NEARLY 30 DAYS AFTER THE CRASH — WHAT DELAYED THE CHARGES AGAINST STEPHEN SCHNEIDER?

Mya Golabek, 9, and her brother Sigmund, 7, were thrown from their grandfather Stephen Schneider’s boat after it struck a channel marker in Barnegat Bay on July 19.

Schneider was not arrested that night. He was arrested nearly four weeks later, on August 14, and charged with two counts of reckless vessel homicide/death by vessel, operating a vessel under the influence and reckless operation.

WHAT HAPPENED DURING THOSE WEEKS?

The investigation continued after the crash, including examination of Schneider’s condition and alcohol level.

According to prosecutors, testing showed a 0.16 blood-alcohol concentration, twice New Jersey’s legal limit. Schneider reportedly told investigators that he had consumed three beers over about two hours before the crash.

Investigators also examined the circumstances surrounding the channel marker. One important detail has emerged: police said the marker’s lights were functioning properly at the time of the collision.

That point could become significant because Schneider’s defense has questioned whether the marker was sufficiently visible that night.

 THEN THE FAMILY MADE A POWERFUL REQUEST

After Schneider was charged, the children’s parents submitted letters asking the judge to release him while the case proceeds.

During the August 19 detention hearing, Schneider’s attorney read a letter describing him as a loving grandfather and asking that he be allowed to return to his family.

The judge ultimately granted conditional release, despite prosecutors arguing that Schneider should remain detained because of the seriousness of the charges and the alleged level of impairment.

THE FAMILY’S PLEA DID NOT END THE CASE

The parents’ request affected the detention decision, not the criminal charges themselves.

Schneider remains accused of causing the fatal boating crash. He has not been convicted, and the case is still moving through the court system.

His next court appearance is scheduled for September 15.

 THE TIMELINE RAISES A DIFFERENT QUESTION

July 19: The nighttime crash occurs in Barnegat Bay.

After the crash: Investigators gather evidence, including alcohol testing.

August 14: Schneider is arrested and charged.

August 19: The children’s parents ask for his release, and the judge grants conditional release.

So the nearly month-long gap was not simply a matter of waiting for the family’s decision. The investigation and evidence-gathering continued before prosecutors filed the charges.

And now another issue remains in focus:

Was the channel marker clearly visible that night — and what role, if any, did its visibility play in the crash?