An eight-year-old girl who went swimming in a lake contracted a rare 'brain-eating amoeba' and died.

An eight-year-old girl who went swimming in a lake in Louisiana, USA, has died after contracting a very rare 'brain-eating amoeba'. Lilian Smart, a young girl residing in Ruston, North Louisiana, passed away while receiving treatment in the hospital last weekend, after celebrating her eighth birthday. This has been confirmed by her parents and health authorities.

Lilian went from her hands to the hands of Jesus last night, and her small body was unable to recover due to severe brain damage, her family members posted on their Facebook account on Sunday morning. They had previously mentioned that the girl's brain was severely swollen due to the parasite's effects. Although health authorities did not officially release the infected girl's name, her friends and family members identified her to local media. The Louisiana Department of Health announced last week that the microorganism known as Naegleria fowleri may have entered her body while she was swimming in Lake Claiborne, located about 30 miles northwest of Ruston.

This microscopic amoeba thrives in warm freshwater, and when water containing the amoeba enters the brain through the nose, it causes a severe neurological infection. However, drinking or swallowing this water does not cause any infection, and it is not transmitted from person to person, Louisiana health authorities point out. Although this infection is extremely rare, authorities further state that it is almost always fatal once contracted.

According to data from the Louisiana Department of Health, only 180 confirmed cases of the disease have been reported between 1937 and 2025, with only three patients reported from that state during the same period. Although these cases are typically found in the southern and central states with warm climates, recent research has revealed that the spread of this amoeba has further expanded as waters in the northern and midwestern states are also warming due to climate change.

Headache, fever, nausea, and vomiting can be initial symptoms of this infection, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This infection is difficult to diagnose early and progresses rapidly, leading the patient to conditions such as stiff neck, confusion, hallucinations, and loss of body balance. According to a Facebook post by the girl's mother, Lilian, who initially developed a fever and later experienced double vision, had been receiving treatment in the intensive care unit since last week.

Before the girl's death, several businesses in Ruston had organized fundraising events to celebrate Lilian's birthday and donate a portion of the proceeds to her family, reported KNOE news service, affiliated with CNN. Locals say Lilian, who always had a smile on her face, was known in the community as a joyful girl. Family members further noted on Facebook that they had made every effort to save the girl and that, with broken hearts, they did not know what to do next.

Meanwhile, a resident of Georgia died in 2023, and a child, the first patient reported from Nebraska in 2022, also died. Health authorities have indicated that both patients contracted this amoeba infection after swimming in freshwater.