Mum and daughter die after being mauled by grizzly bear five minutes from their house
A mother and daughter in Canada have died after being mauled to death by a grizzly bear.
Concern for the welfare of Jennifer Balcarras, 48, and her daughter Selah Reed, 20, was raised after the pair failed to return home from a walk on the Snooka West Trail near the town of Bella Coola in British Vancouver.
It's understood that the trail was just a five-minute drive from Balcarras' home.
The pair were reported missing by relatives on Sunday after Balcarras failed to show up for a gathering the previous evening.
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Her body was recovered the following day, while rescuers searching the area later found Reed's body on Tuesday afternoon.
The B.C. Conservation Officer Service is currently investigating the incident as a bear attack.
"It's surreal. It doesn't seem real. It feels like a dream," said Josh Balcarras, Jennifer's brother, said in a statement to 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."
Jennifer's other brother, Matt Balcarras, also paid tribute to his sibling, revealing that Jennifer had been an art therapist who'd recently moved to Bella Coola, a small town with a population of just 2,163.
"She’s a tiny little woman but incredibly strong," he told Vancouver Sun, adding that Selah had been an educational assistant who was studying school part-time at Athabasca University.
Josh also confirmed that Jennifer had been a mother of four, with Selah being her youngest child, as well as a grandmother, describing her as a 'central person' in the family.
Both siblings also highlighted the fact that the mother and daughter were walking on a trail 'very close to their house' and 'not in a remote area'.
"[It's] just a casual walk," Josh added.
Matt also highlighted that the pair were used to walking in remote areas, noting that they were not 'naive city folks'.
"They were strong women living the life," he said.
A GoFundMe has since been set up to help the family pay for Jennifer and Selah's funeral costs.
"Tragically, no one could have anticipated that her family would be faced with such an unimaginable loss," the post read, explaining that Jennifer had only moved recently and therefore hadn't saved funds for 'unexpected expenses'.
"We are hoping to ease some of that burden by raising funds to help cover funeral costs and other expenses associated with bringing Jenny and Selah home and laying them to rest.
"Any contribution, no matter how big or small, will make a meaningful difference and help give this family the opportunity to grieve without the added stress of overwhelming financial responsibilities."
Topics: US News, Environment, Animals
Brenna Cooper
