Home / Disasters and Accidents / Grizzly Attack Claims Mother and Daughter in BC
Grizzly Attack Claims Mother and Daughter in BC
6 Nov
Summary
- Mother and daughter were killed by a grizzly bear near Bella Coola.
- The attack occurred near a trail where children were previously injured by a bear.
- Conservation officers are attempting to capture the bear responsible.
In a devastating incident on British Columbia's central coast, conservation officers are actively searching for a grizzly bear responsible for the deaths of Jenny Balcarras, 48, and her daughter, Selah Reed, 20. The two women were found deceased near Bella Coola after missing a routine check-in with family. Their car was located at a trailhead, but the women were missing.
The discovery of their remains marked a tragic shift from a search to a recovery operation. This fatal attack happened just 3 to 4 kilometers from the site of a previous grizzly bear incident in November 2025, where 11 schoolchildren and teachers were injured. Officials are working to determine if the same bear was involved in both attacks, collecting DNA and setting traps.
The Nuxalk Nation is providing mental health services and has imposed a curfew, as the community is still recovering from the previous bear attack. The terrain and the bear's behavior, including stashing one victim's remains in a cache, complicated the search efforts for the mother and daughter. Both women were experienced in living in wildlife-rich environments.
