TRAGIC: Brain-eating’ amoeba claims young life after swimming in popular lake

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From Fox News: A pediatric death from a “brain-eating amoeba” has been reported in South Carolina, according to health officials.

Prisma Health Richland Hospital in Columbia publicly confirmed the death on July 22, according to a statement from the South Carolina Department of Public Health (DPH) sent to Fox News Digital.

The patient died after exposure to Naegleria fowleri, a rare amoeba that causes a life-threatening brain infection called primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM).

“The July 2025 exposure to the organism Naegleria fowleri likely occurred at Lake Murray, but we cannot be completely certain, as this organism occurs naturally and is present in many warm water lakes, rivers and streams,” the South Carolina DPH told Dox News Digital.

“Water activities like swimming or diving in warm freshwater areas, such as lakes and rivers, may increase the risk of exposure and infection.”

The child has since been identified as 12-year-old Jaysen Carr, who died on July 18 after swimming in Lake Murray in Columbia, South Carolina on July 7.

A GoFundMe account set up to help the family cover expenses has raised over $47,000 as of this report.

A law firm representing the Carr family posted the following notice on Facebook:

It is with deep sadness that we share the heartbreaking news of 12-year-old Jaysen Carr, who tragically passed away on July 18 after contracting Naegleria fowleri, a rare brain infection, while swimming in Lake Murray.

Jaysen was a bright and beloved student at Hand Middle School. His loss is unimaginable, and our hearts are with his family as they grieve their son and search for answers.

The Carr family is incredibly grateful for the outpouring of love from the community and for the dedicated care provided by the doctors and nurses at Prisma Health Children’s Hospital in the Midlands.

As their legal team, we stand beside this family not only to seek the truth, but to help ensure no other family endures a loss like this. We ask that you keep the Carrs in your thoughts and prayers and respect their privacy as they prepare to lay Jaysen to rest.
-Bailey Law Firm

Naegleria fowleri grows best in warm temperatures up to 115 degrees Fahrenheit, and is found most often during the months of July, August and September.

The CDC shared the following information about the deadly bacteria on their website:

Naegleria fowleri lives in soil and warm freshwater lakes, rivers, ponds, and hot springs around the world. In very rare cases, Naegleria fowleri has been found in poorly maintained swimming pools, splash pads, and other recreational venues. The ameba also has been found in tap water.

If water containing the ameba goes up the nose and to the brain, it can cause an infection called primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM). Typically, fewer than 10 people a year in the United States get PAM. Nearly everyone who gets PAM dies from it.

Between 1962 and 2024, there were 167 reported cases of PAM in the United States. Only four have survived.

Early symptoms of PAM can include headache, fever, nausea, and vomiting. PAM progresses rapidly. Most people with PAM die within 1 to 18 days after symptoms begin. It usually leads to coma and death after 5 days.

As PAM progresses, symptoms can include stiff neck, confusion, lack of attention to people and surroundings, loss of balance, and hallucinations.

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