Parents denied insulin to their sick daughter for 'religious reasons' -

Hospital bed — Photo: ad-foto/ Shutterstock

An 8-year-old girl from Australia, Elizabeth Stros, passed away in 2022 after her parents, who were members of a cult, withheld insulin from her for a week, despite knowing that she had diabetes.

Last week, an Australian court sentenced the parents to 14 years in prison for manslaughter due to negligence, after they decided not to provide their daughter with the essential treatment.

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Elizabeth was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in 2019, and doctors emphasized to her parents that she needed daily insulin injections. Despite this, in January 2022, she died at her home near Brisbane. According to the post-mortem report, she suffered from diabetic ketoacidosis – a life-threatening condition caused by insulin deficiency.

Elizabeth's parents, who were members of an extremist cult led by a man named Brendan Luke Stevens, received orders from him to stop their daughter’s treatment. Stevens was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to 13 years in prison, similar to the parents. Additionally, 11 other members of the dangerous group were sentenced to prison terms ranging from 6 to 9 years for their involvement in the case. Among the convicted were also Elizabeth’s brother and sister, aged 22 and 26.

According to the investigation's findings, Elizabeth did not die immediately. She suffered from vomiting, extreme weakness, and loss of consciousness. Instead of seeking medical help, members of the group prayed around her. She lay weak on a mattress for two days before passing away. Authorities were only notified of her death 36 hours later.

During the trial, Elizabeth’s father claimed she was "just sleeping" and that he "would see her again in the future." The group's leader complained that he was being "persecuted."

Local reports indicated that the group, consisting of around 20 members, is not affiliated with any official religious organization and primarily operates within three families who believe in superstitions and belong to the cult.