A Canadian family has been left heartbroken after a mother and daughter died in what authorities believe was a grizzly bear attack during a “casual walk” on a familiar nearby trail.
Jennifer Balcarras, 48, was found dead on the Snooka West Trail in Bella Coola on Monday. Evidence at the scene indicated that she may have been killed by a bear, according to the British Columbia Conservation Officer Service (BCCOS).
Her 20-year-old daughter, Selah Reed, was discovered dead on Tuesday afternoon after an extensive search involving conservation officers and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the Vancouver Sun reports.
Relatives had been in contact with Balcarras on Saturday, but became alarmed when she failed to join an online meeting that evening. Her brother Matthew told the outlet that the family grew increasingly worried when they could not reach her.
The family asked the Royal Canadian Mounted Police to carry out a wellness check on Sunday morning. Officers later located Balcarras’ vehicle at a nearby trailhead.
“It’s surreal. It doesn’t seem real. It feels like a dream,” Josh Balcarras, one of the mother-of-four’s other brothers, told the CBC.
“The way it starts is a few hours of not hearing from them. That turns into a day and then a night, then a second night comes and it becomes a real thing.”
He said Balcarras and Reed knew the Snooka West Trail well. The route was only about a five-minute drive from their home and, he emphasized, was “not in a remote area.”
“It was just a casual walk,” the grieving brother said.
Jennifer Balcarras, 48, and her daughter, Selah Reed, 20, were found dead on the Selah West Trail in Bella Coola, British Columbia. Source: GoFundMe
Balcarras’ brother described the mother and daughter as “two peas in a pod” who loved hiking and knew the trail well.
Balcarras’ two younger brothers remembered her as an art therapist who loved books and spent her time playing guitar, singing, painting and enjoying the outdoors.
She was the mother of four, with Reed as her youngest child, and was also a grandmother.
“She painted murals in her own kids’ home, my home,” Matthew said. “She was very much a central person in our family.”
An online fundraiser for the mother and daughter’s funeral costs said Balcarras had recently moved to Bella Coola “to pursue a new career and begin a new chapter in her life.”
CHECK THIS OUT: Wagner rises from the ashes: Prigozhin's barbaric mercenaries are back – NewsFinale
“She was working toward building a future and had not yet had the opportunity to establish savings or put aside funds to help her family with unexpected expenses such as these,” the fundraiser said.
“Tragically, no one could have anticipated that her family would be faced with such an unimaginable loss.”
The fundraiser added that Reed “was just 20 years old, with her whole life ahead of her. She was only beginning her journey into adulthood, making this loss even more heartbreaking.”
Reed had worked as an educational assistant and was studying through Athabasca University’s online learning program.
Balcarras’ brothers also remembered their sister as a book lover who was passionate about playing guitar, singing, painting and spending time outdoors. Source: GoFundMe
Her grieving family now describes her as ‘a gentle, sweet, quiet soul’ who loved ballet, art and hiking.
‘She liked a lot of the same things Jenny liked,’ Josh said. ‘I think they got along really, really well.
‘They were two peas in a pod,’ he added. ‘When Jenny hiked, Selah was right there beside her.’
In an online statement, the BCCOS said it has a team investigating the suspected attack.
‘Our thoughts are with the families of the victims during this tragic time,’ Inspector Jeff Tyre said in a video posted online.
Trapping efforts are now underway, he said, but no bears have been captured.
Once any bears are eventually captured, BCCOS said it would work to determine their next steps.
‘If the bear is determined to be the bear responsible for the attack, it will be dispatched to ensure public safety, as per provincial human-wildlife conflict response guidelines,’ Tyre said.
In the meantime, he urged people to stay away from the Snooka West Trail and to leave the search up to conservation officers.
‘We appreciate people’s concerns and the desire to assist, but it is critical the public stay out of the area – both due to the danger and to allow officers to do their work.’