Tragic Barnegat Bay Boat Crash: Drunk Driving Suspect Accused in Deaths of Two Young Grandchildren

A devastating evening on the water ended in total heartbreak for one New Jersey mother, leaving her entire world shattered in a single instant. On what was supposed to be a peaceful family outing, sixty-four-year-old Stephen Schneider boarded his 30-foot vessel near his waterfront residence in Barnegat Bay shortly before 9:00 p.m. Following a dinner at a local restaurant, Schneider navigated the dark channel with his two young grandchildren, nine-year-old Mya Golabek and seven-year-old Sigmund Golabek, on board.

The trip ended in sudden disaster when the boat struck a fully illuminated channel marker at high speed without slowing down. The violent impact thrown both children into the water, resulting in fatal injuries for Mya and Sigmund, who were their mother Jennifer’s only children.

While Schneider initially maintained to investigating officers that he had consumed only three beers throughout the evening, official law enforcement records tell a far different story. Due to suspected impairment, authorities were forced to secure an emergency search warrant after midnight to obtain a blood sample. Laboratory testing later revealed a blood alcohol concentration of 0.16 percent, which is exactly double the legal limit for vessel operation. Unsealed receipts from the restaurant further contradicted his claims regarding his alcohol intake that night.

Now facing serious criminal charges, Schneider’s case took another unexpected turn in court when a private letter written by the children’s grieving father was submitted to the judge, asking for leniency and release for his father-in-law.