Emilie Kiser has spoken out on Instagram on the 10-month anniversary of her son’s death, using the moment to stress the importance of pool safety.
In 2025, Kiser’s three-year-old son, Trigg, died after a drowning incident in the family’s swimming pool.
Trigg was reportedly without supervision for several minutes on May 12, 2025. During that window, he fell into the pool and drowned. He was later airlifted to Phoenix Children’s Hospital.
Six days after the incident, he was pronounced dead.
At the time, Trigg had been in the care of Kiser’s husband, Brady. There was early speculation about possible criminal charges, but in July 2025 Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell announced he would not be charged, saying there was “no reasonable likelihood of conviction” in a press release.
Now, with 10 months having passed since Trigg’s death, Kiser acknowledged the milestone in a lengthy message shared via her Instagram Story.
“Today is officially ten months since we lost our son Trigg to a preventable drowning accident,” it began.
“I continue to feel like I have no words in what to say when I’m asked how I feel because the only adequate word is ‘broken’. I miss him so much. Everything about him. Especially the joy and light he brought to our home.”
She continued by describing the ongoing reality of grief and the daily adjustments that come with living without him.
Kiser continued: “One of the hardest parts about the last ten months, although I can’t possibly pick just one, is having to live without him. Some people might read that as obvious, but it’s a daily mountain I have to climb.
“Waking up without him next to me, not getting to talk to him every day, not getting to see his perfect smile, and so much more.”
Kiser also used her message to urge families to take steps to secure pools, again describing her son’s death as preventable.
Among the precautions she encouraged were fencing around pools, using more than one barrier to access, enrolling children in swimming lessons as early as possible, and making sure adults maintain constant supervision whenever kids are near water.
She ended the post by thanking supporters, writing: “I love you guys. I am always grateful for your support & your willingness to hear what I choose to share.”
Following Trigg’s death, Kiser also pursued legal action seeking to keep certain details from the police report private.
Arizona Superior Court for Maricopa County later decided she could redact two pages of a Chandler Police Department report, stating the documents were “not necessary for public accountability,” which allowed some aspects of her family’s privacy to be protected.
If you have experienced a bereavement and would like to speak with someone in confidence, contact The Compassionate Friends on (877) 969-0010.