Ruston girl, 8, dies from brain-eating amoeba infection

By: Greg LaRose

Outlets: Louisiana Illuminator

Published: August 23, 2026

Words: 449

Last Updated: 1 month, 3 weeks ago

Body Text Preview

Lillian Smart, who health officials believe contracted a brain-eating amoeba from swimming in a North Louisiana lake, died Saturday at a Shreveport-area hospital from an infection linked to the pathogen. She had turned 8 years old a day earlier.

“The injuries to her brain were too severe for her little body to recover from,” the Smart family from Ruston said in a statement posted Sunday morning on Facebook. “Everyone did everything they could to …

Create a free account to access this story and more

Join Plucky Wire to access full stories, collaborate with newsrooms, and discover content from networks around the world.

About

FAQ

Email Us