Social Influencer Emilie Kiser Files Lawsuit to Block Release of Public Records After Son’s Drowning Tragedy: Arizona Court Issues Temporary Ban

By May 27, Kiser had turned to the courts for help—filing a lawsuit in Maricopa County Superior Court aimed at blocking the release of public records related to her son’s death. The family’s legal battle spotlights a critical—and often controversial—question at the crossroads of privacy, press freedom, and open government: When should public records remain confidential, even in cases that grip the public’s attention?

The Legal Fight: What’s at Stake

Kiser’s lawsuit, filed with the assistance of attorney Kevin O’Malley, seeks to prohibit the disclosure of documents typically considered public: police reports, 911 recordings, and scene photographs from the day of the drowning. According to the complaint, neither Kiser nor her legal team have reviewed these materials, but they fear that the contents are “exceptionally raw and graphic,” and that their release would “intrude upon personal dignity or cause unnecessary harm” to the grieving family.

The complaint further details Kiser’s struggle to care for her surviving infant son, Theodore, while facing “a media frenzy” that, in the words of her legal team, has robbed the family of a private space to mourn.