Louisiana girl, 8, dies after contracting rare brain-eating amoeba

RUSTON, Louisiana – An 8-year-old girl in the US state of Louisiana died after contracting a rare brain-eating amoeba that thrives in warm fresh water, according to family members and the state Health Department.Lillian Smart, of Ruston, Louisiana, contracted the fatal infection while swimming in Lake Claiborne, a reservoir in northern Louisiana, Kyle Roberts, a spokesperson for the family, confirmed in a statement. Her death was announced in a family statement on social media.