Our condolences go out to the family and friends of Jennifer Balcarras, and to everyone in Bella Coola waiting for news of Selah Reed.
Jennifer Balcarras and her daughter Selah went for a walk on Saturday afternoon. It was a trail they knew, about five minutes from home.
Neither came back.
Jennifer, 48, was found dead on Monday, Nov. 2, near the Snooka trails outside Bella Coola, on B.C.’s Central Coast. Her 19-year-old daughter, Selah Reed, is still missing.
The B.C. Conservation Officer Service says evidence at the scene suggests a bear may have been involved, and officers are investigating it as a suspected grizzly attack. That hasn’t been confirmed.
What happened
The family says Jennifer and Selah went for a walk on Saturday, Oct. 31, on a trail system near their home. When they didn’t come back, relatives reported them missing on Sunday.
Their vehicle was found at a trailhead.
Search crews found Jennifer’s remains on Monday in the west area of the Snooka trail system, which sits just south of Highway 20 east of Bella Coola. The search for Selah continued Tuesday.
Her family has said they fear the worst. Officials have not confirmed what happened to her, and she is still considered missing.
Who they were
Jennifer, known to her family as Jenny, was an art therapist and a mother of four. Her family describes her as an artist and a musician who loved the outdoors. She painted, played guitar, sang and read, and she painted murals in her relatives’ homes.
Selah is her youngest. Her family describes her as gentle and quiet, with a love of ballet, art and hiking. When Jenny went hiking, Selah usually went with her. Her uncle described the pair as “two peas in a pod.”
What conservation officers say
Conservation officers were called in to help RCMP and search and rescue after Jennifer's remains were found near the Snooka West Trail on Monday.
“There was evidence to suggest a bear may have been involved,” said Insp. Jeff Tyre of the B.C. Conservation Officer Service in a video statement Tuesday.
More officers arrived in Bella Coola Monday night to help investigate.
“Our thoughts are with the families of the victims during this tragic time,” Tyre said.
Officers have set traps and are trying to find any bear that may have been involved. As of Tuesday, none had been caught.
Any bear that is caught will be assessed. If a bear is found to be responsible, the service says, it “will be dispatched to ensure public safety,” following B.C.'s guidelines for human-wildlife conflict.
The Snooka trails are closed to the public. Officials are asking everyone to stay away, both for their own safety and so searchers can work.
RCMP, the BC Coroners Service, Bella Coola Valley Search and Rescue and the Nuxalk Nation are all involved in the response.
Not the first grizzly attack in Bella Coola
This is the second serious grizzly attack near Bella Coola in about a year.
In November 2025, a grizzly attacked a group of about 20 students and staff from Acwsalcta School while they were eating lunch on a field trip near Highway 20. A teacher and three children were badly hurt.
Conservation officers caught four grizzlies in the weeks that followed. A University of Alberta lab tested them, and none were linked to the attack. Officers ended the search once bears began denning for winter.
Police haven’t connected the two attacks.
On Tuesday, Nuxalk Nation elected chief Samuel Schooner said the full circumstances are still coming out. He acknowledged the trauma this brings to the family, to last year’s victims and to the whole community, and asked people to give the family privacy.
The Central Coast Regional District called the news heartbreaking for the valley. It thanked the searchers and conservation officers, and urged people to follow the closure.
Why it matters in Alberta
Grizzlies live in Banff, Jasper, Kananaskis and the foothills, and in early November, many haven’t gone into their dens yet. Like the trail in Bella Coola, the places where people run into them are often familiar, close to town and busy.
Parks Canada’s advice applies on a short walk as much as on a long hike:
Carry bear spray where you can grab it, like a belt holster, not inside your pack, and know how to use it.
Make noise, especially around blind corners, creeks and thick brush.
Hike in a group. Parks Canada recommends four or more where possible.
Watch for signs, like fresh tracks, scat or torn-up logs. Turn around if you see them.
Never run from a bear. Stay calm, read its behaviour, and back away slowly.
Check closures and warnings before you go.
None of this guarantees safety. There’s no suggestion Jennifer and Selah did anything wrong.
Read more: A Deadly Summer for Hikers in Banff and Kananaskis Puts Mountain Safety in Focus
This story will be updated as the search for Selah Reed continues.
Sources
B.C. Conservation Officer Service, statements on a suspected fatal grizzly bear attack near Bella Coola, Nov. 3, 2026
Central Coast Regional District: Statement on tragic incident in Bella Coola Valley (Nov. 3, 2026)
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