Emilie Kiser Says She Navigates Grief 'Minute by Minute' After Son’s Death

Emilie Kiser released an emotional statement on her son Trigg’s death, three months after the tragic accident.

The influencer broke her silence on the incident via Instagram on Thursday, August 28, sharing a lengthy note on navigating grief after her 3-year-old’s accidental drowning at the family’s home in May.

“Loss of this magnitude feels impossible to put into words,” Kiser began her statement. “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, who shared Trigg as well as newborn son Theodore “Teddy” with husband Brady Kiser, continued to say that her son’s loss is “a pain, heartache, and void that no family should ever have to endure” and that facing life without Trigg “often feels unbearable.”

“The only way through grief is to keep going minute by minute, hour by hour, day by day, and every moment since that day I’ve done my best to keep picking myself up,” she shared.

Emilie also stated that she takes “full accountability” for Trigg’s passing, saying, “I know I should have done more to protect him. 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 then thanked her family for their “unconditional love” and her audience for the “kind messages.” She said that although she is so grateful for her community, she also plans to set boundaries when it comes to her social media presence in the future.

“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,” Emilie 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.”

She concluded her statement by sharing that she hopes 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 grateful for it more than can ever be expressed.”

Emilie’s post comes three months after the Chandler, Arizona, Police Department confirmed to Us Weekly on May 18 that Trigg passed away that afternoon after being pulled unconscious from the family’s backyard pool on the evening of May 12.

Us confirmed in June that the investigation into Trigg’s death was closed. Emilie called the drowning incident “the most severe and emotional event I have ever experienced” in a plea to the Arizona Superior Court of Maricopa County. (Emilie was granted temporary confidentiality on her declaration and her request for privacy as the court reviewed evidence.)

In documents obtained by Us Weekly in August, Emilie said she and Brady were “deeply concerned about the release of specific information and our ability to even start to heal” from the fatal incident.

“I was not home when this happened,” Emilie said. “I will forever second guess that decision, among many others.”

Sources close to the litigation previously shared with Us that Emilie was not home at the time of the accident. Brady, meanwhile, was in the house caring for Trigg and newborn son Teddy. While Brady initially said he lost sight of Trigg for 3 to 5 minutes, the Chandler Police Department’s redacted report alleged that the couple’s eldest son “was in the backyard unsupervised for more than 9 minutes, and in the water for about 7 of those minutes.”

After evidence was reviewed, the Chandler Police Department shared in July that investigators recommended “a Class 4 felony charge of child abuse against Brady Kiser.” Later that month, the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office declined to pursue charges against him because there was “no likelihood of conviction.”

Brady’s attorney Flynn Carey shared that the family is “grateful to law enforcement and the county attorney” for recognizing that Trigg’s death was simply “a tragic accident.”

“Brady remains in the midst of the grieving process and is thankful to be with his family as they heal together,” Carey shared. “We appreciate the compassion and support shown during this difficult time.”

In May, Emilie — who has amassed 1.8 million Instagram followers and 4.1 million TikTok followers — reflected on how social media has enhanced the devastation following the incident.

“The story of Trigg’s tragic death has been all over the news, social media and online. I am now aware that Trigg’s death was announced on social media less than 2 hours after he passed. In fact, Fox News wrongfully announced that he was dead immediately after the event,” she said, noting that helicopters circled her home and recorded footage.

She continued, “Unknown people have come to my home and asked to ‘pray over the house.’ Cars have parked outside of my house and driven back and forth with cameras out their window waiting for ‘views.’ And random packages are being delivered from people whom I do not know.”

Emilie claimed that information made public could become “very difficult” for son Teddy to “process” one day.

“Knowing that intensely devastating personal information like that which various people have sought could be placed on the Internet where it will live forever, haunts me wondering whether Teddy, through his own curiosity or having it thrust upon him by another, could have to live through this horror on his own at some uncertain future date,” Emilie concluded.

For more vital, life-saving information on pool safety, see Bode Miller’s tips and visit Coverstar’s website during Water Safety Awareness Month.