Parents Say Houston Teen Who Died From Brain-Eating Amoeba is in 'Arms of Jesus Christ'

The parents of a Houston teen who recently died of a brain-eating amoeba have said that their child is now in Heaven with Jesus Christ.

14-year-old Michael Riley of Houston, Texas passed away Monday after battling a brain-eating amoeba for the past week. The teen had become infected with the rare disease while swimming in the Sam Houston State Park earlier this month.

The family took to Facebook to share the news that Riley, a cross country athlete, had died on Monday, writing: "It is with a heavy heart that we tell you, Michael John Riley Jr. lost his battle on this earth but won a victory for his place in the arms of our Lord Jesus Christ."

"Michael fought a courageous fight over the past week, allowing him to move on to be with the Lord for future heavenly tasks, a beautiful set of wings, and a pair of gold running shoes," the statement added.

The teen had reportedly become infected with the rare brain-eating amoeba while swimming with friends at the local river on August 13. The amoeba, known as Naegleria fowleri, is found in warm freshwater bodies and enters its victim's body through the nose, then travels to the brain where it causes inflammation.

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention reports that of the known 133 cases of the disease from 1962 to 2014, only three people have survived the amoeba in the U.S., giving it a survival rate of less than 5 percent.