Elizabeth Struhs inquest hears doctors urged mother's forced mental health
Doctors urged child safety to force Elizabeth Struhs's mother into mental health assessment. She believed God would heal her diabetes.
Elizabeth Struhs died on 7 January 2022, aged eight, after her father stopped giving her insulin. In 2019, she was hospitalised with diabetic ketoacidosis so severe she was in a coma.
Doctors and her mother Kerrie Struhs disagreed on treatment. Kerrie believed God would heal Elizabeth and refused to accept the disease was permanent.
Brisbane doctors recommended Kerrie have involuntary mental health assessment. They called her beliefs delusional.
Child safety officers overruled them. Elizabeth came home in August 2019 with a safety plan.
Her father Jason was initially doubtful of Kerrie's religious sect beliefs. He converted to them in 2021 and stopped giving insulin.
Both parents were convicted of failing to provide necessities of life. All 14 adult sect members, including leader Brendan Stevens, were convicted of Elizabeth's manslaughter.
The coroner is hearing evidence this week on how the system failed.
- 7 January 2022, aged 8
- Death date
- 17 July 2019, diabetic ketoacidosis, coma
- Crisis hospitalisation
- Rangeville, Toowoomba, Queensland
- Location
Why it mattersThe case reveals failures in child protection. It shows what happens when medical advice clashes with parental rights. It also shows how authorities now assess religious refusal of medical care.
AustraliaA Queensland inquest into a preventable child death is examining gaps in how child safety, health, and mental health systems worked together to protect a diabetic child.
✓ Claims checked against the source. checked 2 h ago
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