MARINETTE (NBC 26) — Two people have been arrested in connection with the drowning death of 13-year-old Jakob Bowerman, who died three days after being pulled from the Menominee River in what his family believes was not an accident.
Watch Kyle Langellier's full story here:
Jakob died on Aug. 23, three days after police and first responders rescued him from the water near the Marinette pier on Aug. 20.
"He would always make you laugh, he'd make you cry from laughing so hard. He was just my baby, the perfect kid," said Taylor Singer, Jakob's mother.
Singer told me her son had been bullied throughout his life because he is autistic and has 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 a 21-year-old man on Monday in connection with the drowning. Police have not released the suspects' names or specified what charges they face as the investigation continues.
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.
A candlelight vigil organized by friends of the family will be held at the pier on Wednesday night.
