DNA evidence has linked four grizzly bears to the fatal attack that killed a mother and daughter in British Columbia. Canadian wildlife officers subsequently euthanized all four animals, officials announced Tuesday.
The British Columbia Conservation Officer Service said forensic testing conclusively identified an adult female grizzly and her three offspring as the bears responsible for the deaths of Jennifer Balcarras, 48, and her daughter, Selah Reed, 20, near Bella Coola.
The bears were captured over the weekend and killed under provincial guidelines governing human-wildlife conflicts, the agency said in a Nov. 10 statement. Officials said the action was taken to protect public safety.
Jennifer Balcarras, 48, and her 20-year-old daughter, Selah Reed, were killed in a grizzly bear attack. (Facebook/Josh Kara Balcarras)
Investigators concluded that the encounter likely involved predatory behavior, though officials did not provide further details about how the attack occurred.
“This was a heartbreaking event for the families, the Nuxalk Nation and the Bella Coola community. We hope the efforts of everyone who responded, along with these findings, bring some measure of closure,” Insp. Jeff Tyre said during a news briefing.
More than a dozen conservation officers took part in the response. They recovered the victims, gathered evidence and searched for the bears while navigating challenging terrain and severe weather conditions.
FIND OUT MORE: 8 People Who Should Not Drink Beer And Why – NewsFinale
FILE – A grizzly bear in Jasper National Park, Canada. (Getty Images/iStockphoto)
Balcarras, an art therapist, and Reed disappeared after going for a walk on the Snooka West Trail near their home.
Relatives contacted the Royal Canadian Mounted Police after Balcarras failed to join a scheduled online meeting. Investigators found her vehicle at the trailhead, then recovered her body on Nov. 2 and Reed’s body on Nov. 3.
DNA testing also confirmed that the four bears were not responsible for a separate 2025 grizzly bear attack involving a school group near Bella Coola. That incident injured 11 people, including students and teachers, the agency said.
The investigation is complete, although officials said additional analysis will review the response and the circumstances surrounding the attack.
Royal Canadian Mounted Police board photographed April 10, 2024, in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. (Artur Widak/NurPhoto via Getty Images)