Queensland inquest uncovers mother's perilous assessment before 8-year-old's death
Queensland coronial inquest reveals mother of deceased 8-year-old was assessed as posing no immediate risk to others just weeks before the child's fatal diabetes-related death.
Queensland coronial authorities heard that Kerrie Struhs was evaluated as posing no immediate risk to others three weeks before her eight-year-old daughter, Elizabeth, died from diabetic ketoacidosis.
Kerrie had earlier been sentenced to five months in jail for child neglect after failing to bring Elizabeth to hospital for treatment of type-1 diabetes, an omission that left the child nearly dead during a hospital admission.
At her release from prison under parole, correctional officers flagged her as low risk, despite her record of telling healthcare workers and child-safety officers that she would rely on divine healing rather than medical care—a stance reiterated in court notes.
The inquest continues to probe how these risk assessments and the parents' decisions contributed to Elizabeth's fatal outcome.
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Original reporting and primary evidence.
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Kerrie Struhs was sentenced to five months' jail for child neglect after failing to take Elizabeth to hospital to treat her type 1 diabetes in 2019.
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"She said she would do the same again." Kerrie expressed confidence that divine intervention would heal her daughter rather than seeking medical care.
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Kerrie had previously made similar remarks to healthcare workers, child safety officers, police and others.
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