COLUMBIA, SC (LOOTPRESS) – A 12-year-old student from Hand Middle School in the Richland One School District in South Carolina has died after contracting a rare brain-eating amoeba, according to family members and school officials.
Jaysen Carr was exposed to the amoeba, Naegleria fowleri, while swimming in Lake Murray over the weekend.
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The amoeba, which typically enters the body through the nose, can cause a rare and often fatal brain infection known as primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM).
On Thursday, Jaysen’s family announced they had retained Columbia attorney Tyler Bailey to conduct a private investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death.
The family also plans to address the media next week after Jaysen’s funeral, with the goal of raising awareness about potential health risks associated with freshwater lakes in South Carolina.
A GoFundMe campaign has been launched to support the Carr family, who are facing a number of unexpected expenses in the wake of Jaysen’s passing.
Jaysen will be laid to rest on Saturday, July 26.
