Internet star Emilie Kiser admitted she regrets not installing a fence around their pool because it ‘could have saved’ her toddler’s life.
Kiser, a popular mommy blogger, broke her silence Thursday in a lengthy social media post detailing the unimaginable pain she and her family have experienced since her son Trigg, three, drowned in their backyard pool back in May in Chandler, Arizona.
Earlier this month, distressing details emerged in a police report surrounding Trigg’s death, stating that his father and Kiser’s husband Brady admitted he placed a $25 bet on an NBA game at the time of the fatal drowning.
In the statement, which did not mention Brady by name once, Kiser, 26, said: ‘I take full accountability as Trigg’s mother, and I know I should have done more to protect him.
‘One of the hardest lessons I carry is that a permanent pool fence could have saved his life, and it’s something I will never overlook again.’
Kiser was not home at the time of the horrid incident.
Brady, 28, was looking after both Trigg and the couple’s newborn son, Theodore, at the time while she was out with friends.
According to a report from Chandler Police Department, Brady told officers he had lost sight of the youngster for three to five minutes.
Police said video evidence showed that the boy was left unsupervised for over nine minutes ‘and in the water for about 7 of those minutes.’
Due to the severity of his condition, Trigg was initially rushed to a nearby hospital, then later airlifted to Phoenix Children’s Hospital for specialized care.
In her statement, Kiser, who has not posted since the beginning of May, called her late son ‘our baby and our best friend.’
‘The light and spirit he brought into this world was bright, pure, joyful and undeniable. We miss him every second of every day and continuing forward often feels unbearable,’ she continued.
The influencer went on to mention that through the death of her son, she hopes his ‘story will prevent other children and families from suffering the same loss.’
She went on to thank her family, friends and supporters for the ‘outpouring of love’ they have received.
‘In the future, I hope to be in a place to show more about how I am navigating this grief, but fight now, all I can say is thank you for the love, compassion, patience and space you’ve given us to grieve. I am more grateful for it than can ever be expressed,’ Kiser added.
This is a breaking news story. Updates to follow.