Wisconsin Teen to Be Charged as Adult After 13-Year-Old Boy With Autism Was Thrown Off Pier and Drowned, Prosecutors Say
MARINETTE, WISCONSIN — A 16-year-old Wisconsin boy will be charged as an adult months after a 13-year-old boy with autism drowned when he was allegedly thrown off a pier by two older individuals, prosecutors announced this week. The victim, Jakob Bowerman, died on Aug. 23, days after he was thrown into the water from the Government Pier in Marinette despite telling the teens he could not swim.
According to Marinette County prosecutors, 16-year-old Peyton Carnot and 21-year-old Tylor Birch grabbed Bowerman by his arms and legs and swung him into the water on Aug. 20. The decision to charge Carnot as an adult follows an investigation that revealed the teens’ initial statements to police were false.
Investigation Revealed the Teens Threw the Boy Despite His Protests
A criminal complaint obtained by local station WLUK said that the suspects initially told authorities that all three individuals had jumped into the water together. They claimed that once they saw Bowerman struggling, they tried to help him back to shore, and that Carnot even ran to call 911.
But as the investigation moved forward, details began to shift.
According to the complaint, Carnot eventually admitted that he and Birch deliberately threw Bowerman into the water—even though Bowerman had told them he did not want to go in and could not swim.
Prosecutors noted that weather conditions on Aug. 20 made the water “choppy” and unsafe for swimming.
After hearing Bowerman call out that he could not swim, the defendants reportedly jumped into the water to help him — but were unable to reach him.
Bowerman was later pulled from the water by rescuers and taken to a hospital, where he died three days later. His cause of death was ruled drowning.
Victim’s Mother Says Her Son Barely Knew the Suspects
In an interview with WBAY, Bowerman’s mother, Taylor Singer, said her son had only just met Carnot — and did not know Birch at all. She expressed heartbreak and disbelief over the circumstances that led to her son’s death.
Both suspects were arrested shortly after the incident.
Charges and Upcoming Court Hearings
Tylor Birch, 21, has been charged with second-degree reckless homicide and remains in custody at the Marinette County Jail. He is scheduled for a competency hearing on Dec. 18.
Peyton Carnot, 16, is also charged with second-degree reckless homicide and is currently held at the Washington County Juvenile Detention facility. His bond is set at $100,000, and he is scheduled for an arraignment hearing on Dec. 17.
Prosecutors emphasized that both individuals will face serious consequences for their actions, which they say directly caused the drowning death of a vulnerable child.
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