The amoeba entered his brain through his nose, possibly when he jumped into Lake Murray, near Columbia. The CDC said 167 cases of the infection have been reported in the U.S. between 1962 and 2024, and only four people have survived.

Attorney and Columbia City Councilman Tyler Bailey was hired by the family to independently investigate the child's death.

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

The parents of Jaysen Carr -- the 12-year-old Hand Middle School student who passed away from a brain-eating amoeba known as Naegleria Fowleri -- are speaking out regarding their son's tragic death.

The parents of Jaysen Carr are calling for freshwater testing and public alerts after their son died of a brain infection after swimming in Lake Murray.

The Carr family is urging state officials to take action to prevent future tragedies and raise awareness about the hidden dangers in South Carolina’s freshwater lakes.

Nationwide, there have only been 167 cases of Naegleria fowleri in the past 62 years — but only four of those survived, according to the CDC.

Tyler Bailey, a Columbia attorney, has been hired to conduct an independent investigation into the patient's death.

The state Department of Public Health presumes a fatal case of brain-eating amoeba came from Lake Murray, but risk of such infections remains extremely low.