Background: Courtroom footage of Tylor Birch”s appearance on April 2 (WBAY). Inset: Jakob Bowerman (Bowerman Funeral Home).
Birch and 16-year-old Peyton Carnot are both facing reckless homicide charges following the death of 13-year-old Jakob Bowerman. As previously reported by Law & Crime, the two allegedly took Bowerman by his hands and feet and hurled him off a pier into a lake, knowing he could not swim, resulting in his drowning.
Local ABC affiliate WBAY reported that Birch had been found competent in an earlier hearing, but his defense had challenged this decision. During Thursday’s session, conducted remotely, both parties agreed to accept the psychologist’s findings regarding Birch’s competency. His next court date is set for April 30.
Carnot, who is being tried as an adult, has a court appearance scheduled for June 4, where a status conference will take place.
According to courtroom reporting by local ABC affiliate WBAY, Birch was found competent at a previous hearing, but the defense contested that finding. Birch appeared remotely for his court appearance, where both sides agreed that the competency report could stand. His next court appearance is scheduled for April 30.
Carnot, who is being tried as an adult, is scheduled to appear in court on June 4 for a status conference.
In a criminal complaint obtained by local Fox affiliate WLUK, Carnot told police that he and Birch had “thrown the victim into the water after the victim has expressed he didn’t want to go in.” After Bowerman landed in the water, he allegedly told Birch and Carnot that he could not swim. The two defendants then reportedly tried to pull Bowerman out of the water, but were unable.
Bowerman was pulled from the water and taken to a hospital, where he spent several days on life support before he died on Aug. 23, 2025. His cause of death was listed as drowning. His mother said her son, who had autism and had a history of being bullied, did not know Birch or Carnot before that fateful day on Government Pier.
