8-Year-Old Louisiana Girl Dies After Contracting Brain-Eating Amoeba from Lake

An 8-year-old girl has died after contracting a brain-eating amoeba likely contracted while swimming at a lake in Louisiana. Lillian Smart was infected with Naegleria fowleri, an amoeba that thrives in bodies of warm, fresh water. Her family confirmed her death on the Love for Lillian Facebook page, where they have been sharing updates about her battle with the illness.

“Last night Lillian ran from our arms to the arms of Jesus,” they posted. “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?”

Without naming Lillian, the Louisiana Department of Health confirmed a case of infection with Naegleria fowleri on August 19, adding that it had most likely been contracted at Lake Claiborne. According to the LDH, Naegleria fowleri can cause primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM), which can occur when water enters the nose and the amoeba travels to the brain. The LDH warns that Naegleria fowleri can cause victims to suffer severe headaches, fever and vomiting that progresses to a stiff neck, seizures and a coma. Although rare, PAM is nearly always fatal.

In a post on Facebook uploaded earlier in August, Lillian’s mother said that the little girl had been admitted to hospital after suffering a fever before experiencing double vision. Lillian died just a day after her birthday, according to the Love for Lillian page, with doctors telling her family that the swelling caused by the infection was “significant.”

Members of the community in Ruston, where the 8-year-old was from, held a Love for Lillian fundraiser on Friday to mark her eighth birthday.

“She’s just always a happy child,” Patricia Willis, a local business owner, told KNOE. “Every time you see her, she has a smile on her face.”

Louisiana senator John Kennedy said in a statement that he and his wife are “heartbroken” at the news of Lillian’s death.

“Our hearts and prayers are with Lillian’s family, Ruston and all of Louisiana as we mourn this sweet little girl,” he wrote. “May God comfort her family and give them strength in the days ahead.”

The LDH says that there have only been 180 known cases of PAM in the U.S. from 1937 to 2025, with just three cases of Naegleria fowleri occurring in Louisiana during that period. The agency warns that swimmers should keep their heads out of the water and plug their noses while swimming. Swimmers have also been urged to not dig up or disturb sediment while taking part in water-based activities.