Mother and Daughter Found Dead After Suspected Bear Attack

The bodies of Jennifer Balcarras and her daughter Selah Reed were discovered on the Snooka West Trail in Bella Coola, British Columbia, after they disappeared during a walk near their home. Conservation officers said evidence suggested a bear may have been involved in the deaths. The trail is about a five-minute drive from the family’s home.

Balcarras, 48, was found on November 2, and Reed, 20, was located the following afternoon after a search by conservation officers and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. The family became concerned after Balcarras missed an online gathering on Saturday and could not be reached. Police found her vehicle near the trailhead during a wellness check.

Balcarras was an art therapist and mother of four. Reed, her youngest child, had worked as an educational assistant and was studying online. Family members described the pair as close and said they often hiked together.

The British Columbia Conservation Officer Service is investigating and has begun trapping efforts, but no bears have been captured. Officials said any bear captured would be assessed; if determined to have been involved, it would be killed under provincial human-wildlife conflict guidelines to protect public safety.

Conservation officers urged the public to stay away from the trail while the investigation and search continue, citing both safety risks and the need to let officers work. The deaths came less than a year after a bear attack near Bella Coola injured 11 people, three of them critically.