Watch CBS News

Father Of Sandy Hook Victim Dies From An Apparent Suicide

(CNN) -- The father of a 6-year-old girl killed in the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre was found dead Monday morning from an apparent suicide, police said.

The body of Jeremy Richman was found in his Connecticut office building, Newtown police said.

His death is the third suicide in the past week related to school massacres.

Richman, 49, was the father of Avielle Richman, who was among 20 children killed in the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting.

VP Biden Discusses Administration's Efforts To Increase Access To Mental Health Services
WASHINGTON, DC - DECEMBER 10: U.S. Vice President Joe Biden (C) leads a meeting on extending access to mental health care at the White House with (L-R) are Katy Sherlach (L), Georgetown Graduate student, Bill Sherlach (2nd L), founder of Mary's Fund and Newtown victim family member, Jeremy Richman (2nd R), founder and CEO of Avielle Foundation and Newtown victim family member, and Akeliah "Ace" Robinson, Avielle Foundation December 10, 2013 in Washington, DC. During the meeting Biden announced that an additional $100 million will be made available to bolster access to mental health services and improve mental health facilities across the nation. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)

Police said they "will not disclose the method or any other details of the death," other than it does not appear to be suspicious.

Parkland grieves 2 suicides a year after massacre

In Florida, mourners are grieving the death of Sydney Aiello, a 2018 graduate of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School who died by suicide last week. She survived the attack on Valentine's Day 2018 that killed 17 people at the school in Parkland.

Aiello, a Florida Atlantic University student, suffered from survivor's guilt and had been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, her mom told CNN affiliate WFOR.

Then on Saturday, a second Marjory Stoneman Douglas student died in what police describe as "an apparent suicide."

The student has not been publicly identified. It's not clear under what circumstances the student died, or whether the apparent suicide was related to last year's massacre.

Father was a force for change

After the Sandy Hook massacre, Richman tried to help make sure shootings like the one that killed his daughter wouldn't happen again.

The neuroscientist co-founded the The Avielle Foundation, which calls attention to mental health issues through research and community engagement.

"The Avielle Foundation's mission is two-sided. On the one side we have research. We are funding neuroscience research aimed at understanding the brain's chemistry, structure, and circuits that lead to violence and compassion," the foundation's website states.

The other side is "focused on community education and engagement."

If you or someone you know might be at risk of suicide, here's how to get help: In the US, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. The International Association for Suicide Prevention and Befrienders Worldwide also can provide contact information for crisis centers around the world.

The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2019 Cable News Network, Inc., a Time Warner Company. All rights reserved.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.