Elizabeth Struhs Coronal Inquest Opens Into Child Safety Warnings
A medical specialist at the Queensland Children’s Hospital warned child safety authorities that eight-year-old Elizabeth Struhs would not be safe at home with her mother years before the child died from untreated type 1 diabetes, a coronial inquest has heard. Elizabeth died from diabetic ketoacidosis on January 7, 2022, at her family home in Toowoomba, west of Brisbane, after members of a religious sect known as the Saints withdrew her insulin and spent days singing and praying while she deteriorated.
All 14 adult members of the group were convicted of manslaughter last year, including Elizabeth’s father Jason Struhs, mother Kerrie Struhs, brother Zachary Struhs, and sect leader Brendan Stevens, theguardian.com reported. The inquest, which opened its hearings on Monday, examines prior interactions between medical staff, family members, and government child protection agencies.
Hospital Warnings and the 2019 ICU Admission
Coroner Ainslie Kirkegaard heard testimony from an anonymous medical specialist who helped care for Elizabeth after her admission to the Queensland Children’s Hospital intensive care unit on July 17, 2019. The child arrived extremely unwell and required intubation and ventilation after experiencing a severe diabetic ketoacidosis episode.
The treating doctor wrote a nine-page professional report dated July 18, 2019, expressing deep concern over Elizabeth returning to her mother’s care. Counsel assisting Simon Hamlyn-Harris read excerpts from the report to the court:
“Type 1 diabetes is a life-threatening condition that requires complicated care by the parents.”
The report stated, adding: “If her mother continues to deny the requirement for insulin and the related treatments Elizabeth could not be in Kerrie’s care.”
The doctor noted that Kerrie Struhs refused to visit the hospital, denied that her daughter was sick, and asserted that Elizabeth would never require medication during a phone conversation with hospital staff. The physician consulted the hospital’s child protection and forensic medical service before submitting the report to police and child safety officials.
Intervention Parental Agreements and Discharge Outcomes
Despite the medical warnings submitted to authorities, Elizabeth was returned to her family under a short-term, voluntary intervention parental agreement. This arrangement allowed child safety authorities to monitor the family without a formal child protection order, and the court heard it proceeded without the knowledge of the hospital treatment team.
The treating doctor told the court on Monday that she remained entirely unsupportive of the discharge plan:
“There is still significant risk in that context. I would not be supportive of that treatment if I was the clinician involved in that discharge home plan.”
Following the 2019 incident, Jason Struhs initially agreed to manage Elizabeth’s medical care and protect her from the sect’s restrictions. Both Jason and Kerrie Struhs were convicted in 2021 of failing to supply the necessaries of life, with Jason receiving a six-month suspended sentence and Kerrie receiving an 18-month prison sentence with parole set for December 15, 2021.
However, while serving her sentence, Kerrie converted Jason back to the sect’s religious beliefs. Jason subsequently stopped administering insulin to Elizabeth, leading directly to her death in January 2022. The coronial inquest continues.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Elizabeth Struhs Inquest
Who are the Saints and what did they believe?
The Saints are a religious sect led by Brendan Stevens whose members rejected modern medicine. The group believed that Elizabeth Struhs would be miraculously healed of her type 1 diabetes and resurrected after death through prayer and religious devotion.
What legal consequences did the family members face?
All 14 adult members of the Saints were convicted of manslaughter in connection with Elizabeth’s death in 2022. This group included her father Jason Struhs, her mother Kerrie Struhs, her brother Zachary Struhs, and sect leader Brendan Stevens.
What happened during the 2019 hospital admission?
Elizabeth was admitted to the Queensland Children’s Hospital intensive care unit in July 2019 in a coma caused by severe diabetic ketoacidosis. Hospital specialists warned child safety authorities in writing that returning the child to her mother posed a life-threatening risk because Kerrie refused medical care and insulin treatment.
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