Grieving Parents Beg Judge to Free Grandpa Accused of K.i.ll.i.ng Their Kids in Drunk Boating Crash — And Shockingly, the Court Agrees
In a decision that has stunned many following a devastating family tragedy, a New Jersey judge released Stephen Schneider, 64, from jail pending trial in the deaths of his two young grandchildren. Schneider faces charges of reckless vessel homicide and operating a vessel under the influence after a July 19, 2026, boat crash on Barnegat Bay that killed 9-year-old Mya Bella Golabek and 7-year-old Sigmund Paul Golabek.
The crash occurred shortly after 9 p.m. following a family dinner at MJ’s Restaurant Bar and Grill in Berkeley Township. Schneider was operating his 28-foot Tidewater Custom 280 center-console boat with his wife Laurie and the two grandchildren aboard. The children, both wearing life jackets and seated in the front of the vessel, were ejected into the water when the boat struck an illuminated Intracoastal Waterway channel marker at approximately 20 mph. Schneider and his wife recovered the children, who were found unresponsive; they were later pronounced dead at a local hospital.
Prosecutors stated that Schneider’s blood alcohol content measured 0.16 percent—twice New Jersey’s legal limit of 0.08 percent. Toxicology findings indicated that his alertness, judgment, perception, response time, and coordination were markedly impaired by alcohol. Schneider told investigators he had consumed two Guinness beers and one Miller Lite over about two hours at the restaurant. He faces two second-degree counts of reckless vessel homicide, plus charges of operating a vessel under the influence and reckless operation of a vessel. If convicted, he could face up to 20 years in prison.
Schneider was arrested on August 14 and held at the Ocean County Jail. At a detention hearing on August 19 before Superior Court Judge Wendel E. Daniels, prosecutors argued strongly against his release, citing the high blood alcohol level and the catastrophic outcome. They noted that the seriousness of the charges and the degree of impairment warranted continued detention.
The defense presented a different picture. Schneider’s attorney highlighted his client’s lack of a significant criminal record—only a remote pretrial intervention matter from 39 years earlier—and emphasized letters submitted by the children’s parents, Jennifer and Sigmund Golabek. In those letters, the parents described Schneider as a loving grandfather who had shared important moments with the children and had been a steady, generous presence in their family. One letter expressed profound gratitude for the role he played in the children’s lives and asked the court to release him so the family could grieve together.
Judge Daniels ordered Schneider’s conditional release. Among the conditions, Schneider is temporarily prohibited from operating a boat or motor vehicle pending a court-ordered assessment. His next court appearance is scheduled for September 15.
The case underscores the painful intersection of personal loss and legal accountability. The same man accused of causing the children’s deaths is the grandfather the parents say they need by their side as they mourn. The parents’ decision to support his release has drawn widespread attention precisely because it defies conventional expectations in such cases. While the legal process continues and the charges remain serious, the family’s public stance has highlighted the complex human realities that often accompany tragedy—grief, forgiveness, and the desire to keep what remains of the family intact while the courts determine responsibility.
Schneider has no prior convictions and has lived in Ocean County for decades. Authorities continue to investigate the circumstances of the crash, including navigation conditions and the precise sequence of events that night. The family, meanwhile, is navigating an unimaginable period of mourning while the case moves forward through the judicial system.
