Tragic Loss of Louisiana Girl Due to Rare Amoeba Infection

An eight-year-old girl from Louisiana has sadly passed away after contracting a rare and usually fatal brain-eating amoeba following a swim in Lake Claiborne.

Lillian Smart, hailing from Ruston, died on Saturday, just a day after celebrating her birthday, as her family shared the news on a public Facebook page dedicated to her, called “Love for Lillian.”

In their heartfelt message, the family wrote, “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. 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?”

On August 19, the Louisiana Department of Health confirmed a state resident had become infected with Naegleria fowleri, indicating that the exposure likely occurred while swimming in Lake Claiborne. Family friends later identified Lillian as the person who had been infected, according to local media.

Infections from Naegleria fowleri are extremely rare and are almost always fatal, as noted in various reports. Lillian had been hospitalized since August 15, and during this challenging time, over two dozen businesses in Ruston rallied to support the Smart family by donating a portion of their sales.

Since 2011, only a handful of Naegleria fowleri infections have been recorded in Louisiana. This amoeba thrives in warm water and is most commonly found in southern states during the summer months. Since 1937, only about 180 cases have been identified in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

This year, a similar tragedy occurred in Arkansas, where a child died after contracting Naegleria fowleri at a country club splash pad in Little Rock.

The amoeba is typically present in warm freshwater bodies, including lakes, rivers, and ponds, but it is not found in saltwater or properly maintained and chlorinated swimming pools.

Experts warn that the Climate Crisis is causing this amoeba to appear in parts of the U.S. where it wasn’t commonly found before, like in northern and western states. Infections can lead to primary amebic meningoencephalitis, a severe brain infection that starts when contaminated water enters the nose.

Importantly, a person cannot get infected simply by swallowing water that contains Naegleria fowleri; the infection does not spread from person to person.