A teenage student has died suddenly from a heart attack, as she headed home after celebrating her graduation.
Seventeen-year-old Gouda Remeikaite is understood to have been taken ill while on a bus home from her graduation ceremony in Co Meath, Ireland.
Tragically, it is believed her mother also passed away from a cardiac condition in the last three years.
Gouda was a popular pupil at Boyne Community College in Trim, Co Meath, and lived just outside the town with her father and sister.
Sources said that valiant efforts were made by the paramedics who responded to the emergency call to the bus yesterday morning.
A police spokesman said: “At this time gardai are not treating the death as suspicious.”
Ray Butler, a Fine Gael politician, said: “I send my condolences to her family and friends.
“I cannot imagine what they are going through. I have talked to a lot of people and young people in the town today and everyone is devastated.”
Local politician James O’Shea, who is a member of the Boyne Community College board of management, said the whole school had been stunned at Gouda’s death.
He told the Irish Mirror : “I was at the Leaving Cert graduation there on Wednesday night and I just got a text from the school today to inform me about the situation.
“I’m very sad about the poor girl and I send my sympathies to her family.
“The whole school campus and the staff are all shocked. My heart really goes out to her family and friends.
“I can remember this girl, I met her when she was in transition year and she was very pleasant and popular.”
A spokeswoman for the school said every effort was being made to ensure that services were in place to help her fellow students cope with the tragic loss.
She added: “It is with great sadness we must announce the death of one of our fifth year students.
“Support structures are in place to assist the students. We want to remind parents that support is available in the school today and tomorrow from 10am until 1pm.”