Elizabeth Struhs’ child protection case not ‘prioritised’ due to high workload, inquest hears
Summary
A child protection case involving Elizabeth Struhs was not handled intensively due to a high workload on the child safety staff. Elizabeth, an eight-year-old with type 1 diabetes, died after her father stopped her insulin treatment following their involvement with a religious group that rejects medicine.Key Facts
- Elizabeth Struhs died on 7 January 2022 from diabetic ketoacidosis because her father stopped giving her insulin.
- Her father and mother belonged to a religious sect that denies medical treatment.
- Child safety initially got involved after Elizabeth was hospitalized in a coma in 2019.
- The family was under a voluntary child protection plan called Intervention with Parental Agreement (IPA) for only 17 weeks.
- Only one child safety officer was assigned to the case and did not always make weekly visits as recommended.
- The worker had a large caseload and may have been influenced by the perceived social status of Elizabeth’s family.
- The child safety office in Toowoomba was very busy with cases involving higher immediate risks like violence and abuse.
- A coroner is investigating the handling of Elizabeth’s case and the decisions made by child safety staff.
Read the Full Article
This is a fact-based summary from The Actual News. Click below to read the complete story directly from the original source.
