Inquest into the death of Elizabeth Struhs, a Queensland girl denied insulin by her religious parents, reveals troubling insights into her mother's beliefs. Kerrie Struhs was reportedly so convinced that God would heal her daughter that doctors recommended an involuntary mental health assessment for her.
Background
The inquest, presided over by Coroner Ainslie Kirkegaard, heard that child safety officers decided to return Elizabeth, aged eight, to her mother’s care in 2019, despite concerns from Brisbane-based doctors. Elizabeth died on January 7, 2022, at her home in Rangeville, Toowoomba, after her father, Jason Struhs, stopped her insulin treatment. Jason had initially been skeptical of Kerrie's beliefs but converted to her extreme religious sect in 2021, which denied the use of medicine.
Medical Concerns
Elizabeth's case came to the attention of child safety officials after she was hospitalized on July 17, 2019, with late-stage diabetic ketoacidosis, a life-threatening condition for those with type 1 diabetes who do not receive insulin. During this critical time, Kerrie objected to Jason driving Elizabeth to the hospital, believing her daughter would be miraculously healed.
