Coronial Inquest Reveals Systemic Failures Preceding Eight-Year-Old Elizabeth Struhs' Death
A Queensland inquest examines how child safety agencies assessed an eight-year-old as safe, despite medical concerns and her mother's extreme religious beliefs, before she died from untreated diabetes.
Original PrimaryBrief article graphic. Not a photograph of the event.
THE PRIMARY BRIEF
01 · The primary finding
Eight-year-old Elizabeth Struhs died from diabetic ketoacidosis after her parents and 12 others withheld her insulin, despite earlier warnings to child safety officers about her mother's extreme religious beliefs.
02 · The primary evidence
Medical professionals raised concerns in 2019 about Kerrie Struhs' beliefs and Elizabeth's treatment, but child safety officers assessed Elizabeth as "safe" even after a coma hospitalization, and later as "no" risk after Kerrie's release from prison.
03 · Why it matters
This case highlights critical failures in child protection services to recognize and act on risks posed by extreme religious beliefs, leading to tragic outcomes for vulnerable children.
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Eight-year-old Elizabeth Struhs died on January 7, 2022, from diabetic ketoacidosis after her parents, Jason and Kerrie Struhs, members of a religious sect, and 12 other adults deliberately withheld her life-sustaining insulin. A recent coronial inquest in Brisbane, Queensland, is examining alleged systemic failures by government child protection agencies that preceded her death.
This inquest reveals critical shortcomings in safeguarding vulnerable children, particularly when extreme religious beliefs intersect with medical necessity. The case highlights how child protection officers may have overlooked serious risks, raising questions about accountability and the effectiveness of current protocols.