Influencer Emilie Kiser slammed for letting her toddler ride on a boat without a life jacket one year after her son drowned in pool

Influencer Emilie Kiser has apologized after her 16-month-old son was filmed sitting on a moving boat without wearing a life jacket during a family vacation in Spain, just over a year after the tragic drowning death of her three-year-old son, Trigg.

The since-deleted video, originally shared by fellow influencer Madi Curtis, showed toddler Theodore "Teddy" Kiser aboard a recreational boat alongside his father, Brady Kiser. At points during the footage, Teddy is not wearing a life jacket, despite Spanish law requiring children under the age of 13 to wear one while on the deck of moving recreational boats.

The clip quickly spread across social media, prompting widespread criticism from viewers who questioned why additional water safety precautions had not been taken, particularly given the family's recent tragedy. In 2025, the couple's eldest son, Trigg, died after drowning in the family's backyard swimming pool in Arizona. Police previously said the three-year-old had been left unsupervised for more than nine minutes before being discovered in the water.

Investigators also found the family's pool was not surrounded by a safety fence and that its protective cover was not in place at the time. Emilie Kiser had been away from the home at the time, and Brady Kiser had been inside the home watching an NBA playoff game that he had placed a $25 bet on while the child was outside unsupervised.

Following the backlash, Kiser posted a lengthy public apology acknowledging the mistake. "We are painfully aware that in a matter of seconds, your entire life can change, and we should have done better," she wrote. Kiser, who is currently pregnant with the couple's third child, thanked followers for their concern while acknowledging the emotional reaction many had to seeing the footage.

"We recognize the deep level of anger and hurt. It comes from the belief that Trigg should still be here, and we share that same belief more than can be expressed," she wrote. "He was only three years old and should have lived a lifetime more. That reality lives with us every moment of every single day."

The influencer concluded by promising her family would continue learning from the incident. "We can only promise that we will never stop learning from them and continue loving our children with everything we have." The apology prompted a wave of support from many followers, with some urging others to show compassion toward a family still grieving.

Last month, Kiser gave her first interview since Trigg's death, telling podcaster Jay Shetty she had chosen to focus on being the best mother she could be for Teddy despite the overwhelming grief. "I can either let this completely derail me... or I can do everything in my power to be the best mom I possibly can for him," she said.