A heavy cloud still hangs over the Kiser family, as new details have emerged about the tragic drowning of 3-year-old Trigg Kiser. These insights come from the recently released, redacted police report.
The official documents, made public by a prominent news outlet on Friday, August 8, lay out the heartbreaking events that unfolded on May 18. That day, young Trigg was pulled unconscious from a swimming pool at his influencer parents’ home in Arizona.
Unraveling the Timeline
The Chandler police report highlighted a stark contrast. There were clear differences between what security camera footage showed and Brady Kiser’s first memory of the incident. While some details from the security recordings were kept private, the report firmly stated several critical facts. The pool was not secured when the tragedy occurred. Also, the young boy was not properly supervised while playing outside near the open pool. He did not know how to swim.
The police report made it clear that Trigg left the house without an adult watching him. Brady, Trigg’s father, was “aware” his son was playing alone in the backyard.
Brady, 28, told the officers who arrived after his 911 call that Trigg had been out of his sight for about “three minutes” or “five minutes.” He then spotted Trigg in the pool and immediately jumped in to pull him out. Brady emphasized to an officer, “I didn’t have a watch, obviously, I don’t know the exact time, but it was moments, it wasn’t minutes, it was moments, it’s not like he had been out of sight for a long time.”
However, the police report pointed out that the security videos did not line up with Brady’s account. These inconsistencies included how long Trigg was actually outside before Brady checked on him. Brady also described situations that the surveillance camera didn’t record, such as seeing Trigg “playing in the grass.” Because of these mismatches, officers conducted a second interview with Brady.
After this second discussion, the police report drew a clear conclusion. It stated: “This tragic incident was the result of [Trigg] being in the backyard unsupervised while playing around the unsecured pool and not knowing how to swim. The video clearly shows that he did not intentionally enter the water, but tripped and fell while playing with an inflatable chair.”
Emilie Kiser, Brady Kiser and Trigg Kiser Courtesy of Emilie Kiser/Instagram
The Critical Minutes
The Chandler Police Department’s detailed conclusion laid out a precise timeline. Trigg was in the backyard from 6:29:42 PM until Brady found him in the pool at 6:39:00 PM. This means Trigg was unsupervised in the backyard for over nine minutes. Even more chilling, he was in the water from 6:32:15 PM until 6:39:07 PM, about seven minutes. The report concluded that Brady’s attention was clearly divided, and he failed to watch Trigg during these vital moments. During both interviews, Brady couldn’t say what Trigg was doing right before he fell. He also didn’t see Trigg struggle in the water.
Both Brady and Emilie, 26, provided statements to the Chandler Police Department about Trigg’s swimming abilities. They both noted his limited skills. Brady told police that Trigg had taken some lessons. He explained Trigg “knows how to kick his feet and move his arms… but he’s not skilled.” He also mentioned that his son “knows not to get in the water without us.”
Emilie also confirmed Trigg had attended some classes. However, she said he “didn’t fully know how to swim.” She added that he knew “how to swim toward us and how to climb the wall, but where he fell, there was no wall.”
Safety Lapses Identified
The police documents also highlighted several safety concerns at the Kiser home. There was no cover securing the pool at the time of the incident. Brady and Emilie told police they typically use a “Katchakid” safety net. However, it was not installed that day. The documents also noted there were four access doors leading to the backyard. None of these doors had working alarm systems that would sound if opened. Furthermore, none of them were self-closing, and one door appeared to be broken.
Emilie, Brady and Trigg Kiser Courtesy of Emilie Kiser/Instagram
No Charges to Be Filed
The Chandler Police Department ultimately referred the case to the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office. They asked for a review for child abuse with claims of criminal negligence.
The report’s reasoning for this referral was direct: “This conclusion is based on several factors. Brady knew the pool net was not in place. He knew [Trigg] was in the backyard and did not know how to swim. Video evidence shows [Trigg] was unsupervised in the backyard for over nine minutes. He was in the water for about seven of those minutes. Brady’s statements do not match what is seen in the video. He did not accurately describe a single thing he did after going outside. This leads to the conclusion that Brady was not aware of what [Trigg] was doing. He was not watching him. The mix of these factors caused the drowning. Fixing any one of these issues could have prevented this outcome.”
However, the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office released a statement on July 25. They announced that Brady would not face child abuse charges. This decision came after a thorough review of the evidence, as they determined there was “no likelihood of conviction.”
“All cases presented to the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office are judged by the same rule,” the statement further explained. “This rule asks if there is a ‘reasonable likelihood of conviction.’ After closely looking at the evidence from the Chandler Police Department, it was decided this case did not meet that rule. The office’s review included assigned lawyers, very experienced senior lawyers, and the county attorney herself.”
Brady’s lawyer, Flynn Carey, addressed the case update. He shared a statement with several news outlets at the time. “We thank the authorities and the county attorney’s office,” the statement read. “They did a full investigation and confirmed this was a tragic accident. Brady is still deeply grieving. He is thankful to be with his family as they heal together. We are grateful for the kindness and support shown during this hard time.”