TikTok influencer Emilie Kiser has taken to social media months after her 3-year-old son Trigg drowned in the family home’s swimming pool and passed away.
Trigg’s accident occurred in Emilie’s absence when his father, Brady, who was tasked with looking after him and his brother, became distracted by a $25-dollar bet he was placing.
As a result, Trigg was hospitalized but succumbed to an accident less than a week later, prompting authorities to unsuccessfully pursue charges against the father.
Emilie, after ruminating about the possibility of her son’s fate being different had she been home that day, has claimed sole responsibility for his passing.
Emilie Kiser says her grief is impossible to put into words
In an Instagram post within the last 24 hours, the social media personality posted an image of a printed statement, saying: “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.”
“Trigg is our baby and our best friend. 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.”
“I never thought we would experience grief in this way or the pain of losing him so suddenly. It’s a pain, heartache, and void that no family should ever have to endure.”
The Instagram post follows a court decision to redact the grieving mother’s earlier account of her feelings on Trigg’s passing
Emilie’s statement follows a June 3 court motion by the Arizona Superior Court for Maricopa to redact a section of the ensuing police affidavit.
Speaking to People at the time, a source claimed that the withheld information “reflected an intensely personal account of her grief and trauma, submitted to help the court understand her perspective — not for public consumption.”
“The core legal issues remain fully transparent through public filings by counsel and the court. Emilie’s sealed declaration does not hinder the public’s understanding of the case or its legal significance,” a representative elaborated.
Police initially charged Brady with neglect after footage of the accident discredited his account
Said “core legal issues” entailed the state’s pursuit of a conviction against the father after CCTV evidence conflicted with the Brady’s claims that his son had strayed from his vision for “three to five minutes.”
Police would later disclose that the child had been away from his father for nine minutes, seven of which he was in the swimming pool.
Official documents noted: “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.”
“This leads to the conclusion that Brady was not aware of what [Trigg] was doing and was not watching him. The combination of these factors led to drowning, and a remedy to any of the contributing circumstances could have prevented the outcome.”
Emilie says she takes full responsibility for her son’s passing
On Friday, July 25, the charges against Brady were dropped with the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office website, citing “no reasonable likelihood of conviction.”
Emilie has now assumed responsibility for Trigg’s passing, saying:
“I take full accountability as Trigg’s mother, and 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.”
Brady is yet to speak on the matter
Brady has not broken his silence, with the closest thing to a statement from him made by his attorney, Flynn Carey.
On July 25, she told People: “Brady remains in the midst of the grieving process and is thankful to be with his family as they heal together. We appreciate the compassion and support shown during this difficult time.”
Social media, while empathetic, is confused by Emilie taking the blame.
The public is struggling with idea that it was Emilie’s fault
“So… what I heard was Dad was busy placing bets on line while Mom was at work,” wrote one person.
“Why is she taking responsibility? Her husband, Brady, is at fault,” wrote another.
“He left that little boy unsupervised and then lied about it. You don’t hear him apologizing and accepting accountability.
“Yes, they should’ve had a fence. But had his dad actually been watching him, we’re talking at least 9 minutes unaccounted for according to the article, Trigg would still be alive today,” one person wrote in response to a news report.
While the internet is critical about the accident, netizens cannot help but feel sympathy for Emilie
