Elizabeth Struhs died in January, after being denied treatment by her family who thought they would heal her with prayers.
This macabre story is untold for the Queensland investigators, who are in shock: “In almost 40 years in the police, I have never been confronted with a case like this”, said one of them to an Australian newspaper. At age eight, Elizabeth Struhs suffered from type 1 diabetes, which required insulin injections. Only, the little American could not benefit from her treatment, because of her entouragewho refused to give it to him, until his death.
His parents, Kerrie Elizabeth Struhs and Jason Richard Struhs, belong to a religious group with obscure practiceswhich their eldest daughter, Jayde, said: “When I was sixteen, I decided to run away from my parents’ home and cut ties with my family because of my parents’ extreme worship habits. They take religion to extremes, drive us apart the real world and the rest of our non-believing family”can we read on the kitty created by the young woman.
The little girl’s older sister testified about the extreme practices of the religious group regarding the health aspect: “We weren’t allowed outside help, no medicine, no doctors, no dentists, nothing. (…) It was always ‘God will heal'”she said.
So six days before her death, Elizabeth’s parents and cult members stood by the little girl. No treatment for the diabetic little girl, but readings of psalms and religious songssupposed to cure it: “14 people in total chose to deprive this young girl of her right to medical care”testified an investigator.
Elisabeth Struhs died on Friday January 7 at her home. It took 24 hours for his parents to declare his death to the authorities. Kerrie Elizabeth Struhs, Jason Richard Struhs and twelve other members of the sectarian religious group were arrested and detained until their trial, which was held on Wednesday 6 July. At the end of the trial, they were all returned to pre-trial detention.
© YouTube screenshot: A Current Affair
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A diabetic girl voluntarily deprived of insulin until death ensues
Only, Elizabeth Struhs could not benefit from her treatment, because of her entourage, who refused to give it to her, until her death.
© YouTube screenshot: A Current Affair
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A diabetic girl voluntarily deprived of insulin until death ensues
Elizabeth’s parents, Kerrie Elizabeth Struhs and Jason Richard Struhs, belong to a religious group with obscure practices,
© YouTube screenshot: A Current Affair
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A diabetic girl voluntarily deprived of insulin until death ensues
Jayde the older sister of Elisabeth Struhs, testified to the obscure practices of the sect of their parents: “They push religion to the extreme, separate us from the real world and from the rest of our family who are not believers”
© YouTube screenshot: A Current Affair
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A diabetic girl voluntarily deprived of insulin until death ensues
Elizabeth Struhs’ Big Sister Jayde: ‘At age sixteen I decided to run away from my parents’ home and cut ties with my family because of my parents’ extreme worship habits’
© YouTube screenshot: A Current Affair
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A diabetic girl voluntarily deprived of insulin until death ensues
Elizabeth Struhs’ older sister also testified about religious group’s extreme sanitation practices
© YouTube screenshot: A Current Affair
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A diabetic girl voluntarily deprived of insulin until death ensues
“We had no right to outside help, no medicine, no doctors, no dentists, nothing (…) It was always ‘God will heal'”, testified the sister of Elizabeth Struhs.
© YouTube screenshot: A Current Affair
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A diabetic girl voluntarily deprived of insulin until death ensues
“14 people in total chose to deprive this young girl of her right to medical care,” testified an investigator.