Emilie Kiser is struggling to come to terms with an inconceivable loss. Following the tragic drowning of her cherished three-year-old son, Trigg Kiser, in their family pool in May, alongside her husband Brady Kiser, Emilie has bravely shared the harrowing journey of her emotional turmoil as she navigates through this devastating event. Labeling Trigg's passing as "the most profound and deeply charged experience of my existence," Emilie articulated that both she and Brady are deeply troubled by "our ability to even embark on the healing journey," as revealed in documents she submitted to the Arizona Superior Court for Maricopa County in May, which were acquired by E! News on August 21.
At the time of the accident, Brady was at home supervising Trigg and their four-month-old son Theodore. Authorities have clarified that no charges will be filed against Brady in connection with the incident. "I was not home when this occurred," Emilie lamented. "I will forever question that decision, among countless others. The sorrow lingers heavily in my heart."
Despite her ongoing expression of devastation, the TikTok creator has pleaded for the space and privacy necessary to mourn. "Our boundless love for our children has been witnessed and celebrated globally, given my role as a social media figure with a vast audience across multiple platforms," Emilie articulated. "Everything we have shared as part of my profession has embodied nothing but an abiding and adoring affection within our family. That is how it should forever reside in my mind and the minds of all others."
Prior to this, she filed a lawsuit against the Maricopa County public offices on May 27 to keep records pertaining to her toddler's passing confidential. Legal documents, acquired by NBC News, detail the family's attorney's depiction of Emilie's profound grief over the "wrenching accidental drowning."
"Emilie is enduring every parent's darkest nightmare," the lawsuit asserts. "She has lost her young son. Emilie is striving to be present for her surviving son, Theodore, who was two months old at the time. Yet, each day presents an uphill battle." The lawsuit further alleges that, as of the filing date, over 100 public record requests had been made to the Chandler city and the Maricopa County Medical Examiner's Office since Trigg's passing on May 18.
Moreover, the lawsuit highlights that Emilie's desire for privacy stems from her reluctance to expose herself to much of the information, noting her intention to refrain from reviewing the police report, security camera footage, body camera footage, or autopsy reports related to the case. "The requested records presumably unveil graphic, distressing, and intimate details of Trigg's death that hold no relevance to government accountability," the filing contends. "Permitting disclosure under these circumstances would transform Arizona's Public Records Law into an instrument of emotional torment, rather than a means of government transparency."
In response to the lawsuit, Maricopa County's Office of the Medical Examiner issued a statement regarding its efforts to uphold the privacy of the grieving couple. "Upon learning that the family was seeking a court order to prevent the release of these records," Jason Berry, director of communications for Maricopa County, informed NBC News on May 29, "the Office of the Medical Examiner collaborated with the family to place a seal on the record."
