"The South Carolina Department of Public Health (DPH) was made aware of Naegleria fowleri in our state on the week of July 7. Naegleria fowleri is not required to be reported by the DPH. The agency does not track infections from the amoeba and does not provide information about or comment on individual cases,

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.

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.

Two weeks after spending the Fourth of July on a popular South Carolina lake, 12-year-old Jaysen Carr died from a brain-eating amoeba that was living in the warm water.

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.

Jaysen Carr died after contracting a rare infection brought on by a freshwater amoeba reportedly in a South Carolina lake. Carr's parents, Clarence and Ebony Carr, and their family attorney, Tyler Bailey,