A mother and her daughter were killed in a savage grizzly bear attack on a nature trail near Bella Coola, British Columbia, with authorities investigating the possibility that multiple bears were responsible.
Jenny Balcarras, 48, and her daughter Selah Reed, 20, were reported missing on Sunday. Balcarras' remains were found Monday afternoon, and a second body, identified as Reed's, was discovered Tuesday by conservation officers and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
Conservation officer Insp. Jeff Tyre told CTV News that it was not yet clear if more than one bear was involved, but investigators have not ruled out the possibility. Any bears captured in the area will be assessed as part of the investigation.
Balcarras, an art therapist, had recently relocated to Bella Coola to pursue a new career. Reed is described as a young woman with her whole life ahead of her in a GoFundMe campaign organized by a relative. The campaign noted that Balcarras had not yet had the opportunity to establish savings to cover unexpected expenses.
Balcarras is survived by three adult children and a grandchild. The family is reportedly struggling with the emotional and financial toll of arranging two funerals. As of Wednesday afternoon, the GoFundMe had raised more than $33,500 CAD toward its $35,000 goal.
This incident echoes a similar event nearly a year ago in the same region, when a grizzly bear attacked a group of elementary school students and teachers. That attack left one adult and three children with serious injuries. At the time, the British Columbia Conservation Officer Service described the bear's behavior as aggressive and unlike any other documented grizzly attack in the province or Canada.