The 3-year-old son of TikTok influencer Emilie Kiser has died after being pulled from a backyard pool days earlier, police in Arizona confirmed.
Trigg Kiser died on May 18 after being hospitalized six days earlier, Sonu Wasu, Chandler Police Department’s public information officer, said in a statement.
On May 12, police officers responded to a drowning call at a home on Ashley Drive in Chandler, Arizona, around 7 p.m. local time for a child who had been pulled unconscious out of a backyard pool, Wasu told USA TODAY on May 15. He was taken to a nearby hospital.
“Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with the child’s family and loved ones during this unimaginable time,” Wasu said.
Emilie Kiser has more than three million followers on TikTok and one million followers on Instagram. She is known for sharing lifestyle and vlog-style content.
The Kiser family has not released a public statement.
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Boy was given CPR, investigation still ongoing
Police officers and firefighters administered CPR to the boy on scene, Wasu previously confirmed.
He was taken to Chandler Regional Hospital and later flown to Phoenix Children’s Hospital, Wasu said.
Chandler is about 30 miles southeast of Phoenix.
Wasu said on May 18 that the investigation into the circumstances around this case is still open, and additional details will not be released until the investigation has closed.
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Who is Emilie Kiser?
Emilie Kiser is a 26-year-old social media influencer.
She is originally from Phoenix, Arizona, and attended Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, she said on TikTok in 2022.
While in college, she met her husband, Brady Kiser, who she has been married to since 2020.
In addition to Trigg Kiser, the couple shares son Theodore Kiser, who was born in March.
The couple moved to Chandler in November 2024, according to Emilie Kiser’s TikTok.
Celebrities who have lost children to drowning: Bode Miller, Granger Smith
Drowning is the leading cause of death for children between the ages of 1 and 4 years old, according to the CDC.
Several notable names are familiar with the tragedy of losing a child to drowning.
Emeline “Emmy” Miller — the 19-month-old daughter of Bode Miller, an Olympic alpine ski racer, and his wife Morgan Miller — died in June 2018 from drowning in a neighbor’s pool.
Morgan Miller, a professional volleyball player, has advocated for water safety and drowning prevention since her daughter’s death.
“This is your yearly reminder to get your babies water safe, so we can responsibly have fun with pool season quickly approaching,” she wrote on Instagram in honor of Drowning Prevention Month in 2024.
Country singer Granger Smith’s 3-year-old son River Smith died from drowning in June 2019 after bypassing the family’s pool gate.
The child’s mother, Amber Smith, previously told USA TODAY that her son’s death opened her eyes to the importance of children being able to self-rescue while swimming.
“I had the number one killer in my backyard,” she told USA TODAY in a 2023 interview.
Emilie Kiser previously shared on TikTok that her son Trigg had started swim lessons in 2023.
This story has been updated with additional information.
Melina Khan is a trending reporter covering national news for USA TODAY. She can be reached at [email protected].
