Cult accused of letting 8-year-old diabetic girl die without insulin as ritual healing fails

Elizabeth Struhs' parents, Jason, 50, and Kerrie, 46, were arrested earlier this year in connection with the investigation into his death. Police say the couple believed their daughter had 'worms' and that God had promised to heal her

Video loading

Video not available

Click to playTap to play

Queensland: Twelve charged after eight-year-old child 'refused insulin'

A number of cult members have been charged after the death of an eight-year-old girl with diabetes, who was denied access to insulin.

Rather than giving the girl the medicine she desperately needed, her parents instead prayed for her thinking she was suffering from "worms".

The body of Elizabeth Rose Struhs was found in the family home in Queensland, Australia, which also served as a church of worship.

She was found on January 11, but police believe she died four days earlier.

As the girl lay dying, police allege the parents held a 'prayer ritual' before inviting up to 20 members of the fringe religious group to play guitar, sing and to pray for more than 24 hours, rather than crying out for help.

Want the latest updates from around the world? Sign up to receive our daily World News newsletter

At the time the cult members were arrested by the police (

Picture:

Queensland Police)

The footage shows when the police found some of the cult members involved.

A police spokesman said: 'The 12 people arrested were aware of the child's condition, were present at the address and took no action to provide medical assistance to the child. 'child."

The seven women and five men, aged 19 to 64, are appearing in the Toowoomba Magistrate's Court today.

“It will be alleged that the child suffered from an underlying medical condition, who was denied treatment for this condition for a period of six days,” said the acting superintendent of the detective of the Southern Region, Garry Watts.