Mother and daughter die in suspected bear attack on Canada trail

A mother and daughter were found dead following a suspected grizzly bear attack on a trail in Canada. The discovery was made near Snooka West Trail in Bella Coola after the family reported two people missing on Monday, the British Columbia Conservation Officer Service said. One person was found dead Monday afternoon by search and rescue teams, BCCOS Inspector Jeff Tyre said. The second person’s remains were found Tuesday afternoon. Evidence suggests that a grizzly bear attack may have been involved in the deaths, Tyre said in a video statement on Facebook. No bears have been captured, and the public was asked to avoid the trail area. The Conservation Officer Service said it’s not clear how many bears may have been involved in the attack. Any bear that is determined to have been involved “will be dispatched in accordance with provincial human-wildlife conflict response guidelines to protect public safety,” the agency said in a Facebook post. “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. The Vancouver Sun identified the mother and her daughter as Jenny Balcarras, 48, and Selah Reed. The coroner’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Wednesday. “Jenny was a wonderful artist,” her brother, Matt Balcarras, told the newspaper. He said she was in Bella Coola to work as an art therapist at a school. The trail the mother and daughter were on was very close to their home, Matt Balcarras said. The Central Coast Teachers Association said it was deeply saddened by the deaths. “Jenny devoted countless hours to connecting with the students she served and worked closely with teachers and other staff supporting their well-being,” the association said in a statement. “At the heart of her work was a commitment to building relationships and helping students feel known, heard, and supported.”