An 8-year-old girl in Louisiana has died after being infected by an extremely rare "brain-eating amoeba" found in warm freshwater, her family said. Lillian Smart died over the weekend after being diagnosed with an infection from Naegleria fowleri, according to Kyle Roberts, a spokesperson for her family.
Family confirms tragic loss
The girl's parents, Daniel and Rebecca Smart, announced her death on Sunday in a public post on Facebook. It read: "Last night Lillian ran from our arms to the arms of Jesus. The injuries to her brain were too severe for her little body to recover from. Everyone did everything they could to keep her here."
Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry wrote on X: "Heartbroken over the news of Lillian's passing. Please join Sharon and me in prayer for the Smart family and the entire Ruston community during this time."
Health officials confirm rare infection
The Louisiana Department of Health said last week that the state had experienced its first confirmed Naegleria fowleri infection since 2013. The department did not identify the girl. Spokesperson Stacey Grow told AP the department does not comment on individual cases or specific patients.
The infection was likely contracted while swimming in Lake Claiborne in north Louisiana, the Louisiana Department of Health said. The amoeba can lead to a fatal infection known as primary amoebic meningoencephalitis when water carrying the amoeba travels up the nose and into the brain.
Rare but nearly always fatal
Between 1937 and 2025, there have only been approximately 180 confirmed infections in the US, according to the Health Department, which added that the cases are "nearly always fatal." The infection cannot spread from person to person. On average, there are fewer than 10 cases annually in the US.
Naegleria fowleri is found in warm freshwater lakes, rivers, canals and ponds throughout the US. The amoeba becomes dangerous in water that stays over 25C and for years has been seen almost exclusively in the summer in the southern part of the US. A few recent cases have appeared in Maryland, Indiana and Minnesota, scientists said.
"The amoeba is naturally occurring, and there is no routine environmental test for Naegleria fowleri in bodies of water," the Louisiana Department of Health said.
