Chilling 911 Audio Captures Grandma’s Panic After Grandpa Allegedly Crashes Boat Drunk — Killing His Two Young Grandkids
Haunting 911 audio has been released from the night a New Jersey grandfather allegedly operated a boat while intoxicated, resulting in a crash that killed his two young grandchildren in Barnegat Bay.
On the evening of July 19, 2026, around 9 p.m., 64-year-old Stephen Schneider was at the helm of his approximately 28-foot Tidewater center console vessel off Berkeley Township. Aboard were his wife, Laurie Schneider, also 64, and their grandchildren: 9-year-old Mya Bella Golabek and 7-year-old Sigmund Paul Golabek, both of Lacey Township. The children were wearing life jackets and seated toward the front of the boat.
The family had earlier shared a dinner at a local restaurant. Schneider later told investigators he consumed two Guinness beers and one Miller Lite over the course of about two hours. Toxicology results showed his blood alcohol concentration was approximately 0.16 — twice New Jersey’s legal limit of 0.08 for operating a vessel. Experts concluded the level markedly impaired his alertness, judgment, response time, and coordination, rendering him unfit to operate the boat.
According to authorities, Schneider was traveling at about 20 mph when he struck a lit Intracoastal Waterway channel marker (No. 39) with the starboard bow. The impact ejected both children into the dark waters of the bay.
The newly released 911 recording captures the immediate chaos. Laurie Schneider, calling from the boat, can be heard telling the dispatcher: “We have one on the boat and my husband’s in the water trying to get the other child out.” When asked if the children were unconscious, she replied urgently, “Yes, yes they are!” She also attempted to pinpoint their location, asking her husband, “Stephen, are we near channel marker 39? I think my husband’s in the water trying to get one of the other kids out!”
Stephen and Laurie Schneider managed to pull the children from the water. They performed CPR before emergency responders arrived. The siblings were transported to a local hospital, where both were pronounced dead.
Schneider voluntarily surrendered to Berkeley Township police and was charged with two counts of reckless vessel homicide (also known as death by vessel), operating a vessel under the influence, and reckless operation of a vessel. These are second-degree offenses that can carry significant prison time if convicted.
At a detention hearing, prosecutors highlighted the BAC level and the catastrophic outcome. Schneider’s attorney noted he has no prior criminal record of note. Letters from the children’s parents, including the father (Schneider’s son-in-law), expressed support for his release while awaiting trial, describing him as a loving family member. The judge granted conditional release, prohibiting Schneider from operating boats or motor vehicles pending further assessment.
The incident has drawn attention to boating safety on Barnegat Bay and surrounding waters, where multiple fatalities have been reported this year. Both children were described by family as close siblings who shared adventures and laughter. The case continues through the court system, with Schneider presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
Authorities continue to stress that alcohol impairment remains a leading factor in preventable watercraft accidents, underscoring the need for heightened caution on the water, especially after consuming alcohol.
