Joe.My.God. LGBT News
ABC News Australia reports:
Elizabeth Struhs lived and died suffering a deadly disease, but ultimately it was her parents’ dangerous views that ended her life. For days, as the eight-year-old lay dying, more than a dozen adults — her mother and father among them — prayed and sang songs instead of seeking life-saving medical treatment. In January 2022, she took her last breath, but they kept singing and praying, waiting for a miracle that would never arrive.
She died from diabetic ketoacidosis, a fatal complication of type 1 diabetes, after her insulin was withdrawn. On Wednesday, members of the religious group, who call themselves The Saints, were convicted over her death, and will learn their punishments next month. All 14 declined legal representation, refused to enter pleas, and maintained throughout the proceedings they had no crimes to answer to.
CBS News reports:
Her father, Jason Richard Struhs, 53, and the leader of the family’s religious group called “The Saints,” Brendan Luke Stevens, 63, had been charged with the more serious crime of murder, but Queensland Supreme Court Justice Martin Burns found both guilty of her manslaughter.
Burns also found another 12 members of the congregation, including the victim’s mother, Kerrie Elizabeth Struhs, 49, and the victim’s bother Zachary Alan Struhs, 22, guilty of manslaughter. No one charged escaped conviction. All 14 were remanded in custody to appear in court for sentencing on Feb. 11.
Each faces a potential maximum sentence of life in prison. The defendants all represented themselves and each spoke on their own behalf during the closing statements. Burns urged them all to get lawyers before they are sentenced.
Hemant Mehta reports at The Friendly Atheist:
For six agonizing days, members of the group chose “faith-healing” over proven medicine, believing that’s what God truly wanted, and the little girl eventually paid the price for their religious negligence. Even more damning? It wasn’t the first time something like this had happened. In 2019, her parents also withheld insulin from her. Elizabeth fell into a coma and had to be taken to a hospital.
When she was admitted, she weighed only 29 pounds. She spent a month recovering. Jason Richard Struhs and Kerrie Elizabeth Struhs were eventually sentenced to six months and 18 months in prison, respectively, for that incident. Jason, who expressed remorse, served no actual time behind bars. Kerrie was released after only five months but remained on parole. A few weeks after Kerrie returned home, Elizabeth was dead.
Jesus is love, you guys.
Three years ago, a little girl with diabetes was found dead in her Australian home.
She needed insulin shots. Instead, with urging from their church, her parents just prayed.
The 14 adult church members have just been found guilty of manslaughter.
www.friendlyatheist.com/p/after-fait…
— Hemant Mehta (@friendlyatheist.com) January 29, 2025 at 9:27 AM