Mom influencer Emilie Kiser has apologized and said her family will “do better” after a video appeared to show her 16-month-old son, Teddy, without a life jacket while on a boat during a family vacation in Spain.

The video, which was reportedly posted and later removed by Kiser’s friend and fellow influencer Madi Curtis, sparked criticism online after viewers noticed Teddy sitting near his father, Brady Kiser, without a life jacket during the boat trip.

Curtis’ daughter was also reportedly seen without a life jacket in the clip, while her young son appeared to be wearing one.

The incident drew additional attention because of the family’s previous experience with a tragic water-related accident involving their older son, Trigg, who died at age 3 in 2025 after being found in the family’s backyard pool in Arizona.

Kiser, who is pregnant with the couple’s third child and has millions of followers across TikTok and Instagram, addressed the criticism in a statement shared on social media.

“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,” Kiser wrote. “We are painfully aware that in a matter of seconds, your entire life can change, and we should have done better.”

She also thanked supporters for their concern for her children while acknowledging the strong emotions directed toward her family.

Kiser said the family would continue learning from its mistakes and work to improve the ways they protect their children.

Since the loss of her son, Kiser has spoken publicly about the importance of water safety and encouraged parents to take additional precautions around pools and other bodies of water.

During a recent interview, she discussed measures parents can consider, including installing pool barriers, enrolling children in swimming lessons, and using brightly colored swimwear that can make young children easier to spot in the water.

Water safety experts also emphasized the importance of using multiple layers of protection when young children are around water.

Megan Ferraro, executive director of the ZAC Foundation, said Kiser has an opportunity to use her large platform to promote awareness about water safety and safe parenting practices.

She added that drowning remains a major risk for young children and encouraged families to take every available safety precaution seriously.

The controversy has since renewed discussions online about the importance of life jackets and close supervision whenever young children are near pools, boats, or other bodies of water.