‘Every day is a battle': influencer Emilie Kiser seeks to shield family from public scrutiny

Time of India

2 days ago

Arizona-based influencer Emilie Kiser is at the center of a legal battle following the death of her 3-year-old son, Trigg Kiser, who was pulled unconscious from a backyard pool on May 12 and later died on May 18.
Tired of too many ads? go ad free now
The case, already under a media spotlight due to Kiser's 3.4 million TikTok followers, has sparked widespread public interest — and more than 100 public records requests.
Now, Kiser is asking a Maricopa County judge to stop the release of police footage, autopsy records, and other sensitive documents, citing the trauma and emotional harm their release could inflict on her family.
'Trigg's death has become a media frenzy'
According to the Chandler Police Department, officers were the first to respond to the drowning call at the family's home in Chandler, Arizona — roughly 20 miles southeast of Phoenix.
NBC affiliate KPNX reported that officers arrived to find the boy unconscious and began CPR until firefighters took over. Trigg remained in critical condition at a hospital until his death six days later.
In a lawsuit filed on May 27, Kiser stated that she has not reviewed any of the requested public records, which include police reports, body camera footage, security video, and the autopsy report, and 'nor does she intend to.'
"Emilie and her family desperately want to grieve in private, but sadly, the public will not let them," the lawsuit reads. "Trigg's death has become a media frenzy."
The suit notes that the volume of public records requests has been overwhelming — more than 100 filed with the City of Chandler and the Maricopa County Medical Examiner's Office. Kiser is requesting a court order to block their release entirely, pointing to emotional distress and the risk of irreparable harm.
Tired of too many ads? go ad free now
"Disclosure of graphic or intimate death-related records causes renewed trauma to surviving family members and violates their right to grieve privately," the lawsuit argues.
Public's right to know vs. family's right to grieve
Among the named defendants are the City of Chandler, the Chandler Police Department, and Maricopa County. Jason Berry, director of communications for Maricopa County, told NBC News that, "When Maricopa County learned the family was pursuing a court order to prevent the release of these records, the Office of the Medical Examiner worked with the family to place a seal on the record."
Arizona law allows for public records — such as police reports and 911 calls — to be released, unless their disclosure could result in "substantial and irreparable private or public harm." Kiser's lawyers argue that applies here.
However, legal experts say the court must weigh this against the public's right to transparency. Craig Weiner, a partner at Blank Rome law firm, told USA TODAY, "The public has an interest in newsworthy events.
This is a high-profile person. They are in the news. And what makes it even more, they put themselves out there."
Weiner noted that Kiser's public profile could work against her in court: "You can't turn around and say, 'this is affecting my privacy' when you posted a picture of your house and your kids."
Still, he acknowledged the gravity of the family's suffering: 'They're concerned that the publication of it will cause all types of stress, emotional distress to the family, to the parents.
They did the right thing by going to the judge.'
'Every day is a battle.'
While the legal system sorts out what will remain public and what will be sealed, the Kiser family continues to grieve. "Kiser is going through a parent's worst nightmare right now," the lawsuit reads. "Emilie is trying her best to be there for her surviving son, two-month-old Theodore. But every day is a battle."