'Can you kill yourself already?' Jessica Laney, 16, hangs herself after internet trolls taunted her and told her to kill herself

A teenage girl was driven to take her own life after being relentlessly bullied online, it has been claimed.

Jessica Laney, 16, was found dead at her home in Hudson, Florida, on Sunday night after being hounded by inteet trolls.

Friends have claimed she had suffered constant abuse from online bullies who posted hate messages on social networking sites.

The teen - who was a keen soccer player - had profiles on Ask.fm and a Tumblr page.

Friend Valeria Canales wrote to ABC Action News saying: 'My friend Jessica Laney took her life. She was constantly bullied and bullied. And she was pushed and pushed to the point where she couldn’t handle it anymore.

'Ask.fm is a website where people can ask anonymous questions to anyone they want. And that's how Jessica was constantly put down and bullied.

'She was a beautiful girl & everyone loved her. Shes gonna be missed. We have to put an end to bullying. Please help.'

A number of abusive comments remain on Miss Laney's Ask.fm profile calling her 'fat' and 'a loser'.

One visitor asked her, 'Can you kill yourself already?' and another commented 'nobody even cares about you'.

However, officials at Pasco County Sheriff's Office said neither Jessica's parents or boyfriend were aware of any bullying.

'Our thoughts and prayers go to the Jessica Marie Laney’s family as they deal with their loss. Pasco County Sheriff’s Office is not aware of any formal complaint to the Pasco School District or PSO about her being bullied,' said Doug Tobin, Public Information Officer.

More than 1,600 people have 'liked' a Facebook page set up in tribute to Jessica.

Lacey Love Wilson wrote on the site: 'You're the most beautiful person I know I will miss and luv u forever!'

 

Tributes: Friends posted heartbroken messages on a Facebook page set up in memory of Jessica Laney

Kristi Clark said: 'Beautiful girl, inside and out. I had the pleasure of knowing her. Very sweet, bubbly personality, such a horrific shame at what has happened!'

Sheri Toth wrote: 'So sad to hear. Such a beautiful and young girl. Prayers to all her family & friends. This bullying does need to stop!!! The people that were bullying her, need to be held accountable!'

Ask.fm is a website where users can post anonymous questions to other users and is said to have more than 20 million members.

The Latvian-based site was linked to the deaths of two teenagers in Ireland earlier this year.

Erin Gallagher, 13, was found dead days after waing users who had sent her abuse that she would kill herself.

Six weeks earlier, Ciara Pugsley, 15, took her own life after being bombarded with hate messages on Ask.fm

The website's terms of service recommend 'by way of example, and not as a limitation' that users do not transmit 'offensive, threatening, harassing, libellous, hate-oriented, harmful' content.