A 19-year-old student who survived the Parkland school shooting in Florida last year has taken her own life.

Sydney Aiello’s mother Cara said her daughter died last weekend.

She suffered a gunshot wound to the head, according to an official at the Broward County medical examiner’s office.

Ms Aiello, who recently graduated from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, has been described as a vibrant young woman who was focused on her grades and was a joy to be around.

Her mother, of Coconut Creek, Florida, said her daughter was on campus on the day of the 14 February 2018 shooting.

But she was not in the freshman building where ex-student Nikolas Cruz allegedly carried out the gun rampage.

Cara Aiello said that since the attack her daughter struggled with survivor’s guilt and was recently diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder.

She said Sydney was finding it tough to attend college classes because they scared her.

A GoFundMe page set up for the Aiello family said the teenager’s passions were cheerleading, yoga “and brightening up the days of others”.

Ms Aiello had been close friends with Meadow Pollack, one of the victims of the school shooting in which 14 students and three staff members were killed.

Ms Pollack’s brother Hunter paid tribute to Ms Aiello on Twitter, writing: “Beautiful Sydney with such a bright future was taken from us way too soon.”

He later posted: “It was devastating to bury another beautiful young person in Parkland today.

“Our community is going through tragedy again. Please keep the Aiello Family in your prayers.

“Rest in peace, Sydney. Please take care of my sister.”

A statement from Ms Pollack’s family said: “The death of Sydney Aiello is tragic, shocking and heartbreaking, and surely at least in significant part the result of the ripple effect of the MSD shooting.”

Mental health expert Dr Victor Schwartz told NBC News that “exposure to death around you does to some small degree raise the risk of suicide”.

“It stands to reason that there is some increased risk around the survivor guilt,” he said.

“Parkland students have done an incredible job being out there and advocating for gun safety, but the sadness and distress are still there. I’m sure many of these students are still struggling with symptoms that look like PTSD,” he said.

“And how could they not be?”

:: Anyone feeling emotionally distressed or suicidal can call Samaritans for help on 116 123 or email [email protected] in the UK. In the US, call the Samaritans branch in your area or 1 (800) 273-TALK.

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