Latest news with #Trigg
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Health
- Daily Mail
Influencer Emilie Kiser files lawsuit to shield the public from 'graphic' details of three-year-old son's drowning
Social media influencer Emilie Kiser, 26, has filed a lawsuit against multiple agencies in Arizona to block the details of her three-year-old son's death from the public. Kiser's son died on May 18 six days after he was found unresponsive in a backyard pool in Arizona, according to Chandler Police Department. Kiser is a popular mommy blogger with four million followers on TikTok and frequently shares her life as a mother on the platform. The influencer filed a lawsuit using her maiden name, Henrichsen, on Tuesday against the City of Chandler, Chandler Police Department, Maricopa County, the county's medical examiner's office, and other agencies to permanently block public access to records related to her son, Trigg's, death. The lawsuit said that Kiser was 'going through a parent's worst nightmare right now' and the family 'desperately wanted to grieve in private.' 'Trigg's death has become a media frenzy. Appallingly, 100+ public record requests have been filed with both the City of Chandler and the Maricopa County Medical Examiner's Office,' the lawsuit continued. 'Emilie is trying her best to be there for her surviving son, two-month-old Theodore. But every day is a battle,' the suit said. Kiser's attorneys argued that the records presumably contain 'graphic, distressing, and intimate details' of the toddler's death. They continued that public access to the records 'has no bearing on government accountability.' 'To allow disclosure in these circumstances would be to turn Arizona's Public Records Law into a weapon of emotional harm, rather than a tool of government transparency,' the lawsuit added. The suit said that Kiser or her representation haven't reviewed the police report, security camera footage, scene photos, 911 recording, or autopsy photos. Kiser's lawyers added that the records weren't available to them, and the influencer doesn't intend to ever view the documents. In response to the lawsuit, Jason Berry, the director of communications for Maricopa County, which was named as a defendant, told NBC News, '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.' Kiser's son, Trigg, died on May 18 after a drowning incident at the family's home on May 12. A neighbor told at the time that the influencer's house was swarmed with five police cars after the incident. Emergency responders arrived and performed life-saving efforts until Trigg was airlifted to Phoenix Children's Hospital for specialized care. Kiser hasn't posted since the tragedy, but her followers flooded her accounts with messages of support and condolences before she turned off her comment sections. The Arizona influencer and her husband, Brady, became parents to Trigg in July 2021. The couple revealed they were having another child in September 2024, posting a photo of Kiser's sonogram with the caption, 'WE GOTTA BABY GROWING.' 'We can not wait to add another angel to our family. Whatever you are, we love you so much already.' In March, the family announced the arrival of their second son, Teddy, writing on Instagram, 'We love you so much and our hearts feel like they are going to burst.'
Time of India
2 days ago
- Time of India
‘Every day is a battle': influencer Emilie Kiser seeks to shield family from public scrutiny
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."
Indianapolis Star
2 days ago
- Indianapolis Star
Emilie Kiser asks to 'grieve in private.' Why public records could be released anyway.
As Emilie Kiser sues to prevent the release of records about her son's death, an Arizona judge will weigh whether the influencer's right to privacy outweighs the public's right to access. Kiser's 3-year-old son Trigg died on May 18 after days earlier he was pulled from a backyard pool in Chandler, Arizona, police previously confirmed to USA TODAY. In a lawsuit filed in Arizona Superior Court for Maricopa County on May 27, Kiser is pushing to keep records about what the lawsuit referred to as an accidental drowning, out of public view. Kiser's attorneys said in the filing that she and her family "desperately want to grieve in private, but sadly, the public will not let them," adding that her son's death "has become a media frenzy." However, the lawsuit is still slated to go through the court, and a judge could rule to release the records anyway. "It's going to vary from case to case — a ruling like this, it's in the judge's discretion," Craig Weiner, a partner at Blank Rome law firm, told USA TODAY. Emilie Kiser lawsuit Influencer sues to keep records about son Trigg's drowning death private Across the country, documents such as police reports and 911 calls are public record, meaning they must be accessible to the public. The general reason for this is to keep citizens aware of their government, according to the Cornell Legal Information Institute. At the federal level, the Freedom of Information Act requires government agencies to disclose information to the public. Each state, however, has its own laws in place around what kinds of records can be released. In some cases, like Kiser's, individuals can ask a court to seal records that would ordinarily be public. Kiser's lawsuit said more than 100 requests were filed with the City of Chandler and the Maricopa County Medical Examiner's Office for access to public records related to Trigg's death. USA TODAY filed a request on May 15 — three days after the initial drowning call — with the City of Chandler for access to the police report. However, there are stipulations around the release of public records, and police often redact portions of these items. In Arizona, for example, officials can redact parts of video recordings to protect a victim's rights, according to Arizona's legislature. In Arizona, a court can rule to keep public records private if the release could cause "substantial and irreparable private or public harm," according to the Arizona Legislature. Kiser's lawsuit alleges that the records have been requested for "commercial purposes," rather than the purpose of monitoring the government. Arizona law does not consider requesting records for the purposes of news gathering to be a commercial purpose, according to Arizona Ombudsman Citizens' Aide. Influencer privacy Emilie Kiser's son Trigg's death shows how little privacy public figures get The fact that Kiser is an individual with a public persona could likely play into a judge's decision in this case, Weiner told USA TODAY. "The public has an interest in newsworthy events," Weiner said. "This is a high profile person. They are in the news. And what makes it even more, they put themselves out there." Because influencers publicize their lives for the purpose of monetization, Weiner said Kiser's career could be a factor. "I assume that this influencer monetizes their social media," Weiner said. "So to try to claim it that a news story is a commercial purpose, I don't see it." While everyone has a right to privacy, a judge may be more inclined to ensure that right to a private citizen over a public figure like an influencer, Weiner said. "The difference here is what they're sharing," Weiner said. "You can't turn around and say, 'this is affecting my privacy' when you posted a picture of your house and your kids." Still, Weiner said Kiser did the "right thing by going to the judge." "They're concerned that the publication of it will cause all types of stress, emotional distress to to the family, to the parents," Weiner said. The lawsuit says the release of the records would be a "profound invasion of privacy" and cause "irreparable harm" to Kiser's family. Kiser is "going through a parent's worst nightmare right now," the lawsuit said. "Emilie is trying her best to be there for her surviving son, two-month-old Theodore," it said. "But every day is a battle."
