WHY WAS THE LIFE JACKET NEXT TO HIM? A DETAIL FROM THE BARNEGAT BAY TRAGEDY IS RAISING NEW QUESTIONS

The final moments of Mya Bella Golabek, 9, and her brother Sigmund “Siggy” Golabek, 7, remain at the center of a devastating investigation.

On July 19, the siblings were aboard their grandfather Stephen Schneider’s boat on Barnegat Bay when the vessel struck Channel Marker 39, throwing both children into the dark water.

Both were later pulled from the bay unresponsive.

Neither survived.

THE DETAIL THAT HAS LEFT PEOPLE ASKING QUESTIONS

According to court documents, Schneider told investigators that both children were wearing life jackets when the boat crashed.

But Berkeley Township Councilman James Byrnes later recalled seeing a life jacket next to one of the children as first responders performed CPR.

His explanation is important:

The life jacket may have been removed during the emergency medical response.

That means the sight of a life jacket beside the child does not establish that the child was not wearing one when the boat struck the marker.

WHAT HAPPENED IN THE DARK WATER?

Schneider told investigators that the impact threw the children overboard.

He said he immediately began searching for them, finding Sigmund first and Mya afterward.

Both were reportedly found face-down and unresponsive.

Schneider and his wife began CPR before emergency responders arrived and continued lifesaving efforts at the scene and during transport to the hospital.

The tragedy happened around 9 p.m., when darkness would have made locating two children in the bay even more difficult.

THEN THE INVESTIGATION TOOK ANOTHER TURN

Schneider initially told police that he had consumed three beers during dinner.

According to the probable-cause affidavit, that consisted of two Guinness beers and a Miller Lite over roughly two hours.

But a blood sample taken after the crash showed a 0.16% blood-alcohol concentration, according to court documents.

Investigators said his alertness, judgment, coordination and reaction time were markedly impaired by alcohol.

Schneider has since been charged with two counts of reckless vessel homicide, operating a vessel under the influence and reckless operation of a vessel.

ONE DETAIL SHOULD NOT BE LOST

The life jacket found beside Sigmund during CPR may look like a clue.

But by itself, it does not answer whether he was wearing it when the boat hit the marker.

That distinction matters.

Because behind every unanswered question is a family trying to understand how two children who were supposed to be enjoying a short boat ride ended up losing their lives.

Mya was 9.

Siggy was 7.

And the question now isn’t simply what happened after they entered the water.

It is:

WHAT EXACTLY HAPPENED IN THE SECONDS BEFORE THEY WERE THROWN INTO THE DARKNESS?

Schneider has been charged and is presumed innocent unless proven guilty. Authorities have not publicly confirmed the existence of a leaked 911 recording or alleged that the children were put into life jackets only after the crash.