Settlement

Published on: September 4, 2025

‘It’s a Pain, Heartache, and Void:’ Influencer Speaks Out Publicly for the First Time Since Son’s Tragic Drowning.

Emilie Kiser, the well-known social media and lifestyle influencer, has released a public statement, the first since her 3-year-old son, Trigg, drowned in the family’s backyard pool.

“Loss of this magnitude feels impossible to put into words,” Kiser said in a statement to her nearly 2 million Instagram followers. “I’ve spent days, weeks, months trying to find them and also take the time I’ve needed to digest the loss of my baby.”

Trigg died at the hospital after being in critical condition for several days following an incident at the family’s home in Chandler, Arizona, on May 12. Emergency responders were called out to the home around 6 p.m. after the boy was found unresponsive in the pool. He was rushed to Chandler Regional Medical Center before being transferred to Phoenix Children’s Hospital in critical condition.

Published on: September 2, 2025

One Dead After Ocean Testing of Vessel Goes Awry. What to Know.

By Leesfield & Partners

At least one person has died in Pinellas County after a sea trial resulted in a crash, according to the sheriff’s office.

Deputies were called out around 2:35 p.m. to the area of 9600 Bay Pines Boulevard after getting reports of the crash. The boat allegedly crashed into Stebbins Island and ejected its operator, 56-year-old Pal Pataki, of Clearwater, Florida.

Pataki was pronounced dead at the scene.

Published on: June 25, 2025

Driver in Fatal November 2024 Florida Keys Boat Crash Faces Charges, police say. What Happened?

By Leesfield & Partners

The driver in a fatal boat crash that ejected at least six people in the Florida Keys faces charges related to a woman’s death nearly seven months later, according to reporting from local media.

Reinaldo Aquit, 48, of Miami Beach, was charged Friday with vessel homicide and eight other misdemeanors. The misdemeanor charges had not been released as of Monday morning, though jail records show that three are related to public order crimes, such as reckless operation of a vessel, and three are related to health and safety.

Stephanie Rodriguez, 28, of Hialeah, was among the passengers on the boat the day of the crash. She died from her injuries. Rodriguez was “kind, loving, and playful,” according to a GoFundMe page that was started to help provide support to her family in the wake of her death.

Published on: June 16, 2025

Child Hospitalized after Near-Drowning Incident in Fort Lauderdale Pool. What to Know.

By Leesfield & Partners

A child was hospitalized after being resuscitated Sunday from a near-drowning incident at a Fort Lauderdale pool, according to media.

First responders were called out to 6001 NW 6^th Way, an Extended Stay America, for a call about a drowning. Paramedics performed CPR on the minor and the child was said to be alert and breathing when he was transferred to the Broward Health Medical Center.

Additional information, including how this happened and how old the child is, were not immediately available Monday.

Published on: June 3, 2025

Influencer’s Son Drowns at Family Home in Arizona. What to Know.

By Leesfield & Partners

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.

Published on: May 27, 2025

Key West International Airport’s Concourse A is Ready for Takeoff. What to Know.

By Leesfield & Partners

Key West International Airport’s Concourse A opens after more than two years of construction, according to local media.

The two-year project’s completion to the direct service airport that offers transport to 24 cities means additional amenities for travelers including worktables, charging stations, concessions and free Wi-Fi. The concourse spans over 48,800 square feet and features a single-story concrete building with modern, clear story windows and a curtain wall system to “allow natural lighting and give a sense of transparency,” according to an airport press release. The concourse will expand the airport’s concession opportunities. A new, extended passenger bridge will connect the existing landside terminal building to Concourse A.

The airport is “completely prepared” to brave category 5 hurricanes and sea level rise, according to local media.

Published on: May 19, 2025

Fire breaks out at Florida Keys Boatyard. What to Know.

By Leesfield & Partners

A fire broke out at the Unique Marine boatyard in Tavernier Wednesday, damaging several vessels, according to the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office.

The blaze was reported at around 2:35 a.m. Wednesday, MCSO officials said in an online press release. No injuries were reported in this incident.

Photos from the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office show a vessel engulfed in flames after a fire broke out at

Published on: May 15, 2025

Naples Family Sues Airbnb After Son’s Carbon Monoxide Death. What to Know.

By Leesfield & Partners

A Naples family is suing Airbnb after their son, 24, died from carbon monoxide poisoning at a Brazilian rental apartment.

Sebastian Mejia had spent the last eight months studying indigenous communities aboard while pursuing his master’s degree at New York University. The young student already had a bachelor’s degree in Latin American and Caribbean studies and international affairs alongside a minor in Portuguese.

He died while at the Rio de Janeiro Airbnb on Oct. 5, 2022. Rosa Martinez, Mejia’s mother, told reporters that a faulty gas water heater inside the bathroom where he was showering is to blame for the toxic gas in the air, WSVN reported this week. Martinez added that the water heater was installed “apparently” without the proper permission or maintenance. In addition to the improper installation, the exhaust pipe on the water heater was allegedly damaged, her lawsuit claims.

Published on: February 26, 2025

Couple, Pet, Rescued from Choppy Florida Waters. Here’s What You Should Know to Stay Safe.

By Leesfield & Partners

Two boaters and their dog were left clinging to the hull of their sinking boat in the St. Augustine Inlet after rough waters caused the vessel to flip, according to authorities.

“They had life jackets onboard, but the boat flipped so fast they couldn’t get to them in time,” officials from the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office told reporter with the Miami Herald about the daring, Feb. 15 rescue. “The female onboard was able to call 911. It [took] about 10 to 15 minutes for us to locate them.”

The couple was spotted around 3 p.m. and videos of their harrowing ordeal show the boat almost completely submerged at some points.

Published on: November 19, 2024

Police: Human Head on Key Biscayne Belongs to Teen Caught in Rip Current

By Leesfield & Partners

Authorities confirmed over the weekend that the human head that washed ashore on Key Biscayne belonged to a teen who went missing off Miami Beach a week before after being caught in a rip current.

Victor Enrique Castaneda Jr., 19, was swimming with his sister off South Pointe Beach on Nov. 9 around 6 p.m. when the two were caught up in a rip current. They yelled for help and passersby were able to rescue Castaneda’s sister, but he seemed to vanish in the water, according to reporting from The Miami Herald. His older sister, Jessica Castaneda, told reporters that her brother pushed their younger sister toward shore in an effort to save her as the pair struggled against the currents.

On Nov. 12, a human head washed up on the beach in front of Oceansound Key Colony II condominium at 251 Crandon Blvd on Key Biscayne. The remains were found by a beach maintenance worker before 8:40 a.m.