Louisiana 8-year-old dies from lake-linked brain-eating amoeba

An eight-year-old Louisiana girl has died after contracting a rare and typically fatal brain-eating amoeba following a swim in a lake, her family and health officials confirmed. Lillian Smart of Ruston died in a hospital on Saturday, August 22, 2026, just one day after celebrating her eighth birthday. The Louisiana Department of Health announced last week that a state resident had been hospitalized with an infection from Naegleria fowleri, a microscopic organism found in warm freshwater. The agency stated the infection was most likely acquired while the individual was swimming in Lake Claiborne. Friends and family members identified Lillian as the infected resident to local news outlets, though health officials did not name her publicly.

According to her mother’s social media updates, Lillian developed a fever on August 15. Her condition worsened rapidly, with symptoms including double vision and extreme fatigue. After testing negative for other illnesses, she was admitted to a hospital and transferred to a pediatric intensive care unit where doctors worked to manage severe brain swelling. The amoeba, which cannot cause infection if swallowed and does not spread...