Emilie Kiser Addresses Backlash Over Her Parenting Mistakes After Son’s Drowning

Emilie Kiser is addressing the criticism she continues to face from followers.

Taking to TikTok on Friday, August 14, the content creator, 27, shared a lengthy video to clear up rumors and address the backlash surrounding her and her husband Brady’s parenting decisions.

Emilie, whose 3-year-old son Trigg died last year after drowning in their backyard pool, began the video by admitting she knew she had “made mistakes” and is “an imperfect person.”

“Our family has been no stranger to tragedy, and how quickly life can change. And that’s really all I can say is that we’re no stranger to the worst possible thing happening,” she said.

Emilie said one of the most hurtful rumors being spread is that she and Brady continue to swim in their backyard pool, where Trigg lost his life.

“We have not, we will not and we do not swim in our swimming pool where our child drowned. I am extremely angry at times and overall just really sad and hurt that this is even something that has been rumored or speculated, but I just want it to be known that that is not something that happens in our backyard, and we are barely able to step foot in our backyard,” she said. “So I really hope that that rumor can just end now that I’m addressing it, because especially in the honor of our son and the way that he tragically lost his life, and even having our son in swim lessons is hard. We do not swim in our swimming pool.”

Emilie clarified that her family does now have a fence around their pool, which she acknowledged some people thought was “too little, too late” after Trigg’s death. She also confirmed that her 17-month-old son, Teddy, undertakes ISR (Infant Swimming Resource) lessons.

In July, Emilie copped heat for allowing Teddy to not wear a life jacket the entire time the family were on a boat despite the tragedy that occurred with Trigg.

In Friday’s TikTok post, Emilie provided further context of how that choice was made but acknowledged it was the wrong move.

“He was fussy, and we decided to take a few moments to calm him down. And we see now that that was a mistake, and that there is no reason ever why a child should be out of a life jacket, which is why I understand that this is an important conversation that is happening around water safety with life jackets,” she said. “Because even though in the moment it seemed like the right thing to do for our child, I understand that anything could have happened and something could have gone wrong.”

Emilie also spoke candidly and in depth about the mental toll it has taken to have the public judge her every move, even though she is trying to become a better parent moving forward.

“I am exhausted, and it is impossible to prove to people who want to see nothing but the worst in you that you have good intentions, or that you are telling the truth, or that those things are not true,” she said.

Emilie added, “I know that there are always going to be people who are going to take everything I say and twist it, and that has scared me for a long time, especially the last year. I feel like I can’t say anything right. I can’t do anything right. I can’t talk about my grief because if I talk about my grief, then people think I’m doing it with the wrong intentions, or I’m trying to monetize off of it.”