Brazosport Water Authority says it's not responsible for boy's death from brain-eating amoeba
HOUSTON - "The Brazosport Water Authority never was an issue with Josiah's passing or an issue of water quality," said Texas Speaker of the House Dennis Bonnen. "Their water is safe then and it is today."
12 hours after a do not use the water advisory went out last Friday it was lifted in 11 cities served by the Brazosport Water Authority.
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"Safety here at the Authority and a safe product is our top priority that's something we stress highly," said Ronny Woodruff the Authority's General Manager.
"As a member of the board I can assure you that the problem that originated outside our system does not extend beyond the Lake Jackson area," said Juan Longoria board president of the Authority.
The advisory remains in effect for only Lake Jackson which uses a combination of half well water and half from the Brazosport Water Authority.
"They thought it was some sort of viral infection that would pretty much run its course which made sense at the time," said Maria Castillo Josiah McIntyre's mother.
It was Josiah's death that prompted the advisory. Castillo says the brain-eating amoeba caused swelling in his brain.
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Lake Jackson boy dies from brain-eating amoeba
On Saturday, a long line stretched through Clute Park for a barbecue fundraiser to help pay for the funeral expenses of six-year-old Josiah McIntyre.
The amoeba is rare but mostly fatal.
From 2009 to 2018 only 34 infections were reported in the United States. 30 of those people were infected by recreational water.
Possible sources connected to the boy's death are a splash pad storage tank a fire hydrant near that tank and a water hose bib at the boy's home.
"We all got to say our last goodbyes without him being hooked up to anything he was paralyzed and completely sedated but he was still able to hear us and know that we were there," Castillo said.
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