RUSTON — An 8-year-old girl in Louisiana has died after contracting a brain-eating amoeba, which is believed to come out of Lake Claiborne. 

Lillian Smart was a resident of Ruston and died in the hospital over the weekend, CNN reported. 

The Louisiana Department of Health announced last week a new confirmed infection but did not name Smart as the resident. Smart's family later confirmed her identity to local news outlets. 

"Last night Lillian ran from our arms to the arms of Jesus. The injuries to her brain were too severe for her little body to recover from," Smart's family posted on Facebook Sunday morning. 

Cases of the brain-eating amoeba, or Naegleria fowleri, are extremely rare but almost always fatal, according to LDH. The amoeba is found in warm freshwater, and LDH advises lakegoers to limit the amount of water that enters the nose by keeping their heads out of the water or using nose clips. 

“Everyone did everything they could to keep her here,” Smart’s parents said on Facebook. “We are heartbroken and honestly do not know what to do next.”

Smart passed away just after her birthday, and according to CNN, several Ruston businesses participated in a fundraiser to celebrate Lillian’s birthday and donate part of their proceeds to the family. 

“She’s just always a happy child,” a local business owner told KNOE. “Every time you see her, she has a smile on her face.”