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A Grizzly bear searches for food as he fishes in Khutze Inlet near Princess Royal Island, B.C. Thursday, Sept, 19, 2013. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward

Four grizzly bears involved in deadly attack on mother and daughter in B.C.

Nov 10, 2026 | 12:39 PM

BELLA COOLA — The B.C. Conservation Officer Service says four grizzly bears that it captured in Bella Coola in recent days were all involved in a deadly attack that claimed the lives of a mother and daughter in the community this month.

Insp. Jeff Tyre with the service says DNA tests conclusively linked the female grizzly and her three yearling cubs to the attack and all have been killed to protect the public.

He says the attack likely involved a rare case of predatory behaviour targeting humans, but decline to provide details.

Tyre says the DNA tests showed the bears were not involved in a 2025 attack on a group of schoolchildren in the same area.

The bodies of art therapist Jenny Balcarras and her adult daughter, Selah Reed, were found last week about 150 metres apart after they were reported missing.

Their remains were found in an area of trails outside the northern B.C. community, where local authorities imposed a voluntary curfew last week and police had been escorting children to school.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 10, 2026.

The Canadian Press