Franklin Regional student dies by suicide at high school

A Franklin Regional student was found dead by suicide at the high school in Murrysville on Sunday morning, according to school district and community officials.

“This is an unimaginable loss for our school community, and our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with the student’s family and friends,” Superintendent Gennaro R. Piraino Jr. wrote in a letter to district families and posted on the district’s website.

Murrysville police Chief Tom Kusinsky said the student was found around 6 a.m. Sunday behind the high school near the gym entrance.

The student was found outside his car, which had been set on fire, Kusinsky said. His death was not caused by the vehicle fire, which he said was secondary to the event.

Because everything was captured on school surveillance cameras, the incident is considered closed, Kusinsky said. No further information was being released out of respect for the student and his family, he said.

Classes for students in kindergarten through eighth grade will be held normally Monday, with additional counselors and mental health professionals present, district spokeswoman Deana Callipare said.

Classes will not be held for high school students. Students will have the option of coming to school beginning at 8 a.m. if they want to seek support from counselors and health care professionals, she said.

Students wanting to do so but unable to get to the school should call for transportation, she said.

In his letter, Piraino urged parents to talk with their children and to contact Westmoreland County Crisis at 800-836-6010 if they need additional support.

The letter also included various resources for helping survivors of suicide, supporting children and teens after a suicide, suicide prevention and helping children cope with death and grief.

Julia Burdelski and Brian Rittmeyer are TribLive staff writers. Julia can be reached at jburdelski@triblive.com and Brian can be reached at brittmey@triblive.com.