Mother and Daughter Found Dead After Suspected Grizzly Bear Attack on Canadian Trail
Andrew Powell · Nov 5, 2026 · 2 min read
A mother and daughter who went missing during a weekend hike in British Columbia were found dead in what authorities believe may have been a grizzly bear attack.
According to Fox News, Jennifer Balcarras, 48, and her daughter, Selah Reed, 20, disappeared Saturday while walking along the Snooka West Trail near their home in Bella Coola, Canada.
The search began after Balcarras failed to attend a scheduled online meeting that day, prompting concern among relatives. Her brother, Matt Balcarras, told The Vancouver Sun that family members were unable to reach the pair.
Relatives contacted the Royal Canadian Mounted Police on Sunday morning and requested a welfare check. Officers located Balcarras' vehicle parked at the trailhead, but the two women were not immediately found.
Search teams recovered Balcarras' body Monday before locating Reed's remains on Tuesday.
Authorities said evidence at the scene pointed to a possible bear encounter, though investigators had not determined whether one animal or multiple bears were involved.
“There was evidence to suggest a bear may have been involved,” Jeff Tyre, an inspector with the British Columbia Conservation Officer Service, said in a video update posted on social media.
Conservation officers said they were working to locate and capture any bears connected to the deaths. Officials added that any animal captured would be examined to determine whether it was involved in the incident.
“If it is determined to have been involved in the attack, it will be dispatched in accordance with provincial human-wildlife conflict response guidelines to protect public safety,” the agency said in a statement.
The deaths have stunned the women's family, particularly because both were familiar with the area and had experience spending time outdoors.
Matt Balcarras pushed back against the idea that his sister and niece were inexperienced hikers who had ventured into unfamiliar territory.
“They were not naive city folks,” he said. “They were strong women living the life.”
The suspected attack comes less than a year after another serious bear encounter near Bella Coola. A grizzly injured 11 people, including elementary school students, during a school field trip in the area.
Authorities are continuing their efforts to determine what happened to Balcarras and Reed and whether a bear was responsible for the fatal encounter.