Chilling 911 Call Reveals Moments After Boat Crash Killed Two Children
BERKELEY TOWNSHIP, New Jersey — September 19, 2026

A newly released 911 call is providing a harrowing account of the moments after a 28-foot boat struck a channel marker in New Jersey’s Barnegat Bay, killing two young children.

The crash happened around 9 p.m. on July 19 near Berkeley Township. Authorities said the boat struck a lit channel marker, throwing 9-year-old Mya Bella Golabek and her 7-year-old brother, Sigmund “Siggy” Paul Golabek, into the water. Both children later died.

Desperate 911 Call After the Crash
The newly released recording captures the children’s grandmother, Laurie Schneider, calling for help immediately after the collision.

She told the dispatcher that one child was on the boat while her husband was in the water trying to reach the other.

When the dispatcher asked whether the children were unconscious, the grandmother responded that they were.

At one point, she attempted to identify their location, asking:

“Stephen, are we near channel marker 39?”
The call captured the family’s frantic efforts to locate and rescue the children in the dark water.

Children Were Pulled From the Water
According to authorities, the impact ejected both children from the boat.

Stephen and Laurie Schneider pulled the children from the water and attempted to help them before they were taken to a hospital, where both were pronounced dead.

The deaths have become part of a series of fatal boating incidents in Ocean County waters this summer, prompting New Jersey authorities to emphasize boating safety and enforcement.

Grandfather Faces Criminal Charges
Stephen Schneider, the children’s grandfather, faces charges in connection with the crash.

Prosecutors allege that Schneider was operating the boat while intoxicated. According to court documents cited by local reports, his blood alcohol concentration was approximately twice the legal limit.

He has been charged with two counts of reckless vessel homicide/death by vessel, operating a vessel under the influence and reckless operation of a vessel.

Schneider voluntarily surrendered to authorities following the investigation.

The allegations against him have not been resolved in court.

Family Had Asked for His Release
The case also took an emotional turn in court when the children’s parents asked for Schneider to be released.

According to NBC New York, letters from the children’s parents were presented to the judge. The judge ultimately granted the request for his release.

The investigation and court proceedings remain ongoing.

Sources
NBC New York — 911 recordings reveal new details in NJ boat crash
NBC10 Philadelphia — 911 recordings and boat crash details
Local report on charges against Stephen Schneider