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Influencer Sues To Keep 3-Year-Old Son's Death Details Private After TikTok 'Frenzy'
Popular lifestyle influencer Emilie Kiser is suing multiple public offices in Arizona in order to keep details about her 3-year-old son's death private after his accidental drowning became the center of an online 'frenzy.' 'Emilie is trying her best to be there for her surviving son,' who is 2 months old, Kiser's attorneys wrote in a lawsuit filed Tuesday and published by the Arizona Republic. 'But every day is a battle.' Kiser amassed more than 4 million followers on TikTok and 150,000 subscribers on YouTube by regularly showcasing her family's life and her experience of motherhood. Her vlogs, which recently gave a glimpse into her postpartum life, were heartwarming and light, but fans noticed she had stopped posting on May 12. The lawsuit says that her 3-year-old son, Trigg, died on May 18 'following a heartbreaking accidental drowning.' On May 12, he had been pulled unconscious from a pool at the family's home in Chandler, Arizona. Despite Kiser and her family 'desperately' wanting to grieve in private, Trigg's death sparked a 'media frenzy,' according to the lawsuit. In one case, a TikTok user shared a screenshot from the Maricopa County Medical Examiner's website to immediately confirm the 3-year-old's death to his more than 1 million followers. While Kiser received support from her fans, she also received blame from people who obsessively looked through her old videos and promoted an unsubstantiated theory that the influencer had refused to have a pool fence installed. More than 100 public record requests have been filed with both the city of Chandler and the Maricopa County Medical Examiner following Trigg's death, according to the lawsuit, which says Kiser has not reviewed the information contained in these records, but assumes they reveal 'graphic, distressing, and intimate details of Trigg's death.' Her legal team also believes that 'many' people requesting records are doing so for 'commercial purposes.' 'To allow disclosure in these circumstances would be to turn Arizona's Public Records Law into a weapon of emotional harm, rather than a tool of government transparency,' the lawsuit argues. The situation has sparked discussion online, with some commenters pointing to the obsession over Trigg's death as an example of parasocial behavior, a one-sided psychological attachment toward a celebrity or influencer. Wait, What The Heck Is A 'Parasocial Relationship'? Mexican Beauty Influencer Shot To Death During TikTok Livestream President Donald Trump Taps Wellness Influencer Close To RFK Jr. For Surgeon General
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
TikTok influencer sues to keep records about her son's death private
TikTok influencer Emilie Kiser is suing Arizona officials to keep records about her 3-year-old son's death private. Earlier this month, Kiser's eldest son, Trigg, died several days after he was found unconscious in a backyard pool at the family's home in Chandler, about a 30-minute drive southeast of Phoenix, according to local reports. Kiser shares her life as a mom on TikTok where she has four million followers. On Tuesday, Kiser filed a lawsuit against Arizona officials, arguing the disclosure of records related to her son's death 'causes renewed trauma to surviving family members and violates their right to grieve privately.' Kiser 'is going through a parent's worst nightmare right now' after the 'heartbreaking accidental drowning' of her son earlier this month, according to the suit. The toddler died in hospital six days after he was found in the pool, KPNX reported. 'Emilie is trying her best to be there for her surviving son…but every day is a battle,' the lawsuit said. Kiser and husband, Brady, welcomed their second son, Theodore, in March. Since Trigg's death, more than 100 public records requests have been filed with the city of Chandler and the Maricopa County Medical Examiner's Office. "Emilie and her family desperately want to grieve in private, but sadly, the public will not let them. Trigg's death has become a media frenzy,' the suit read. While the suit does acknowledge Arizona's Public Records Law, which gives the public the right to view records maintained by public offices, 'this right of access is not absolute.' Kiser's lawyers argue Arizona law also, 'recognizes that family members have a compelling privacy interest in preventing the disclosure of graphic materials related to a loved one's injuries or death.' Kiser has not posted on TikTok since May 12. The suit names several Arizona public offices, including the city of Chandler, the Chandler Police Department, the Maricopa County Office of the Medical Examiner and the Arizona Department of Health Services. Jason Berry, director of communications for Maricopa County, told NBC News on Thursday, '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.' Berry said court proceedings will determine if the records related to Trigg's death will be permanently sealed.
