By admin 
A mother and daughter who went out for what was meant to be a casual afternoon walk never returned home after a suspected grizzly bear attack near Bella Coola, British Columbia.
The victims have been identified as 48-year-old Jennifer Balcarras and her 20-year-old daughter, Selah Reed. Their family reported them missing on Sunday after they failed to return from a trail near their home on Saturday afternoon.
Search teams discovered Jennifer’s body in the Snooka West Trail area on Monday. Her daughter was found the following afternoon, according to authorities.
Jennifer’s brother, Josh Balcarras, struggled to process the devastating news.
“It’s surreal. It doesn’t seem real. It feels like a dream,” he told CBC.
He recalled how the family’s concern grew as the hours passed without hearing from the pair.
“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 emphasized that the two had simply gone out for “a casual walk.”
A mother remembered for her love of nature
Jennifer had a creative spirit and a deep appreciation for the outdoors. She worked as an art therapist, and her younger brothers remembered her as someone who loved playing guitar, singing, reading and painting.
“She was very much a central person in our family,” Josh recalled.
Her daughter, Selah, was studying through Athabasca University’s online program while working as an education assistant.
Her loved ones described her as “a gentle, sweet, quiet soul.”
Josh said the mother and daughter shared many interests and were particularly close.
“They were two peas in a pod. When Jenny hiked, Selah was right there beside her.”
Authorities continue investigating the suspected bear attack
The B.C. Conservation Officer Service confirmed that officers had been assigned to investigate the incident and locate any bears potentially involved.
Authorities launched an operation to trap bears in the area, although no animals had been captured at the time of the statement.
Investigators also said it remained unclear whether one or multiple bears were involved.
Any captured bear would undergo an assessment. If confirmed to have been involved in the attack, it would be dealt with under provincial human-wildlife conflict response guidelines.
Officials urged the public to stay away from the Snooka West Trail area while the investigation continued.
Jennifer and Selah’s deaths have left their family and loved ones grieving the loss of two people who shared an especially close bond.
May they both rest in peace.