Inquest examines missed opportunities to save Queensland girl Elizabeth Struhs who died after parents withheld insulin

The eight-year-old died in 2022 after her type 1 diabetes medication was stopped; an earlier hospitalisation in 2019 had led to child neglect convictions for her parents

By LineZotpaper

Published23 October 2026

Read Time1 min

An inquest into the death of eight-year-old Elizabeth Struhs is hearing that opportunities to intervene were missed well before she died in 2022, after her parents withdrew the insulin she needed for type 1 diabetes. The first time a Queensland government employee declared her safe was two days after she had nearly died in July 2019.

Elizabeth Struhs was taken to Toowoomba hospital in a coma in July 2019, when she was six years old. She was diagnosed with diabetic ketoacidosis, a life-threatening complication of previously undetected type 1 diabetes. She was intubated and ventilated; some doctors believed she was already dead.

Both her parents, including her father Jason Struhs, were later convicted of child neglect for waiting until she was so sick to seek medical help. Despite this, the inquest is examining how the child was later deemed safe by government employees and why further protective action was not taken before her death in 2022.

The exact circumstances of Elizabeth’s death have not been detailed in the inquest so far, but the case has raised questions about the effectiveness of child safety checks and the coordination between health services and child protection authorities in Queensland.

Analysis

Why This Matters

The case highlights potential failures in Queensland’s child protection system, where a child known to authorities was not saved despite a previous life-threatening event.
It raises broader questions about how religious or ideological objections to medical treatment are handled when children are at risk.
The inquest’s findings could lead to changes in policy or law regarding medical neglect and parental rights.

Background

Elizabeth Struhs was eight years old when she died in 2022. She had type 1 diabetes, a condition requiring regular insulin injections to regulate blood sugar. In July 2019, after her parents delayed seeking treatment, she was admitted to Toowoomba hospital in a coma and diagnosed with diabetic ketoacidosis. Her parents were later convicted of child neglect. The Queensland government had contact with the family after that incident, but Elizabeth was declared safe. The inquest is now examining why no further intervention occurred before her death.

Key Perspectives

Child safety authorities: The inquest is scrutinising the actions of government employees who assessed Elizabeth as safe after the 2019 hospitalisation. The question is whether those assessments were adequate. The family: Elizabeth’s parents have already been convicted of child neglect for their actions in 2019. Their motivations for withholding insulin in 2022 are part of the inquest, though the source does not detail them. Medical professionals: Doctors at Toowoomba hospital treated Elizabeth in 2019. Their reporting and communication with child protection services are likely being examined to see if warning signs were properly escalated.

What to Watch

The inquest’s final findings, expected to include recommendations for improving child safety responses.
Whether the Queensland government announces any immediate reforms to how cases of medical neglect are assessed and followed up.
Any criminal charges or further proceedings against other individuals who may have been aware of Elizabeth’s condition.

Sources

Elizabeth Struhs was deemed ‘safe’ by those meant to protect her. An inquest into her death is asking what went wrong · Australia news | The Guardian

Checked

11 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 6 supported.

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Partly supportedThe inquest is examining missed opportunities to save Elizabeth.Australia news | The Guardian: “Opportunities to help the eight-year-old were missed well before she died in 2022 ... An inquest into her death is asking what went wrong.”
SupportedElizabeth died in 2022 after her parents withdrew the insulin she needed for type 1 diabetes.Australia news | The Guardian: “Opportunities to help the eight-year-old were missed well before she died in 2022 after her parents withdrew the insulin she needed for type 1 diabetes”
Partly supportedThe inquest is hearing that opportunities to intervene were missed.Australia news | The Guardian: “Opportunities to help the eight-year-old were missed well before she died in 2022 ... An inquest into her death is asking what went wrong.”
SupportedThe first Queensland government employee to declare Elizabeth safe did so two days after she nearly died in July 2019.Australia news | The Guardian: “The first time a Queensland government employee declared Elizabeth Struhs safe was two days after the six-year-old nearly died.”
SupportedElizabeth was taken to Toowoomba hospital in a coma in July 2019, when she was six.Australia news | The Guardian: “In July 2019, her father, Jason Struhs, had taken her to Toowoomba hospital in a coma.”
SupportedShe was diagnosed with diabetic ketoacidosis caused by previously undetected type 1 diabetes.Australia news | The Guardian: “She was diagnosed with diabetic ketoacidosis, as a result of her previously undetected type 1 diabetes.”
Not in the sourcesThe source describes diabetic ketoacidosis as a life-threatening complication.Australia news | The Guardian: “She was diagnosed with diabetic ketoacidosis, as a result of her previously undetected type 1 diabetes.”
SupportedElizabeth was intubated and ventilated, and some doctors believed she was already dead.Australia news | The Guardian: “She was intubated and ventilated; some doctors believed she was already dead.”
SupportedBoth parents were later convicted of child neglect for waiting until Elizabeth was very sick to seek medical help.Australia news | The Guardian: “Both her parents were later convicted of child neglect for waiting until she was so sick to seek medical help.”
Not in the sourcesThe inquest is examining why further protective action was not taken before Elizabeth’s death.Australia news | The Guardian
Not in the sourcesThe exact circumstances of Elizabeth’s death have not been detailed in the inquest so far.Australia news | The Guardian