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Drownings

Police report reveals what led to Emilie Kiser's son's death. See full case timeline.

Portrait of Melina Khan Melina Khan
USA TODAY
Aug. 11, 2025, 3:12 p.m. ET

Despite a monthslong fight to conceal records about Trigg Kiser's death, a partially redacted police report detailing the moments before Emilie Kiser's son fell into the family's pool and drowned has been released.

Trigg Kiser died on May 18 in what court documents called an accidental drowning. He had been pulled from a backyard pool in Chandler, Arizona, six days earlier, police previously confirmed to USA TODAY.

In the months since, the Kiser family has faced both a lawsuit and a possible felony child abuse charge against Brady Kiser, the boy's father.

Meantime, Emilie Kiser, a social media influencer with millions of followers, has not spoken publicly about her son's death and has gone silent across her accounts.

The lawsuit and criminal case have now both ostensibly been resolved. Here's a look at the full timeline.

May 12: Trigg Kiser hospitalized after being pulled from pool

On May 12, police officers in Chandler, Arizona, responded to a home around 7 p.m. local time and found a 3-year-old boy unconscious after being pulled from a backyard pool, Sonu Wasu, CPD's public information officer told USA TODAY May 15.

Officers and firefights administered CPR to the boy, later identified as Trigg Kiser. He was taken to Chandler Regional Hospital and later flown to Phoenix Children's Hospital where he was in critical condition after the incident.

May 13: Police file search warrant for surveillance video

Chandler police filed search warrant applications to obtain video surveillance from two outdoor cameras in the backyard of the Kiser's home.

The applications included sworn police affidavits detailing an interview with Brady Kiser about the moments leading up to Trigg falling into the pool.

Brady Kiser told police he was home alone with the couple's two sons when he lost sight of Trigg for three to five minutes before finding the boy floating in the pool, according to the applications. Emilie Kiser was out with friends at the time.

May 18: Trigg Kiser dies

Trigg Kiser died on May 18 after being hospitalized for six days, Wasu said in a statement.

"Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with the child's family and loved ones during this unimaginable time," the statement said.

May 27: Emilie Kiser files lawsuit

Attorneys for Emilie Kiser filed a lawsuit in Maricopa County Superior Court on May 27 to prevent the release of public documents related to Trigg Kiser's death.

The lawsuit said more than 100 requests were filed with the City of Chandler and the Maricopa County Medical Examiner’s Office for access to public records related to Trigg Kiser's death. USA TODAY filed a request on May 15 with the City of Chandler for access to the police report.

Emilie Kiser's attorneys said in the filing that she and her family "desperately want to grieve in private, but sadly, the public will not let them," adding that her son's death "has become a media frenzy."

Gallagher & Kennedy, the firm representing Kiser, has not responded to USA TODAY's requests for comment.

June 3: Public records lawsuit in court

The first hearing in Kiser's lawsuit was held on June 3.

As a result of the hearing, the parties in the case agreed to an interim order prohibiting the dissemination of the public records in question, according to court filings obtained by USA TODAY. The order is meant in part to "prevent the premature public release of sensitive materials," according to the filing.

Kiser's attorneys also filed a notice to dismiss some agencies from the lawsuit, and the court sealed a declaration Kiser wrote about this case.

July 15: Police recommend felony child abuse charge

On July 15, the Chandler Police Department said in a statement that investigators recommended prosecutors charge Brady Kiser with a class 4 felony child abuse charge "following a thorough review of the evidence."

A class 4 felony child abuse charge means a person who is in custody of a child or vulnerable adult acted with criminal negligence in situations where physical harm or death is likely, according to Arizona law.

Criminal negligence is when "a person fails to perceive a substantial and unjustifiable risk that the result will occur or that the circumstance exists," according to Arizona law.

July 25: Prosecutor announces Brady Kiser won't face charges

Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell announced in a news release on July 25 that Brady Kiser will not be charged in Trigg's death.

"Every case submitted to the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office is evaluated using the same standard: whether there is a 'reasonable likelihood of conviction,'" the release said. "After careful review of the evidence submitted by Chandler PD, it was determined this case does not meet that standard."

Aug. 7: Judge orders redacted police report can be released

A Maricopa County Superior Court judge on Aug. 7 granted the release of a partially redacted police report describing Trigg's death.

The report, which was obtained by The Arizona Republic, part of the USA TODAY Network, said police concluded that Trigg accidentally fell into the pool after tripping and falling on an inflatable chair.

Trigg had gone outside after eating dinner when his father lost sight of the boy, according to statements Brady Kiser made to police.

"I don't know the exact time, but it was moments," Brady Kiser recalled of how long the boy was unsupervised. "It wasn't minutes, it was moments. It wasn't that he had been out of sight for long."

Surveillance video showed that Trigg was outside alone for 10 minutes and in the water for seven, according to the report.

Brady Kiser was watching a NBA playoff game when the incident occurred, police said. Cell phone data showed he placed a sports bet on the game.

"Brady's statements do not match what is seen on the video," an officer wrote in the report.

A cover that is typically on the pool was off because the family had recently used the pool and a service company was coming the following day, Brady Kiser said.

Both Emilie and Brady Kiser told police that Trigg had taken some swim lessons but only minimally knew how to swim.

Police said in the report that they recommended the child abuse charge because Brady Kiser knew the pool was uncovered and Trigg didn't know how to swim.

Melina Khan is a national trending reporter for USA TODAY. She can be reached at [email protected]

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