Doctors treating Elizabeth Struhs recommended involuntary mental health assessment of her mother, coroner hears
An inquest into the death of eight-year-old Elizabeth Struhs has revealed that doctors recommended an involuntary mental health assessment for her mother due to delusional religious beliefs. Despite these warnings, child safety officers returned the child to her home, where she later died after being denied insulin.
Why it matters
The case highlights critical failures in child protection services and the intersection of extreme religious beliefs with medical neglect.
Child safety officers decided to return Elizabeth Struhs home to live with her mother despite the objections of doctors, an inquest has heard. Photograph: BBC Child safety officers decided to return Elizabeth Struhs home to live with her mother despite the objections of doctors, an inquest has heard. Photograph: BBC Queensland Doctors treating Elizabeth Struhs recommended involuntary mental health assessment of her mother, coroner hears Inquest into death of Queensland girl denied insulin by her religious parents is told Kerrie Struhs believed God would heal her daughter
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Prefer the Guardian on Google Doctors were so concerned about the religious beliefs of Elizabeth Struhs’ mother they recommended she be subjected to an involuntary mental health assessment because she delusionally believed her daughter would be healed from type 1 diabetes, a coroner has heard.
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