Grandfather charged in fatal Barnegat Bay boat crash that killed two grandchildren

A Bayville man has been arrested and charged in connection with a July boating crash on Barnegat Bay that killed his two young grandchildren, a 9-year-old girl and a 7-year-old boy.

Stephen Schneider, 64, of Bayville, voluntarily surrendered to authorities Friday and was arrested on two counts of second-degree reckless vessel homicide, as well as one count each of operating a vessel under the influence and reckless operation of a vessel, according to New Jersey State Police.

The charges stem from the July 19 crash in the Berkeley Township bay area of Ocean County.

According to state police, troopers responded at about 9:09 p.m. after receiving a report of a serious vessel crash. A 30-foot Tidewater Custom 280 was traveling through the Intracoastal Waterway when it struck a channel marker, ejecting the two children into the water.

The children were identified as siblings Mya Bella Golabek, 9, and Sigmund Paul Golabek, 7, of Lacey.

Schneider and his wife, Laurie—the children’s grandparents—were aboard the vessel, according to police.

After the crash, the Schneiders found the children unresponsive in the water. Both children were taken to a nearby hospital, where they were pronounced dead, according to police.

The initial investigation did not immediately disclose what caused the vessel to strike the channel marker. State police said at the time that the investigation remained ongoing.

Now, nearly a month after the crash, prosecutors allege Schneider was operating the vessel under the influence. The arrest represents a significant development in an investigation that began with a nighttime collision on the bay and ended with the deaths of two children. Police did not release Schneider’s blood alcohol concentration (BAC) at the time of the crash.

Schneider is accused of conduct that prosecutors say was reckless and resulted in the children’s deaths. The charges are allegations, and Schneider is presumed innocent unless and until he is proven guilty in court.

Remembering Mya and Siggy

For the family, the criminal case follows a loss that cannot be reduced to the details of a police report.

Mya and Sigmund, who was known as Siggy, were remembered in their obituaries as siblings who were also best friends — children whose lives were closely intertwined and whose personalities left distinct impressions on the people around them, particularly their parents, Jennifer and Sigmund Golabek.

Mya, born April 6, 2017, was remembered as a joyful, energetic girl with a competitive streak and a love of sports. She played softball and basketball and enjoyed swimming, trips to the beach and crabbing. She also loved crafting and drawing, according to her obituary.

Her family remembered her as someone whose smile and personality brought happiness to the people around her.

She shared a special bond with her dogs, Tequila and Captain, who were described as sources of comfort and companionship.

“Mya and Siggy were not only brother and sister, but best friends,” their obituaries said, describing a relationship marked by laughter, adventures and countless shared memories.

Sigmund, born Nov. 29, 2018, was remembered as a shy but adventurous boy with a vivid imagination. His interests included basketball, baseball, swimming, Sonic, and dinosaurs.

His obituary described his dogs, Tequila and Captain, as more than pets. They were his companions and friends, and his affection for them reflected what his family described as his gentle and caring nature.

Sigmund was also remembered for his close relationship with his mother. He enjoyed challenging her to games of rock-paper-scissors, often with a playful wager involved, and shared his first name with his father.

The two had a special handshake that became one of the family’s treasured memories.

Both children were remembered for the happiness they brought to their family, friends, and teammates.

Their obituaries describe Mya and Sigmund as inseparable siblings who shared an unusually close bond. The family wrote that they would continue their journey together, “hand in hand,” a sentiment that has become part of the way their loved ones remember them.

An investigation continues

The July crash initially drew emergency crews to the Berkeley Township bay area after the boat struck the channel marker and the children were thrown into the water. Local first responders rushed to the scene, and the children were transported to a hospital but could not be saved.

At the time, investigators had not publicly identified the children or disclosed the adults’ relationship to them. Their identities and the family relationship were subsequently reported by news organizations and reflected in the children’s published obituaries.

The investigation has since led to criminal charges against Schneider.

He faces two counts of second-degree reckless vessel homicide, along with charges alleging that he operated the vessel under the influence and operated it recklessly.

The case remains pending. The charges against Schneider are accusations, not findings of guilt.

For the Golabek family, however, the legal process is unfolding alongside a grief that began on the water that summer night.

Mya was 9. Sigmund was 7.

Their obituaries describe them not simply by how they died, but by how they lived: as siblings who played, competed, imagined, explored and loved their family, friends and animals.

That is the part of their story that remains after the headlines fade.