Elizabeths Struhs: Religious sect parents jailed over death of diabetic daughter

In Australia, a couple has been sentenced to 14 years in prison for manslaughter after refusing to administer insulin to their eight-year-old daughter, who suffered from diabetes, for nearly a week, leading to her death. This tragedy has once again brought attention to the conflict between religious beliefs and medical choices.

In 2019, Elizabeth Struhs was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, and doctors informed her family that she needed daily insulin injections. However, her parents were members of a religious group called "The Saints," which opposed medical care and firmly believed that God would heal her. Elizabeth ultimately died of diabetic ketoacidosis, a condition that causes a dangerous buildup of ketones (a type of acid) in the body and a spike in blood sugar, at her home in Toowoomba, west of Brisbane, in January 2022.

Elizabeth's father, Jason Struhs, and mother, Elizabeth Struhs, were among 14 people convicted of manslaughter last month. The group's leader, Brendan Stevens, was sentenced to 13 years in prison by a Queensland Supreme Court judge, who called him a "dangerous, highly manipulative man." The other 11 members were sentenced to imprisonment ranging from 6 to 9 years.

Stevens and the girl's father had been tried for murder, but they were convicted of the lesser charge of manslaughter. All defendants pleaded not guilty. Judge Martin Burns stated in his nearly 500-page judgment last month that while it was clear that Elizabeth's parents and "every member of the church, including all the other defendants," loved her, their actions led to her death. "Due to a blind faith in the healing power of God... she was deprived of the one thing that would have saved her life."

Prosecutor Caroline Marco stated during the months-long trial that Elizabeth experienced vomiting, extreme drowsiness, and loss of consciousness due to being deprived of medical care. The trial was heard by a judge alone, without a jury. Prosecutors called 60 witnesses, painting a picture of a "bright" child suffering greatly in her final days. Meanwhile, members of the church were praying and singing for her as the girl lay on a mattress, her condition deteriorating. They believed she could be resurrected and made no effort to call a doctor, only notifying authorities 36 hours after her death. Her father, Jason Struhs, had earlier told the court, "Elizabeth is just asleep, and I will see her again."

Stevens, 63, argued that the group's actions were based on faith and described the trial as an act of "religious persecution." He said the group had "every right to completely believe in the word of God." Type 1 diabetes is a condition in which the pancreas does not produce enough insulin. It is characterized by uncontrolled increases in blood sugar levels and can be managed with insulin injections. Elizabeth's sister, Jayde Struhs, previously stated that she left "The Saints" and fled the family after coming out as lesbian at the age of 16 and is now estranged from her family. She and other witnesses described the church's views as very strict, including that mainstream healthcare should be shunned, and Christmas and Easter were "pagan" or ungodly holidays. "The Saints" is not affiliated with any established church in Australia and has about 20 members from three families.