The 3-year-old son of popular lifestyle influencer, Emilie Kiser, died from a drowning incident at the family’s home in Chandler, Arizona.
Emergency responders were called out to the home around 6 p.m. on May 12 after an incident in the family’s backyard pool where they allegedly found the boy, Trigg, unresponsive. The child was taken to Chandler Regional Medical Center before he was transferred to Phoenix Children’s Hospital in critical condition. He died just six days later, according to media reporting.
Local authorities will be investigating this tragic incident.
Kiser, 26, got her start on TikTok where she posted videos and photos of her growing family — including Trigg and a second child, Theodore, born in March 2025 — to her millions of followers. She gained popularity by posting about her family, giving advice on motherhood and nutrition, and giving various other tips.
Drowning is the leading cause of death for children between the ages of 1 to 4 years old in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In Florida, enough children die every year from drowning to fill several preschool classrooms. In fact, Florida has historically had high drowning rates for children and has consistently ranked among the highest states for these incidents, especially for children under 5 years old.
Leesfield & Partners
Leesfield & Partners is a personal injury law firm with more than 48 years of experience across various practice areas in Florida, including premises liability and drowning cases. In 2023, at least 97 children drowned in the state, according to the Florida Department of Health. These incidents primarily occurred in swimming pools. There were about 60 drowning deaths in the state for the first half of 2024, according to the latest available data. Of the 60 people who tragically lost their lives, about 46 of them were children. Drowning remains the leading cause of death for children under 5 years old.
Childhood drowning remains a critical concern in Florida, a state that draws millions of tourists each year. Among them, nearly 5 million make their way to Key West—home to one of Leesfield & Partners’ three offices, located on historic Whitehead Street. As summer nears and visitors begin their annual return, Leesfield & Partners recognizes the vital importance of drowning prevention strategies: swim instruction, secure pool environments and constant supervision of young children.
Tragically, for some families, even these precautions are not enough — turning what should be a joyful vacation into a devastating and preventable loss.
Leesfield & Partners obtained a historic settlement in a case involving a swimming pool incident at a Hotel Resort Orlando in Osceola County. In that case, our client’s son was swimming when he was caught in the suction of the pool’s drain. The child could not be removed because the hotel failed to have an emergency shut off switch.
For nearly 10 minutes, our client’s child remained underwater. As a result, he was later diagnosed with brain damage that would require life-long medical care. This case, which was handled by Founder and Managing Partner, Ira Leesfield, is the largest result of its kind in Osceola County.
In another tragic drowning case, a husband and father lost his wife and two young children after the U.S. Navy failed to maintain its pier in a safe condition. This case, also handled by Mr. Leesfield, resulted in a $2.95 million wrongful death award for the grieving father.
Previously, the firm secured a seven-figure settlement for a family whose toddler drowned in South Florida. In that case, an inadequately installed child safety fence around the pool was found at the home.
Water Safety Tips
- Keep toys away from the pool when not in use to prevent children from falling into the water when potentially trying to reach for them.
- Always completely remove a pool cover before jumping in to use the pool
- Make sure all external doors leading to a pool area or body of water like a lake or ocean are equipped with proper locks and alarms that way, even if a child manages to unlock the door, you will know that it has been opened.
- Dress children in brightly colored swimsuits so that, if the unthinkable happens, they are easier to spot in the water.
- Never leave a child unattended near a body of water.
- Children who cannot swim should always wear a life vest and be in the water with an adult.
- All pools should be equipped with child safety fences and locks.
- Invest in swimming classes and water safety courses for children and adults. No one expects tragedy but knowing what to do in case of an emergency can save a life.
- Take a CPR course to know what to do in case of an emergency.