World · East Asia & Pacific · 8 hrs ago
Doctor warned Elizabeth Struhs was unsafe at home years before her death
Elizabeth Struhs was eight when she died at her family home in Toowoomba, Queensland, in January 2022.
She had type 1 diabetes and died from diabetic ketoacidosis after her insulin was withdrawn.
Her parents and other members of a religious group called the Saints believed she would be healed without medicine.
A specialist had warned child safety authorities in 2019 that Elizabeth could not safely be in her mother’s care if her mother denied the need for insulin.
Elizabeth had been seriously ill and treated in hospital, but was returned home under a voluntary safety agreement without the hospital team’s knowledge.
Her mother had previously refused to provide medical care and was convicted over that earlier incident.
All 14 adult members of the group were convicted of manslaughter last year, and a coronial inquest is now examining Elizabeth’s death.
A medical specialist warned in 2019 that Elizabeth Struhs would not be safe in her mother’s care if her mother continued to reject insulin.
The warning was heard at a coronial inquest into the death of Elizabeth, who died aged eight from diabetic ketoacidosis.
Elizabeth died at her family home in Toowoomba on 7 January 2022 after her insulin was withdrawn.
Her parents and other members of a religious sect called the Saints were convicted of her manslaughter.
The doctor said Elizabeth was returned home under an intervention agreement without the hospital team’s knowledge.
- Who
- Elizabeth Struhs, an eight-year-old with type 1 diabetes. Her parents and other members of the Saints were convicted of her manslaughter.
- What
- A coronial inquest heard that a doctor had warned years earlier that Elizabeth would not be safe at home with her mother.
- When
- The doctor raised concerns in 2019. Elizabeth died on 7 January 2022, and the inquest heard the evidence on Monday.
- Where
- Elizabeth died at her family home in Toowoomba, west of Brisbane. The warning was made after her admission to Queensland Children’s Hospital.
- Why
- The doctor was concerned that Elizabeth’s mother denied she was sick and rejected the need for insulin, which is required to treat type 1 diabetes.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
My concerns were so strong that if [a nurse at the service] had said not to I was still planning to submit a report
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
Elizabeth was admitted to the Queensland Children’s Hospital intensive care unit.
The doctor wrote a report raising concerns about Elizabeth’s safety and her mother’s rejection of insulin.
Elizabeth died from diabetic ketoacidosis at her family home in Toowoomba.
The 14 adult members of the Saints were convicted of Elizabeth’s manslaughter.
A coronial inquest heard evidence about the doctor’s 2019 warning.
- Age at death
- 8
- Medical condition
- Type 1 diabetes
- Hospital admission
- 17 July 2019
- Death
- 7 January 2022, from diabetic ketoacidosis
- Place of death
- Family home in Toowoomba, west of Brisbane
- Convictions
- 14 adult members of the Saints were convicted of manslaughter
Sources
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