Creator Drama
Emilie Kiser Apology Over Son's Life Jacket Lapse
Ongoing
Via Emilie Kiser on YouTube All clips and posts below are embedded from their original sources.
By the numbers: this timeline documents 8 events from Apr 30, 2025 to Aug 28, 2026, drawn from 2 sources.
“I could hear the pain and confusion in his voice. I knew immediately something was wrong. Our life completely changed that day, he passed away about a week later.”
via buzzfeed.com
Background
Emilie Kiser is a social media influencer who experienced a profound family tragedy in May 2025. While Emilie was five weeks postpartum following the birth of her son, Teddy, her three-year-old son, Trigg, suffered a drowning incident at the family's home in Arizona. The accident occurred while Trigg was in the care of his father, Brady Kiser.
According to Emilie, the incident happened shortly after she had left the house for her first night out with friends since giving birth. During this time, Brady was managing the care of the newborn Teddy, including thawing breastmilk and attempting to settle the infant, when Trigg fell into the backyard swimming pool. Trigg was rushed to the hospital but passed away six days later, on May 18, 2025.
Following the loss of her son, Emilie took a four-month hiatus from her online presence, returning to TikTok in September 2025 to share her journey with grief. She used her platform to advocate for pool and water safety, describing Trigg's death as a 'preventable accident' and stating that she took full accountability as a parent.
She urged other parents to enroll their children in swimming lessons as early as possible and to invest in safety measures. Despite the tragedy, Emilie and Brady remained together, with Emilie later explaining that she found empathy for her husband, recognizing that the same accident could have happened if she had been the one caring for the children.
The timeline
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Trigg Kiser's drowning accident
Trigg, the 3-year-old son of Emilie and Brady Kiser, reportedly fell into the family's backyard swimming pool in Arizona. The incident allegedly occurred while Brady Kiser was caring for both Trigg and newborn Teddy, while Emilie was out for a dinner with friends. Emilie reported receiving a phone call from Brady informing her that Trigg had fallen in the pool and was not breathing [3].[2747]
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Death of Trigg Kiser
After reportedly spending six days in the hospital following the drowning incident in the family pool, Trigg Kiser passed away [3].[2747]
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Emilie Kiser returns to social media
After a reported four-month break from her online career to grieve the loss of her son, Emilie Kiser returned to TikTok to open up about her grief and reportedly confirm that she and Brady were still together [3].[2747]
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Water safety advocacy campaign
Shortly before the first anniversary of Trigg's death, Emilie reportedly posted a video advocating for pool and water safety. She described her son's death as a preventable accident and stated, 'I will always take full accountability for that, because as a parent, it is your job to protect your child' [3].[2747]
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Mallorca boat trip video surfaces
While vacationing in Mallorca, Spain, fellow influencer Madi Curtis shared a compilation-style video featuring Emilie's 16-month-old son, Teddy, and his father, Brady, on a boat. The video showed Teddy for a brief moment without a life jacket. Madi Curtis's daughter was also reportedly seen without a life jacket in the footage. The video was reportedly deleted following backlash [1].[2745]
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Emilie Kiser issues Instagram apology
Following criticism on social media—including claims from TikTok users that it is illegal for children under 13 to be on a boat underway without a life jacket—Emilie posted a statement on her Instagram Stories. She stated, '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,' adding that they are 'painfully aware' of how quickly life can change [1].[2745]
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Appearance on 'On Purpose' podcast
Emilie reportedly appeared on Jay Shetty's 'On Purpose' podcast, where she discussed the tragedy of Trigg's death and her process of forgiving Brady. She noted that Brady allowed her to feel every emotion during the grieving process and reflected on the fact that the accident could have easily happened to her if the roles were reversed [3].[2747]
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Media reports on life jacket backlash
Outlets including Cafemom and BuzzFeed reported on the backlash Emilie Kiser reportedly faced regarding the Mallorca boat video, highlighting the contrast between the alleged lapse in safety and her previous public advocacy for water safety following her son's death [1, 3].[2745]
Frequently asked
Why did Emilie Kiser face backlash for the boat video?
She faced criticism because her son, Teddy, was seen without a life jacket on a boat in Mallorca, which followers viewed as negligence, especially since Emilie had previously advocated for water safety after her other son, Trigg, died in a drowning accident.
What happened to Emilie Kiser's son Trigg?
Trigg, who was 3 years old, died on May 18, 2025, after a drowning incident in the family's backyard swimming pool in Arizona while in the care of his father, Brady Kiser.
What did Emilie Kiser say in her apology?
Emilie stated on her Instagram Stories that her child should have been in his life jacket for the entirety of the boat ride and acknowledged that they should have done better.
Related drama
Sources
- cafemom.com, ramsgaard/iStock What to Know 01 Influencer Emilie Kiser faced backlash after toddler Teddy appeared on a Mallorca boat without a life jacket. 02 Kiser's son Trigg died in a drowning incident in May 2, Aug 28, 2026.
- buzzfeed.com, Here’s Everything There Is To Know About Emilie Kiser’s 3-Year-Old Son’s Tragic Death, And The Subsequent Backlash To A Recent Vacation Video Of The Family“We are painfully aware that in a matter of s, Aug 28, 2026.
Cite this timeline
This timeline compiles 8 dated events from 2 sources. If it helped your reporting, cite it:
GenZHype. “Emilie Kiser Apology Over Son's Life Jacket Lapse.”
GenZHype, 4 September 2026,
https://genzhype.com/drama/emilie-kiser-apology-over-son-s-life-jacket-lapse/.