‘Takes full accountability’: TikTok mom breaks silence on 3yo son’s pool drowning, admits she ‘could have saved his life’

TikTok influencer Emilie Kiser has broken her three-month silence following the tragic drowning death of her 3-year-old son Trigg in their Arizona home pool. The 26-year-old content creator, who boasts over 4 million TikTok followers, shared her first public statement on Thursday through an emotional Instagram post.

The incident occurred on May 12 when Trigg fell into the family’s backyard pool in Chandler, Arizona, while his father Brady Kiser was watching him and their newborn son. The case has drawn significant attention due to Emilie’s massive social media following and the intense public scrutiny that followed.

In her heartfelt message on Instagram, Emilie Kiser wrote that she “takes full accountability as Trigg’s mother” and expressed deep regret about pool safety measures. “One of the hardest lessons I carry is that a permanent pool fence could have saved his life, and it is something I will never overlook again,” she stated in the post. She described the grief as “impossible to put into words” and called Trigg both her “baby and best friend.”

Police investigation reveals timeline discrepancies

According to police reports released in August, surveillance video showed Trigg was unsupervised in the backyard for nine minutes, with seven of those minutes spent in the pool water. Brady Kiser initially told investigators he had lost sight of his son for only three to five minutes while tending to their infant inside the house.

The investigation revealed that Brady had placed a $25 sports bet on an NBA playoff game about an hour before the incident occurred. Police concluded that Brady’s “attention was divided” during the time Trigg was playing outside. The pool did not have a permanent fence and the safety cover was not in use at the time of the drowning.

Chandler police recommended a Class 4 felony charge of child abuse against Brady Kiser, but Maricopa County prosecutors declined to pursue charges. County Attorney Rachel Mitchell stated there was “no reasonable likelihood of conviction,” explaining that prosecutors would need to prove Brady “failed to perceive a substantial and unjustifiable risk” that represented “a gross deviation from the standard of care.” The tragic incident has sparked discussions about influencer accountability and public scrutiny when personal tragedies become public spectacles.