“THE FIREFIGHTERS JUMPED RIGHT IN”: WITNESS RECALLS DESPERATE CPR FIGHT TO SAVE 7-YEAR-OLD AFTER BARNEGAT BAY CRASH
“THE FIREFIGHTERS JUMPED RIGHT IN”: WITNESS RECALLS DESPERATE CPR FIGHT TO SAVE 7-YEAR-OLD AFTER BARNEGAT BAY CRASH
BERKELEY TOWNSHIP, NEW JERSEY — The first moments after a deadly boating crash on Barnegat Bay were filled with frantic rescue efforts as firefighters and other first responders fought to save two young siblings thrown into the water.
A local councilman who witnessed the emergency response recalled seeing rescuers rush into action after the children were pulled from the bay.
For 7-year-old Sigmund Paul Golabek, the fight to save his life continued on the dock.
FIREFIGHTERS RUSHED INTO THE WATER
The crash occurred shortly after 9 p.m. on July 19, when a 30-foot boat struck a channel marker in Barnegat Bay near Berkeley Township.
The impact sent Sigmund and his 9-year-old sister, Mya Bella Golabek, into the water.
As word of the crash spread, emergency crews raced to the scene.
A Berkeley Township councilman who witnessed the response said firefighters immediately entered the water to assist with the rescue.
The situation was chaotic, with rescuers searching the dark bay and working to get the children out as quickly as possible.
A DESPERATE FIGHT ON THE DOCK
Once Sigmund was brought out of the water, first responders immediately began lifesaving efforts.
The boy was wearing a life jacket.
According to the eyewitness account, rescuers cut away the life jacket so they could perform CPR.
The emergency response continued on the dock as firefighters and medical personnel worked desperately to revive the child.
There was no time to waste.
Every available measure was being used to try to save him.
But despite the efforts of the rescuers, Sigmund could not be revived.
HIS 9-YEAR-OLD SISTER ALSO DIED
Mya was also recovered from the water following the collision.
Emergency personnel rushed both children for medical treatment.
Neither survived.
The deaths devastated the Golabek family and transformed what should have been an ordinary summer boating trip into a family tragedy.
Mya was 9.
Sigmund was 7.
They were siblings who, according to family tributes, were extremely close.
A CHILDREN’S NIGHT ENDS IN TRAGEDY
Mya was remembered as a creative and energetic girl who enjoyed drawing, swimming, sports and crafts.
Sigmund loved baseball, basketball and swimming and enjoyed spending time with his family.
Their loved ones have described the two children as best friends who shared countless memories together.
The circumstances of their deaths have now become the subject of a criminal investigation.
GRANDFATHER FACES SERIOUS CHARGES
Investigators later arrested 64-year-old Stephen Schneider, the children’s grandfather.
Authorities allege that Schneider was operating the 30-foot vessel while under the influence when it crashed into the channel marker.
He voluntarily surrendered to police and was taken to the Ocean County Jail.
Schneider faces two second-degree homicide/death-by-vessel charges, along with boating-under-the-influence and reckless-operation charges.
The allegations have not been proven in court, and Schneider is presumed innocent unless and until he is convicted.
INVESTIGATORS ARE RECONSTRUCTING THE CRASH
Authorities are expected to examine multiple factors surrounding the collision, including the boat’s operation, visibility, navigation and the alleged impairment of the operator.
The channel marker itself has also drawn attention.
A local official who witnessed the aftermath said the marker’s light was operating at the time of the crash.
Investigators have not publicly released a complete reconstruction of exactly what happened in the moments immediately before impact.
THE RESCUERS FOUGHT UNTIL THERE WAS NOTHING LEFT TO DO
For the firefighters and medical personnel at the scene, the mission was simple.
Get the children out.
Start CPR.
Keep them alive.
The eyewitness account of firefighters cutting away Sigmund’s life jacket on the dock captures just how urgently they worked.
But despite the desperate rescue effort, the 7-year-old boy did not survive.
Neither did his sister.
Now, investigators are working to determine exactly how the boat reached the channel marker and whether criminal conduct contributed to the deaths.
A FAMILY LEFT WITH ONE UNIMAGINABLE LOSS
The criminal investigation will continue in court.
But for the children’s family, no legal proceeding can change the outcome of that night.
Two children went out on the water.
Two families expected them to come home.
Instead, first responders fought desperately to save them—and ultimately had to face the heartbreaking reality that their efforts could not bring the children back.
Sigmund was only 7 years old. Mya was 9.
Their final moments were marked by a desperate battle for survival on the shores of Barnegat Bay.
This report is based on eyewitness accounts and publicly reported information. Criminal allegations against Stephen Schneider remain allegations, and he is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
