From the Guardian · · 2m
Doctor's warning ignored before sect killed diabetic girl
A Queensland hospital specialist warned Elizabeth Struhs would not be safe at home with her mother years before the eight-year-old died when her parents and a religious sect withdrew her insulin.
In brief
A Queensland hospital specialist warned Elizabeth Struhs would not be safe at home with her mother years before the eight-year-old died when her parents and a religious sect withdrew her insulin. A doctor warned Elizabeth Struhs would not be safe at home with her mother in twenty nineteen, but she was returned home…
Eight-year-old dies after insulin withdrawn
Elizabeth Struhs, a type one diabetic, died from diabetic ketoacidosis on seven January twenty twenty-two at her family home in Toowoomba, west of Brisbane, after her parents and sect members withdrew her insulin.
Fourteen sect members convicted of manslaughter
All fourteen adult members of the religious sect known as the Saints were convicted of Elizabeth's manslaughter last year, including her father Jason Struhs, mother Kerrie Struhs, brother Zachary Struhs, and sect leader Brendan Stevens.
Sect rejected medicine, believed in miraculous healing
The group, which some have referred to as a cult, did not believe in medicine and believed Elizabeth would be miraculously healed of her incurable illness and be resurrected after she died.
Doctor warned mother could not safely care for child
A medical specialist at Queensland Children's Hospital warned in a nine-page report after Elizabeth's admission on seventeen July twenty nineteen that she would not be safe at home with her mother Kerrie if insulin treatment…
“If her mother continues to deny the requirement for insulin and the related treatments Elizabeth could not be in Kerrie's care.”
Doctor's concerns about mother's religious beliefs
The doctor was concerned about Elizabeth's condition at presentation, describing her as extremely unwell and requiring intubation and a ventilator, but also about Kerrie's religious beliefs.
Child returned home despite doctor's strong objections
Elizabeth was returned home to live with her family with an intervention parental agreement, done without the knowledge of the hospital team.
“I would not be supportive of that treatment if I was the clinician involved in that discharge home plan.”
Father's conversion to sect beliefs led to her death
Jason Struhs, who had been sceptical of his wife's religion and saved Elizabeth's life by taking her to hospital in twenty nineteen, was converted to Kerrie's beliefs while she served her prison sentence.
Coronial inquest examines systemic failures
A coronial inquest began on Monday to examine how Elizabeth's case was handled. The inquest heard that doctors had attempted to warn the child safety department that Elizabeth could not be safely returned to her…
In short
A doctor warned Elizabeth Struhs would not be safe at home with her mother in twenty nineteen, but she was returned home anyway and died in twenty twenty-two when her parents and fourteen members of a religious sect called the Saints withdrew her insulin.
