parent who knows the weight of what-ifs. She and Brady, parents to newborn Theodore, are leaning on each other to heal while shielding their surviving son from the public’s gaze.
The online community has been a mixed blessing. While many followers offer prayers, others have speculated or judged, prompting Emilie to disable comments. Her silence speaks volumes, reflecting a grief too deep for public consumption. As she navigates this loss, her fight for privacy is a plea to let Trigg’s memory shine as the joyful boy who loved dinosaurs and his baby brother, not a headline in a media storm.