# Child safety officer wrongly deemed Elizabeth Struhs 'safe' while in coma

A Queensland child safety officer assessed eight-year-old Elizabeth Struhs as "safe" the day after she was admitted to hospital in a diabetic coma, an inquest has heard. Struhs died in January 2022 after her parents and members of a small religious group withheld her insulin. The testimony points to failures in the child protection system that left her without intervention.

**Importance:** 3/5

## Sources

### World
- [The Guardian World](https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/oct/14/child-safety-officer-incorrectly-assessed-elizabeth-struhs-as-safe-a-day-after-she-was-admitted-to-hospital-in-a-coma-ntwnfb) — Wed, 14 Oct 2026 08:08:10 GMT