An eight-year-old Louisiana girl has died from primary amebic meningoencephalitis, a brain infection caused by the brain-eating amoeba Naegleria fowleri, her parents announced.
Lillian Smart died on Saturday, one day after her eighth birthday, according to a post on the "Love for Lillian" Facebook page. Her parents stated that the amoeba likely entered her body while she was swimming at Lake Claiborne, traveling up her nose and into her brain.
"Last night, Lillian ran from our arms to the arms of Jesus," her parents wrote. "The injuries to her brain were too severe for her little body to recover from."
Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry expressed his condolences on social media, posting on X, "Heartbroken over the news of Lillian's passing. Please join Sharon and me in prayer for the Smart family and the entire Ruston community during this time."
Naegleria fowleri is commonly found in warm freshwater lakes, rivers, canals, and ponds across the United States. From 1937 through 2025, there have been 180 known cases of primary amebic meningoencephalitis in the U.S. The infection is nearly always fatal.
Lillian's parents shared that they are leaning on their Christian faith and community for support as they grieve. "Our foundation is still in Jesus," they wrote. "We didn't get to keep our girl, but we watched miracles happen on her behalf."