A Marinette County judge has ordered a competency exam for a suspect charged in the drowning death of 13-year-old Jakob Bowerman. Twenty-one-year-old Tylor Birch is facing second-degree reckless homicide for the August 20th incident at the Marinette pier. His attorney, Scott Lyon, raised concerns about whether Birch is able to understand the court process and assist in his defense. Judge James Morrison ordered a psychiatric evaluation, with results expected October 29th. According to the criminal complaint, Birch and a 16-year-old companion first told police the three boys jumped into the water together and tried to rescue Bowerman when he struggled. But investigators later determined Bowerman had been thrown in against his wishes, fully clothed, in rough and windy conditions. District Attorney DeShea Morrow said while the two suspects tried to help afterward, their actions were still reckless and set the chain of events in motion. Bowerman was pulled from the water and taken to the hospital, but died three days later. An autopsy confirmed drowning as the cause of death.
SUSPECT IN TEEN’S DROWNING DEATH TO UNDERGO PSYCHIATRIC EVALUATION
Sep 23, 2025 | 8:19 AM









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