Emilie Kiser is speaking publicly for the first time following the death of her toddler, Trigg, in May. On Thursday, Kiser shared a lengthy statement on TikTok, in which she opened up about the time she has taken to “digest the loss of my baby.”
“Trigg is our baby and our best friend,” the Arizona-based influencer wrote. “The light and spirit he brought into this world was bright, pure, joyful, and undeniable. We miss him every second of every day and continuing forward often feels unbearable.”
Kiser then said she takes “full accountability” for what happened to her son.
“I know I should have done more to protect him,” she continued. “One of the hardest lessons I carry is that a permanent pool fence could have saved his life, and it’s something I will never overlook again. I hope amidst this pain, Trigg’s story will help prevent other children and families from suffering the same loss.”
Emilie Kiser/TikTok
Kiser’s statement marks the first time she’s spoken out about Trigg since he died in a drowning accident in her and husband Brady’s backyard pool on May 12. The toddler died six days after he was hospitalized.
Brady, who was the only parent at home at the time of the drowning, initially told police that he’d lost sight of the toddler for three to five minutes before the incident. The Chandler Police Department’s report, however, cited evidence that Trigg “was in the backyard unsupervised for more than 9 minutes, and in the water for about 7 of those minutes.”
Authorities also alleged that Brady had been watching an NBA playoff game and had placed a $25 sports bet before the drowning occurred.
In July, the Chandler Police said they’d recommended that Brady Kiser be charged in connection with the toddler’s death, but the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office said it would not pursue charges, concluding that the evidence submitted in the case did not meet the standard for a “reasonable likelihood of conviction.”
Kiser continued her letter by thanking her family and friends for their “unconditional love” that has “carried us through this” time. She then acknowledged the “outpouring of love” from her “audience and the people who have supported us.”
At the end of her letter, Kiser opened up about her changing relationship with social media and how she plans to navigate life as an influencer moving forward.
“When I started on social media in 2021 as a new mom, my goal was to connect with other moms and find a community,” she wrote. “I have always been my authentic self on social media and tried my best to share my everyday life honestly, while also being mindful of what I didn’t choose to share. I now have seen through this tragedy how relationships lack online boundaries, especially in protecting children’s privacy.”
Kiser concluded: “In the future, I hope to be in a place to share more about how I am navigating this grief, but right now, all I can say is thank you for the love, compassion, patience and space you’ve given us to grieve. I am more grateful for it than can ever be expressed.”