Overview
- A 30-foot Tidewater Custom 280 struck an Intercoastal Waterway channel marker in Barnegat Bay, ejecting a 9-year-old girl and a 7-year-old boy who were later pronounced dead.
- State police say the crash occurred at about 9:09 p.m. on Sunday, July 19, and that the operator and an onboard passenger, identified as Stephen Schneider, 63, and Laurie Schneider, 64, found the children unresponsive in the water.
- Local witnesses reported that first responders performed CPR and that a life jacket was seen near one child while a witness said the channel marker lights appeared to be working at the time.
- No charges have been filed and the New Jersey State Police describe the case as an active, preliminary investigation that has not yet determined cause or ruled out factors such as operator conduct, speed, lighting or mechanical problems.
- The probe could lead to safety or legal actions depending on findings, and officials including the U.S. Coast Guard may examine buoy marking, night navigation practices and use of personal flotation devices as investigators gather evidence and statements.