TIKTOK star Emilie Kiser has successfully fought to keep some of the most harrowing details of her three-year-old son’s drowning private.
On Friday, she convinced a judge from the Maricopa County Superior Court to remove two pages of a police report that graphically described how her son, Trigg, passed away.
Emilie, whose wholesome family content has attracted millions of followers, said the move will protect her grieving family from online exploitation.
The toddler was found unconscious in the family’s backyard pool in Chandler, Arizona, on May 12.
He spent six days in critical condition before tragically passing away on May 18.
At the time, Emilie’s husband Brady Kiser was home but preoccupied with the couple’s newborn, Theodore, while she was out with friends.
The dad said that he noticed Trigg walking around the pool, which wasn’t normal, before walking away to spend about three to five minutes with Teddy.
When he looked back outside, he saw Trigg floating in the pool, he told detectives.
First responders attempted CPR before rushing him to hospital.
Last month, the Chandler Police Department released a statement announcing it was recommending a felony child abuse charge against Brady.
But officers have stressed they ruled the death accidental and Brady is not currently facing criminal charges.
Just hours before the fatal incident, the influencer had posted a video of her sons giggling in bed with their dad captioned, “I can not believe they are mine”.
The 55-page police report on the tragedy is now due to be released in the coming days – minus the two-and-a-quarter pages that Emilie fought to keep out.
Those passages allegedly contain a moment-by-moment written description of officer bodycam footage.
The court ruled it was so detailed it “functions as a surrogate for the video itself” and could “satisfy morbid curiosity” while risking misuse by “bad actors” online.
Emilie reportedly argued that leaving the material public could open the door for social media sleuths to create disturbing AI recreations – similar to viral content generated after other high-profile deaths, like the Idaho college murders.
In his ruling, Judge Whitten declared: “Specific material harm to her and her family outweighs the negligible public interest in those particular portions of the report.
“The narrow redaction of those sections strikes an appropriate balance between transparency and human dignity.”
The mom’s attorney, Shannon Clark, celebrated the legal victory.
She told the Daily Mail: “We’re grateful to Judge Whitten for carefully balancing the important interests at stake and allowing a narrow but meaningful redaction…
“These redactions do not alter any material facts of the accident, but they protect the dignity of a little boy whose memory should reflect the love and light he brought to the world…
“This decision allows them, and the public, to remember him for the beautiful life he lived, not the tragic way it ended.”
Emilie has since asked for privacy as she continues to grieve.
In her lawsuit, Emilie’s attorneys said that she’s going through “every parent’s worst nightmare,” according to court documents seen by The U.S. Sun.
“Emilie is trying her best to be there for her surviving son, 2-month-old Theodore,” said the suit.
“But every day is a battle.”
It comes after Emilie’s stepbrother posted a sad clip on TikTok about “moving forward.”
Who is Emilie Kiser?
- Emilie Kiser, 26, is a TikTok influencer with nearly 3.5 million followers.
- She’s known for sharing everyday moments from her life as a mom and wife.
- Her posts often featured her husband Brady, their sons Trigg and newborn Theodore, and their family dogs.
- Trigg was found unresponsive in a pool.
- He died six days later on May 18 and would have turned four on July 14.
