Officer missed Elizabeth Struhs' mother's prior neglect record
A parole officer assessed Kerrie Struhs. The officer had no access to her past neglect conviction. Elizabeth died weeks later.
A Queensland parole officer assessed Kerrie Struhs on 16 December 2021. The officer found no immediate risk to others.
The officer had no access to her past crimes. Kerrie was sentenced to five months in jail in 2019 for child neglect.
She did not take her daughter Elizabeth to hospital to treat her type 1 diabetes. The parole officer could not access the QP9 file.
This file contains details of her crime and the judge's sentencing remarks. An administrative error prevented access.
Elizabeth died on 7 January 2022, just 22 days later. She died from diabetic ketoacidosis.
Her father Jason had withdrawn her insulin. A senior officer said Kerrie should have been flagged for the serious offenders unit.
This would have meant closer oversight.
- Five months jail for child neglect
- Kerrie's 2019 sentence
- 16 December 2021
- Parole assessment date
- 7 January 2022
- Elizabeth's death date
- 22 days
- Days between parole and death
Why it mattersA missing file broke a critical safety check. A child was left in danger. Yet the mother's past neglect conviction was already public knowledge.
AustraliaThe case exposes gaps in Queensland's child safety and parole systems, raising questions about how information is shared between agencies protecting vulnerable children.
✓ Claims checked against the source. checked 3 h ago
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