BELLA COOLA, BRITISH COLUMBIA — A mother and daughter were killed in a suspected grizzly bear attack near this remote coastal village this week, prompting an RCMP escort for local schoolchildren and renewed fear in a community already scarred by a mauling last November, according to Global News.

Family members identified the victims as Jennifer "Jenny" Balcarras, 48, an art therapist, and her daughter Selah Reed, reported by relatives as missing after the pair failed to return from the Snooka West Trail area. B.C.'s Conservation Officer Service recovered Balcarras's remains on Monday and located the second victim's remains the following afternoon during a search involving conservation officers and the RCMP, per CBC News.

More than one bear may be involved

A conservation officer told reporters that evidence at the scene suggests more than one grizzly may have been responsible for the attack, complicating efforts to identify and remove the animal or animals involved. Rugged terrain and the bears' continued presence in the area have hampered the search, officials said.

TWO PEAS IN A POD

That's how family members described Balcarras and her daughter to CBC, recalling a close mother-daughter bond as tributes poured in from the small coastal community.

A community on edge, again

The deaths come almost exactly a year after a grizzly attacked a group of roughly 20 elementary school students and teachers on a walking trail in the same area in November 2025, injuring 11 people. The bear involved in that earlier attack was never captured, despite several grizzlies being trapped and DNA-tested in the aftermath. In response to this week's deaths, additional RCMP officers have been deployed to escort students to and from school, and officials say any bear confirmed responsible for the latest attack will be euthanized for public safety.