Inquest examines authorities' role in cult girl's death

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 11 Oct, 20:54 · Archive

An inquest into the death of eight-year-old Elizabeth Struhs, who died in 2022 after her parents stopped giving her insulin, will examine whether Queensland authorities failed to protect her.

An inquest into the death of eight-year-old Elizabeth Struhs began in Brisbane to examine whether Queensland authorities could have done more to prevent her death. Struhs died in January 2022 at her family home in Toowoomba after her parents stopped administering her lifesaving insulin for type 2 diabetes. Her parents, Jason Richard Struhs and Kerrie Elizabeth Struhs, made the decision based on their membership in a faith-healing home church called the 'Saints', which rejects modern medicine. Members of the group spent days praying for God to heal Elizabeth as her condition deteriorated.

Fourteen people have been convicted and are serving prison sentences for her manslaughter. Four years after her death, Coroner Ainslie Kirkegaard is now examining potential failings from government departments that had contact with the Struhs family before her death. The investigation will scrutinise the Department of Education, Child Safety, Queensland Police, Queensland Corrective Services and various Queensland health services, assessing whether they adequately identified Elizabeth's protective needs and made appropriate contact with the family.

Up to 30 witnesses are expected to give evidence during the inquest, which is scheduled to run from Monday until 23 October, beginning at 10am.

How it is being reported

• Queensland authorities to face scrutiny as inquest into Elizabeth Struhs’ faith-healing cult death beginsMore than four years after a young girl died at the hands of a faith-healing cult, an inquest is set to uncover whether government authorities could have done more to prevent her death.Perth Now · 11 Oct, 20:45
• Queensland authorities to face scrutiny as inquest into Elizabeth Struhs’ faith-healing cult death beginsMore than four years after a young girl died at the hands of a faith-healing cult, an inquest is set to uncover whether government authorities could have done more to prevent her death.The West Australian · 11 Oct, 20:44

In this story: Elizabeth Rose Struhs · Jason Richard Struhs · Kerrie Elizabeth Struhs · Ainslie Kirkegaard · Toowoomba · Rangeville · Brisbane · Queensland

This summary was written by AI from the headlines and standfirsts above, and states as fact only what at least two outlets report. How we use AI · Report a problem