Eight-year-old dies after contracting rare brain-eating amoeba in Louisiana

Lillian Smart of Ruston infected with fatal Naegleria fowleri, likely after swimming in Lake Claiborne, health officials say An eight-year-old Louisiana girl has died after contracting a rare, typically fatal brain-eating amoeba after a swim in Lake Claiborne. Lillian Smart, of Ruston, died on Saturday, one day after celebrating her birthday, her family announced in a public Facebook post on the “Love for Lillian” page. “Last night Lillian ran from our arms to the arms of Jesus,” her family said in the post. “The injuries to her brain were too severe for her little body to recover from. Everyone did everything they could to keep her here. We are heartbroken and honestly do not know what to do next. How do we put one foot in front of the other without our girl?” The Louisiana department of health confirmed on 19 August that a state resident had been infected with Naegleria fowleri and said the exposure most likely occurred while the person was swimming in Lake Claiborne in Claiborne parish. Family friends later identified Lillian as the infected resident, according to reports from several local media outlets. Naegleria fowleri infections are almost always fatal. Lillian had been hos