Emilie Kiser, a popular TikTok influencer, has initiated legal action to maintain the confidentiality of the circumstances surrounding her 3-year-old son’s tragic drowning. The 26-year-old filed the lawsuit against several public offices in Maricopa County on Tuesday, amidst ongoing investigations by Arizona police into the death of her son, Trigg Kiser. Trigg tragically passed away on May 18, several days after being found unresponsive in a swimming pool.
The lawsuit states that Kiser and her family are seeking privacy to mourn their loss, but the public’s interest has made this difficult. The death of Trigg has sparked a media storm, according to the lawsuit. Kiser’s legal team alleges that over 100 public records requests have been submitted to the city of Chandler and the Maricopa County Medical Examiner’s Office in the wake of Trigg’s death.
Kiser asserts that she has not examined any of the requested records, which include the police report, graphic security camera footage, and the autopsy report. She has no intention of viewing these records, according to the lawsuit. Instead, Kiser, who has a significant online following with 3.1 million followers on TikTok and over 1 million on Instagram, wants to concentrate on coping with her devastating loss and caring for her two-month-old son, Theodore.
The lawsuit further claims that the records being sought are for commercial purposes and would inflict emotional harm on Kiser and her family. It argues that the release of graphic or intimate death-related records would cause additional trauma to the surviving family members and infringe on their right to grieve privately.
However, Arizona law does not consider requests for such records for journalistic purposes as commercial. On May 12, first responders found the toddler unconscious in a swimming pool at the family’s home in Chandler and immediately initiated lifesaving efforts. Trigg was rushed to a nearby medical facility and then airlifted to Phoenix Children’s Hospital, where he passed away six days later.
The lawsuit lists the city of Chandler, the Chandler Police Department, and Maricopa County among the defendants. Representatives from the municipalities and police department were not immediately available for comment.