TRAGEDY ON BARNEGAT BAY: MOTHER MOURNS TWO CHILDREN AFTER FATAL BOAT CRASH
TRAGEDY ON BARNEGAT BAY: MOTHER MOURNS TWO CHILDREN AFTER FATAL BOAT CRASH
BERKELEY TOWNSHIP, NEW JERSEY — A New Jersey family is mourning the devastating loss of siblings Mya Bella Golabek, 9, and Sigmund “Siggy” Paul Golabek, 7, after a nighttime boating crash on Barnegat Bay claimed both children’s lives.
The children were aboard a boat operated by their grandfather, Stephen Schneider, when the vessel struck an Intracoastal Waterway channel marker shortly after 9 p.m. on July 19. The impact threw the siblings into the water. Schneider and his wife pulled the children from the bay, but both later died at a local hospital.
A FAMILY OUTING ENDS IN TRAGEDY
Mya and Siggy had reportedly spent time with their grandparents after a family dinner before choosing to return with them by boat.
According to their obituaries, the siblings were exceptionally close.
Mya was remembered as an energetic girl who loved softball, basketball, swimming, the beach, crabbing, crafting and drawing.
Siggy was described as a sweet and adventurous boy who enjoyed baseball, basketball, swimming, dinosaurs and spending time with his friends, cousins and beloved dogs.
Their family described the two children as best friends whose bond continued throughout their short lives.
GRANDFATHER FACES CRIMINAL CHARGES
The tragedy has since become a criminal case.
Authorities allege that Schneider was impaired by alcohol while operating the boat. Court records indicate that investigators determined his ability to operate the vessel was impaired, although his specific blood-alcohol level has not been publicly released.
Schneider voluntarily surrendered to police on August 14.
He now faces two counts of reckless vessel homicide/death by vessel, a second-degree offense, along with charges of operating a vessel under the influence and reckless operation of a vessel.
THE NIGHT EVERYTHING CHANGED
The children were reportedly wearing life jackets when the crash occurred.
The impact sent them into the dark waters of Barnegat Bay, leaving their grandparents scrambling to pull them from the water.
Emergency crews responded, and both children were transported to a hospital.
Despite those efforts, neither survived.
Their deaths have devastated relatives and prompted an outpouring of support from the local community.
A MOTHER LEFT WITHOUT HER TWO CHILDREN
For Jennifer Golabek, the children’s mother, the tragedy represents an unimaginable loss.
Mya and Siggy were her only two children, according to the information provided.
Their deaths have left a family grieving not only two children, but the future they would never get to experience.
Their community has remembered them for their personalities, their shared interests and the close relationship they had as brother and sister.
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
Schneider’s case will now proceed through the criminal court system.
The allegations against him remain allegations, and he is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
Prosecutors will have to establish the elements of the charges, including the circumstances surrounding the boat’s operation and the alleged impairment.
For the family, however, the legal process comes after an irreversible loss.
Two children who should have been growing up together are gone.
And for everyone who knew them, the memory of Mya and Siggy now lives on in the stories their loved ones tell about the brother and sister who were taken far too soon. 🕊️
The criminal charges described above are allegations. Schneider has not been convicted of the offenses and remains entitled to the presumption of innocence.
