MARINETTE – A 16-year-old Kaukauna teenager has pleaded not guilty to second-degree reckless homicide charges related to the drowning death of 13-year-old Jakob Bowerman who was pushed off a Marinette pier in late August.
The Kaukauna teenager, whose name is not being published due to his age, is being tried as an adult, according to Marinette County Court records. At a Jan. 7 arraignment, he was charged with felony D reckless homicide as a party to the alleged crime. A status conference is scheduled for March 17 at 11 a.m.
The teenager was allegedly with Tylor Birch, 21, of Marinette who earlier was charged with second-degree reckless homicide in Bowerman’s drowning.
At a Dec. 18 hearing, where Birch was represented by attorney Scott Stebbins, the court found probable cause a felony was committed. Judge Jim Morrison issued an Order for Commitment-Incompetency for Birch. The next hearing in the Birch case is scheduled for March 20 at 8:30 a.m.
If found guilty of second-degree reckless homicide, a Class D felony, both men could be sentenced to up to 25 years imprisonment and a $100,000 fine, according to Wisconsin guidelines.
The Kaukauna teen is being represented by Attorney Nicole A Morley. Marinette County District Attorney DeShea Morrow is representing the State of Wisconsin in both cases.
At Dec. 5 hearing for the Kaukauna teenager, where Judge Nancy Kallgren presided, the court imposed a $100,000 cash bond in the case on condition the teenager would sign a waiver of extradition and continue his schooling. He also was prohibited from using alcohol or controlled substances, “including THC anywhere in the world.” He was to have no contact with the victim’s family or co-defendant.
According to the Marinette Police Department, the drowning occurred after officers responded to a call at 1:33 p.m. Aug. 20, 2025, near the pier, where they saw the body and entered the water from both sides of the river. Emergency Medical Services and Fire Rescue also responded to the call, police said.
Police and fire personnel brought the victim onto a boat and began life-saving efforts as he was transported to the Menekaunee Harbor boat landing where EMS was standing by.
Bowerman was taken to Aurora Medical Center-Bay Area and later airlifted to St. Vincent’s Hospital in Green Bay, according to his mother, Taylor Singer of Marinette.
Police said the teen died “as a result of the incident.”
Bowerman died on Aug. 23 after being taken off life support at a Green Bay hospital, Singer told a reporter. He was the victim of bullying, she said, adding that the incident wasn’t just horseplay.
Birch and the 16-year-old allegedly grabbed Bowerman’s hands and feet and swung him into the water near the Government Pier in Marinette not far from the mouth of the Menominee River, she said.
Singer said Bowerman was her oldest and was about to enter eighth grade at Marinette School District.
“He was the sweetest boy ever. He was always happy. He’s the best big brother ever,” she said, referring to her other children ages 11, seven and one.
Singer said the waves were high the day of the incident. “There were four-foot waves that day. He couldn’t swim. He could kind of stay afloat. If there were not waves, it wouldn’t have been as bad. The waves were crashing over the pier that day,” Singer said.
“I got the call that my son was at the hospital. The cops said the two knew Jakob couldn’t swim. They lost sight of him,” she said. “After he got airlifted to Green Bay, I told the police there’s no way he would have been in the water because he can’t swim.”
According to Singer, police said based on camera footage, it appeared the 13-year-old was pushed into the water with his clothes and shoes on. She said her son was acquainted with the 16-year-old, but not the 21-year-old.
Singer wrote to her friends in a Facebook post, “Please talk [to] your kids about bullying. Jakob did not deserve this! Please please please keep us in your thoughts and prayers through this hard time.”
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