14 members of Australian religious group guilty of manslaughter in death of Elizabeth Struhs
\n Brisbane
\nFourteen members of a religious group, known as \u201cthe Saints,\u201d Australia have been found guilty of manslaughter in connection with the 2022 death of eight-year-old Elizabeth Struhs.
\nStruhs, who had type 1 diabetes, died from diabetic ketoacidosis after her insulin was deliberately withheld due to the religious beliefs of the group.
\nThe court heard that Struhs\u2019 father, Jason Struhs, religious leader Brendan Stevens, and 12 other members of the group, including her mother, Kerrie Struhs, were aware of her medical condition but chose not to administer insulin.
\nThey followed the sect\u2019s belief that \u201cGod heals\u201d and medicine should not be used to treat illness.
\nThe group reportedly prayed and sang for Elizabeth as she died over the course of a week at her family home, without seeking medical help for 36 hours after her death.
\nJason Struhs and Brendan Stevens were not found guilty of murder, with Justice Martin Burns stating that Struhs\u2019 belief in divine healing and Stevens\u2019 role as a religious leader influenced their actions.
\nHowever, the group\u2019s actions were deemed reckless and a contributing factor to Elizabeth\u2019s death.
\nThe defendants, who had been following the teachings of Stevens for many years, rejected medical treatment for Elizabeth, continuing to believe she would be resurrected.
\nThe case highlighted the influence of religious doctrine on the family\u2019s decision-making, despite prior hospitalizations for Elizabeth\u2019s illness.
\nJustice Burns will deliver the sentencing on February 11.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
14 members of Australian religious group guilty of manslaughter in death of Elizabeth Struhs Brisbane Fourteen members of a religious group, known as \u201cthe Saints,\u201d Australia have been found guilty of manslaughter in connection with the 2022 death of eight-year-old Elizabeth Struhs. Struhs, who had type 1 diabetes, died from diabetic ketoacidosis after her insulin […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":458439,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-458424","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-world"},"yoast_head":"\n