Australian sect members guilty in girl’s death
Fourteen members of an Australian religious group have been convicted of the manslaughter of an eight-year-old diabetic girl who was denied insulin for almost a week.
Elizabeth Struhs died at home in 2022, having suffered from diabetic ketoacidosis, which causes fatally high blood sugar.
The court heard that Elizabeth’s treatment was withheld because the group, known as the Saints, opposed medical care, believing God would heal her.
Her father Jason and the group’s leader Brendan Stevens were on trial for murder but were convicted of the lesser charge of manslaughter. Twelve other members, including Elizabeth’s mother and brother, were also convicted of manslaughter. All had pleaded not guilty.
The judge-alone trial lasted several months and has received international attention since it began in July 2024.
Prosecutors called some 60 witnesses when building their case, painting a picture of an “intelligent” child who suffered greatly in her final days.
“She was described as speaking little, needing help going to the toilet, and being incontinent,” prosecutor Caroline Marco said of the lead-up to Elizabeth’s death, adding that the girl would have endured vomiting, extreme lethargy, and a loss of consciousness.
The congregation, meanwhile, prayed and sung for Elizabeth, whose health deteriorated as she lay on a mattress on the floor of her home in Toowoomba, about 125km (78 miles) west of Brisbane.
However, no effort was made to call a doctor, and authorities were not notified until 36 hours after her death, as the group believed she could be brought back to life, the court heard.
The 14 defendants, aged between 22 and 67, represented themselves at trial, having all refused legal representation.
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