Eight-Year-Old Louisiana Girl Dies from Rare Brain-Eating Amoeba After Lake Swim
PUBLISHED Aug 24, 2026, 12:12 AM ET
An young Louisiana girl has died from a rare and fatal brain infection after contracting a microscopic amoeba while swimming in a northern Louisiana lake. Lillian Smart of Ruston passed away on Saturday, just one day after celebrating her birthday, according to a public announcement by her grieving family. The Louisiana Department of Health previously reported that a state resident had been hospitalized after being infected with Naegleria fowleri, commonly known as a lethal amoeba, following exposure at Lake Claiborne in Claiborne Parish. Lillian had been hospitalized in the pediatric intensive care unit since August fifteen as medical staff exhausted treatment options. Naegleria fowleri is a naturally occurring organism thriving in warm freshwater during extended periods of extreme heat. The pathogen causes primary amebic meningoencephalitis when contaminated water enters nasal passages. Federal health data shows the infection carries an extremely high fatality rate across the United States this summer season.
By Sarah Whitman | JQJO News
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On August 19, 2026, Louisiana Health reported confirmed amoeba infection. https://ldh.la.gov/news/7696
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Eight-year-old dies after contracting rare brain-eating amoeba in Louisiana
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