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Louisiana Girl Dies From Brain-Eating Amoeba
24 Aug
Summary
- Eight-year-old Lillian Smart died from a rare brain-eating amoeba.
- Her infection was likely caused by swimming in Lake Claiborne.
- Naegleria fowleri infections are almost always fatal, with few US cases.
An eight-year-old girl from Ruston, Louisiana, has succumbed to a rare and usually fatal brain-eating amoeba, Naegleria fowleri. Lillian Smart passed away on Saturday, August 23, 2026, just one day after her birthday. Her family announced her passing on a public Facebook page, stating that the injuries to her brain were too severe for her body to overcome.
Health officials confirmed on August 19, 2026, that a Louisiana resident had contracted the amoeba, with exposure most likely occurring while swimming in Lake Claiborne in Claiborne parish. Family friends identified Lillian as the infected individual. This infection is caused by an amoeba that thrives in warm freshwater and is exceptionally rare in the United States, with only around 180 cases identified since 1937.
