A mother and daughter are dead in a suspected grizzly bear attack near Bella Coola, British Columbia, devastating their family, according to the victims' relatives and B.C. Conservation Officer Service. Family members identified the victims as Jennifer Balcarras and her 20-year-old daughter, Selah Reed.
The victims were first reported missing on Nov. 1, after they failed to return from what was expected to be a short afternoon walk. "The way it starts is a few hours of not hearing from them," said Josh Balcarras, Balcarras' brother, in an interview with CBS News Canadian partner CBC News. "That turns into a day, and then a night … then a second night comes and it becomes a real thing." Balcarras' body was discovered in the Snooka West Trail area on Monday afternoon.
Reed's remains were found on Tuesday. Agencies including the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and local search and rescue authorities took part in the investigation, said Jeff Tyre, an inspector with the B.C. Tyre announced the discovery of the two sets of the remains on social media.
"Our thoughts are with the family of the victims during this tragic time. We are in contact with the family to offer any support we can as we continue to investigate this incident," Tyre said in one video. Tyre said it is not clear how many bears were involved.
Efforts to locate and capture any involved animals are underway, he said. Captured bears will be assessed. 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," Tyre said.
Tyre urged the public to avoid the Snooka West Trail area while this work is underway. Balcarras and Reed were "two peas in a pod" who "got along really, really well" and shared many hobbies, Josh Balcarras told CBC. "When Jenny hiked, Selah was right there beside her," Josh Balcarras told CBC.
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