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3mo ago

Australian Religious Sect Members Sentenced for Death of 8-Year-Old Elizabeth Struhs

Fourteen members of a small Christian sect, including the parents of Elizabeth Struhs, received lengthy prison sentences for withholding her insulin and rejecting medical care, leading to her death in 2022.

Elizabeth Rose Struhs (right) with her sister Jayde Struhs.
Elizabeth Struhs died on the ground floor of her family's home in Toowoomba, Queensland, on January 7, 2022.
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Overview

  • Elizabeth Struhs, an 8-year-old with Type 1 diabetes, died in 2022 after her parents, under the influence of a sect called 'The Saints,' withheld her insulin for days, believing God would heal her.
  • Her parents, Jason and Kerrie Struhs, along with 12 other sect members, were convicted of manslaughter; the parents received at least 14-year sentences, while sect leader Brendan Stevens was sentenced to 13 years.
  • The sect, led by Stevens, rejected modern medicine and pressured Jason Struhs to stop Elizabeth's treatment, viewing it as a test of faith despite her deteriorating condition.
  • Elizabeth's older sister, Jayde Struhs, who left the sect as a teenager, has criticized both the sect’s practices and systemic failures by Queensland authorities to protect her sister after prior warnings.
  • A coronial inquiry into Elizabeth’s death is planned, and experts warn that sects like 'The Saints' can perpetuate harmful ideologies even after leaders are imprisoned.