Father to stand trial for murder

A TOOWOOMBA man accused of killing his own daughter by failing to provide her with the insulin she needed to live, instead opting to prayer, will stand trial charged with the girl’s murder.

Jason Richard Struhs appeared in Toowoomba Magistrates Court on October 11 where magistrate Clare Kelly made her decision on whether the 50-year-old should stand trial on charges of murder, torture and failure to provide the necessities of life.

The court was told Mr Struhs’ daughter Elizabeth Rose Struhs died on January 7, 2022, with the eight-year-old a Type 1 diabetic who was diagnosed in 2019.

Police allege that Mr Struhs and his wife Kerrie along with 12 other people were members of an ad hoc religious group that believed in the healing power of God and shunned medical intervention in human life.

According to the police brief of evidence, members of the religious group were at the Struhs family home in Rangeville when the group, including Mr Struhs, allegedly ceased to provide the insulin Elizabeth needed to live on Monday, and in the following four days the girl died as a result of diabetic ketoacidosis.

As part of the committal hearing Ms Kelly said police tendered a large number of statements and exhibits, which included evidence from police investigators, medical professionals and forensic pathologists, as well as a record of interview from Mr Struhs who went into detail about the processes and decisions he took before he allegedly stopped providing the lifesaving medication to his daughter.

Ms Kelly said she was satisfied that there was enough evidence to substantiate the charges of murder, as well as failure to provide the necessities of life. She dismissed the charge of torture.