Inside Emilie Kiser’s Bid to Seal Son’s Drowning Report
Zoe Bennett here, a journalistic expert providing a well-researched, analytical take with key insights and data. The facts matter. Here’s what we know so far.
Emilie Kiser has officially moved to redact the Chandler Police Department’s investigative report that examined her husband Brady’s role in the tragic drowning of their three-year-old son, Trigg Kiser. According to court documents obtained by People Magazine on July 31, Emilie’s legal team filed a motion seeking to protect sensitive details from public disclosure, citing fears that the information could be misused in sensational content or manipulated with artificial intelligence.
On May 6, young Trigg was at the family’s Arizona home with his father Brady and newborn brother Theodore when he slipped under in the backyard pool. First responders arrived swiftly and transported Trigg to a local hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries six days later. Initial search warrants published by USA Today affiliate The Arizona Republic indicate that Chandler PD recommended a Class 4 felony charge of child abuse against Brady, based on an alleged lapse of three to five minutes when he lost sight of his son.
However, the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office reviewed surveillance footage from outside the home and concluded on July 25 that the evidence did not meet the burden required for a criminal conviction. “To convict a person of this charge, the state has to prove beyond a reasonable doubt to a unanimous jury that the person failed to perceive a substantial and unjustifiable risk, and that failure was a gross deviation from the standard of care a reasonable person would show,” the county attorney’s statement reads. After evaluating Chandler PD’s submission, the office determined there was “no reasonable likelihood of conviction,” and charges against Brady were dropped.
Emilie’s motion for redaction argues that the contested section of the report “contains information and context that is critical to provide the public a reasonably full understanding of the investigation of the drowning, the police department’s decision to recommend criminal charges, and the county attorney’s decision not to pursue criminal charges,” as stated by attorney Matthew Kelly in the filing published by People Magazine. Yet the filing also stresses concerns that details of the incident—once public—could appear in “disturbing” reenactments or be distorted by AI-enabled platforms, adding layers of anxiety for a grieving family.
In a separate legal action filed in May, Emilie sued several Maricopa County public offices to block the release of additional records related to Trigg’s death, underscoring the family’s broader bid for privacy. Married since 2019, the Kisers welcomed Trigg in July 2021 and Theodore in March 2025, and Emilie has shared many milestones on social media. The couple’s online presence makes the tension between public interest and personal tragedy particularly acute.
As this redaction request moves through the court system, legal observers will watch whether the motion sets a precedent for privacy claims in high-profile family tragedies. For now, the key question remains: will the court grant Emilie’s plea to shield the most sensitive passages of a report that first sparked criminal scrutiny, only to see charges dismissed?
Stay tuned for further developments as the legal process continues and more documents become eligible for release.
Sources: Celebrity Storm and People Magazine, The Arizona Republic, Maricopa County Attorney’s Office, Chandler Police Department, USA Today
Attribution: Creative Commons Licensed
