PHOENIX – The influencer whose young son drowned in a suburban Phoenix backyard pool earlier this year addressed the tragedy on social media for the first time Thursday.
Emilie Kiser broke her silence in a statement posted to her Instagram and TikTok accounts, taking responsibility for 3-year-old Trigg’s death and lamenting the lack of a pool fence at her Chandler home.
“I take full accountability as Trigg’s mother, and I know I should have done more to protect him,” she wrote. “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.”
She also said she hopes her son’s story “will help prevent other children and families from suffering the same loss.”
What happened at Emilie Kiser’s house the day of Trigg Kiser’s drowning?
Trigg was rushed to a hospital after being pulled from the family pool on May 12. He died six days later. Kiser’s husband, Brady, was watching the young boy and the couple’s newborn baby that day while she was out with friends.
Brady Kiser reportedly said he was distracted by the baby and lost sight of the older boy for several minutes before finding him in the pool.
The Chandler Police Department submitted the case to Maricopa County Attorney’s Office for review in July and recommended that Kiser be charged with one count of child abuse.
However, MCAO chose not to pursue charges due to there being no reasonable likelihood of a conviction.
How popular is Emilie Kiser on social media?
Kiser grew her social media following by sharing content about things like parenting, fashion and her daily routines. She has nearly 6 million combined followers on TikTok and Instagram.
Until Thursday, her last posts were made the day of the drowning incident.
“Loss of this magnitude feels impossible to put into words. I’ve spent days, weeks, months trying to find them and also take the time I’ve needed to digest the loss of my baby,” Kiser wrote in her silence-breaking message.
She went on to thank her family and followers for their support during “these extremely tough times.”
Kiser has been sharing details about her personal life online since 2021. She said her approach will change following Trigg’s death.
“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,” she wrote. “I now have seen through this tragedy how relationships online lack boundaries, especially in protecting children’s privacy. Moving forward, I will be establishing more boundaries with what I share online.”
KTAR News and Fulton Homes want to remind you that two seconds is too long to take your eyes off kids near water. To learn more about this campaign, visit the 2 Seconds is Too Long website.
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