Influencer Addresses Backlash Over Toddler Without Life Jacket

Social media influencer Emilie Kiser has issued a public acknowledgment of a water safety mistake after facing intense criticism for allowing her 16-month-old son, Teddy, to ride in a boat without a life jacket during a family vacation last month.

The incident carries particular weight given the family's tragic history. Just over one year ago, in May 2025, Kiser's 3-year-old son, Trigg, was discovered unresponsive in the family's backyard pool. The child was transported to Phoenix Children's Hospital, where he died six days later.

The recent controversy erupted after fellow influencer Madi Curtis posted a compilation video from a June trip to Mallorca, where Kiser, her husband Brady, and their son Teddy traveled alongside Curtis and her family. The footage included a scene showing Teddy aboard a boat without wearing a life jacket, prompting widespread condemnation from online viewers.

Kiser addressed the backlash through an Instagram story, accepting responsibility for the safety oversight. "Our child should have been in his life jacket for the entirety of that boat ride, not even for the few moments that he was out of it," she wrote, according to TMZ.com.

"We are painfully aware that in a matter of seconds, your entire life can change, and we should have done better," Kiser told TMZ.com.

The influencer acknowledged the intensity of public anger directed at her family, attributing it to the belief that her late son should still be alive. She described the emotional toll of the tragedy in her statement, writing that Trigg "was only three years old, and should have lived a lifetime more," according to TMZ.com. "That reality lives with us every moment of every single day," she added.

In her conclusion, Kiser committed to ongoing improvement in child safety practices. "We will continue to do better, advocate for better and, as hard as we try to avoid them, still make mistakes," she told TMZ.com. "We can only promise that we will never stop learning from them and continue loving our children with everything we have."

Earlier this month, Kiser announced she is expecting another child.

The incident underscores ongoing concerns about water safety for young children. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, drowning remains a leading cause of death for children ages 1 to 4, with proper supervision and flotation devices serving as critical preventive measures.