Fourteen members of a religious group, known as "the Saints," 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 was deliberately withheld due to the religious beliefs of the group.
The court heard that Struhs’ 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.
They followed the sect's belief that "God heals" and medicine should not be used to treat illness.
The 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.
Jason Struhs and Brendan Stevens were not found guilty of murder, with Justice Martin Burns stating that Struhs’ belief in divine healing and Stevens’ role as a religious leader influenced their actions.
However, the group’s actions were deemed reckless and a contributing factor to Elizabeth’s death.
The defendants, who had been following the teachings of Stevens for many years, rejected medical treatment for Elizabeth, continuing to believe she would be resurrected.
The case highlighted the influence of religious doctrine on the family’s decision-making, despite prior hospitalizations for Elizabeth's illness.
Justice Burns will deliver the sentencing on February 11.
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