Jaysen Carr died after contracting a rare infection brought on by a freshwater amoeba reportedly in a South Carolina lake.

The infection destroys brain tissue, which is why the infection is commonly referred to as a brain-eating amoeba.

Rare cases of Naegleria fowleri can result in a severe infection in the brain, with infection fatal in around 95% of cases.

The family spoke in front of the media for the first time Tuesday, calling on state agencies to test fresh bodies of water ...

Jaysen Carr, 12, died a week after a trip to a North Carolina lake where a water-based amoeba entered his brain through his ...

A 12-year-old boy died from a brain-eating amoeba two weeks after a holiday weekend on a popular South Carolina lake. The ...

Two weeks after spending the Fourth of July on a popular South Carolina lake, 12-year-old Jaysen Carr died from a ...

Two weeks after Jaysen Carr spent the Fourth of July swimming and riding on a boat on one of South Carolina’s most popular ...

Naegleria fowleri, the rare, but deadly, so-called brain-eating amoeba, can be found in Pennsylvania's waters.

The amoeba, Naegleria fowleri, is found around the world in soil and warm fresh water. It can also appear in tap water and less often in swimming pools that haven’t been properly chlorinated ...

However, some bacteria, viruses and other organisms can survive this process, including Naegleria fowleri. Commonly known as the “brain-eating” bacteria, Naegleria fowleri is actually an amoeba.