Emilie Kiser says son should’ve had life jacket after drowning tragedy

Influencer Emilie Kiser responded on Tuesday to fan backlash over a video showing her 16-month-old son on a family boating trip without a life jacket.

In a statement shared to her Instagram Stories, the 27-year-old social media star admitted that her son Teddy ‘should have been in his life jacket for the entirety of that boat ride.’

Fans shared their concerns over the 27-year-old social media star’s video of her family holiday in Mallorca, which were exacerbated due to the tragic drowning death of her older son Trigg in May 2025 at the family’s Arizona home.

The young boy was only three years old when he was found unresponsive after falling into her family’s backyard pool.

The Daily Mail has reached out to Kiser’s representative for comment but has yet to hear back. 

A repost to TikTok of the original video showed Kiser swimming in the cool blue waters of the Spanish island of Mallorca, but a brief sH๏τ shocked fans, as it showed her young son sitting in his father Brady’s lap without a life jacket on. 

Influencer Emilie Kiser responded on Tuesday to fan backlash over a video showing her 16-month-old son without a life jacket on a family boating trip in Mallorca

Fans shared their concerns over the 27-year-old social media star’s video of her family holiday in Mallorca, which were exacerbated due to the tragic drowning death of her older son Trigg in May 2025 at the family’s Arizona home

The original clip appeared to have been posted by another influencer who was vacationing with Kiser’s family, and commenters also expressed concerns that a young girl featured in the video was also seen without a life jacket.

Others claimed that even young Teddy’s white swimsuit was not ideal, as the color can be difficult to spot just a few feet underwater.

‘Our child should have been in his life jacket for the entirety of that boat ride, not even for the few moments that he was out of it,’ Kiser began her statement. ‘We are painfully aware that in a matter of seconds, your entire life can change, and we should have done better.’

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She added that she and her husband ‘recognize and appreciate the genuine care that people have for our children.’

However, she noted that ‘There has also been a deep level of anger and hurt directed toward our family, and we understand the basis of those feelings as well.

‘It comes from the belief that Trigg should still be here, and we share that same belief more than can be expressed,’ Kiser continued. ‘He was only three years old, and should have lived a lifetime more. That reality lives with us every moment of every single day.’

Kiser concluded her statement with a vow to focus more on her family’s safety, as well as to encourage others to do the same. 

‘We will continue to do better, advocate for better and, as hard as we try to avoid them, still make mistakes,’ she added. ‘We can only promise that we will never stop learning from them and continue loving our children with everything we have.’

Kiser admitted her son should have been wearing a life jacket and claimed he was only without one for a brief period. She vowed to ‘to better’ and to focus on the safety of other children, but also acknowledged a wave of ‘anger and hurt directed’ at her family over her son Trigg’s death

Trigg was three when he drowned last year in the backyard pool of Kiser’s Arizona home. Her husband Brady (pictured) was determined to have lost sight of him for nine minutes while he cared for their younger son Teddy and watched an NBA playoff game that he had bet $25 on

The controversy over Kiser’s focus on family safety comes after she paid tribute to her late son, Trigg, in an emotional message on July 14, in honor of what would have been his fifth birthday.

Kiser, who recently announced that she is expecting a third child with her husband, Brady, took to Instagram to share an old pH๏τo of herself clutching Trigg’s hand as it was wrapped around hers.

‘I miss you all day every day,’ Kiser wrote.

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‘Happy fifth birthday to the boy who made me a mom. I wish more than anything I could squeeze you, hear your laugh and spend another day with you,’ her message continued.

‘I love you forever and ever, Trigg,’ she concluded, adding a blue heart emoji to the end of the message.

Just a few weeks earlier, Kiser appeared on Jay Shetty’s podcast, On Purpose, where she opened up about her son’s death.

‘Losing a child really shows you in the scariest, most real way possible just how quickly life can change, and how quickly life can be literally taken away,’ Kiser said during the episode. 

She then spoke of her son Teddy, saying she always tries to remind herself that she has a choice to make every day to be there for him. 

The controversy over Kiser’s focus on family safety comes after she paid tribute to her late son in an emotional message on July 14, in honor of what would have been his fifth birthday 

‘I can either let this completely derail me more than it already has, and not really feel like I’m fit or able to take care of my younger son, or I can do everything in my power to be the best mom I possibly can for him, and give him the same love that Trigg had and has,’ she said.

The content creator’s three-year-old son died on May 18, 2025, six days after he was found unresponsive in the family’s backyard pool.

Kiser’s husband was looking after both Trigg and the couple’s then-newborn son Teddy at the time, while Kiser was out with friends.

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Her husband initially said he lost sight of the toddler for three to five minutes. However, police said video evidence showed that the boy was left unsupervised for over nine minutes, and he was determined to have been ‘in the water for about seven of those minutes.’

Her husband admitted to watching an NBA playoff game at the time of the drowning, and he was revealed to have placed a $25 bet on the outcome.

Following a two-month investigation, he was not charged in relation to the death of his son, despite the Chandler Police Department recommending a felony child abuse charge.

The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office released a statement on July 25, 2025, writing that there was ‘no likelihood of conviction’ against him.

Earlier this month, Kiser shared with her followers that she and Brady were expecting their third child. 

Kiser recently announced that she is expecting a third child with her husband, Brady 

Following a two-month investigation, Kiser’s husband Brady was not charged in relation to the death of his son, despite the Chandler Police Department recommending a felony child abuse charge. The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office determined there was ‘no likelihood of conviction’

She shared a picture to her Instagram page of her clad in a white floral dress as she cradled her bump.

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‘We are so grateful and excited to share that we will be welcoming another baby into our family,’ Emilie wrote.

‘This news feels very surreal and has already been such a bright light to us during some of our darkest days.’

‘As I stated last year, my family’s privacy will always be my priority. Because of that, I’m not sure how much I will be sharing about this pregnancy and next phase of life, but I appreciate your understanding as I navigate those boundaries,’ she continued.

‘This baby has already brought so much hope and joy into our home, and we are treasuring every moment of it together.’

‘Thank you in advance for all of the love, well wishes, and support as we navigate this next chapter of our growing family. Love you guys,’ she concluded the post.