MARINETTE (NBC 26) — In court Thursday afternoon a judge sets a cash bond of $500,000 for Tylor Birch, the man charged in connection to the drowning death of a 13-year-old boy in Marinette. Birch appeared in a Marinette County courtroom via Zoom from the Marinette County Jail on Thursday. He is charged with second-degree reckless homicide.
See Birch's first court appearance since his arrest in the video below:
"I can't imagine something more serious than this," Judge James Morrison said in court. "A human life was lost in this activity."
Morrison honored the district attorney's request for the $500,000 bond, despite Birch (a former McDonald's employee) telling the judge he could only afford $5,000. If released on bond, the court ordered the defendant to be completely sober and have no contact with the victim's family or other minors, including the 16-year-old boy who was also at the scene of the drowning according to police.
According to a criminal complaint filed in the case, the 16-year-old boy (identified only as "P.C.") told detectives that he and Birch grabbed Bowerman by the hands and feet and "Swung him off the edge," of a Marinette pier.
Marinette County District Attorney DeShea Morrow said in court P.C. and Birch did try to help Bowerman as he drowned.
"But that doesn't change what they did to start this process which resulted in the death of the victim," Morrow said.
Judge Morrison said, if the information provided by investigators is true, "This was a completely reckless and completely preventable death."
Birch is scheduled to appear in court again Sep. 22.
According to a criminal complaint filed in the case, Birch initially told police that Bowerman had jumped into the water voluntarily, even though he was fully clothed. But later, he allegedly told a detective that Bowerman had been pushed.
Also on the scene of the drowning was a 16-year-old boy identified only as "P.C." Birch told detectives he wasn't sure who pushed Bowerman off the pier, according to the complaint.
However, according to the complaint, P.C. told detectives that he and Birch grabbed Bowerman by the hands and feet and "swung him off the edge, into the water."
Police records show family, friends, and the 16-year-old boy who was there the night of Bowerman's death all say he could not swim.
Earlier this week, the Marinette community gathered for a candlelight vigil to honor the late 13-year-old Jakob Bowerman, at Government Pier. His family believes the drowning was not an accident.
Noah Cornelius was there and met some of those who knew Jakob personally.
Jakob died on Aug. 23, three days after police and first responders rescued him from the water near the Marinette pier on Aug. 20.
The vigil drew profound sadness from the entire Marinette community.
It didn't matter if they were young or old, man or women, or whether they knew Jakob or not.
Aiden Teasdele, a 12-year-old friend of Jakob, was among those mourning at the pier where the vigil was held.
"It feels sad that Jakob died. I felt like no one should go through this at all. Anymore," Teasdele said through tears.
Jakob's mother, Taylor Singer, described her son as someone who brought joy to others despite facing challenges.
"He would always make you laugh, he'd make you cry from laughing so hard. He was just my baby, the perfect kid," Singer said.
Singer said her son had been bullied throughout his life because he was autistic and had a speech impediment. She said Jakob could not swim and would never have entered the water voluntarily.
"Jakob wouldn't jump into that water. I got a call the next day saying that what those kids said were not true, that he was actually pushed into the water," Singer said.
Marinette police arrested a 16-year-old boy and 21-year-old Birch on Monday in connection with the drowning.
Singer said her son had only known the 16-year-old for a couple of days before the incident and didn't know the adult suspect at all.
Rhiannon Singer, Jakob's cousin, described him as "the sweetest little boy I've ever met" and also said he had a fear of water.
"He had a fear of the water and he couldn't swim, so he would not just willingly go out there and jump in the water," Rhiannon Singer said.
The family believes Jakob's death resulted from bullying and is seeking justice.
"We want justice for Jakob, justice for any other child that is being bullied. God forbid, we don't want anything like this to ever happen to somebody. No parent should ever have to bury their child," Rhiannon Singer said.
Melissa Barber helped organize the vigil, saying she just wanted to stand up for the community and set an example.
"My son's actually autistic too. Him and Jakob both suffer from Asperger's. He befriended Jakob immediately, and he was so happy because he has a hard time making friends," Barber said.
Police say the drowning incident took place just after 1:30 p.m. on Aug. 20 at the Government Pier in Marinette. Officers retrieved the 13-year-old boy from the water and emergency workers attempted lifesaving efforts. Bowerman was later taken to a hospital in Green Bay, where he died on Saturday.
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