14-member Christian group found guilty of killing girl, 8, in Australia

By Saadet Gokce

ISTANBUL (AA) - Fourteen members of a Christian group in Australia were found guilty Wednesday in the manslaughter death of eight-year-old Elizabeth Struhs.

Elizabeth died in January 2022 after her insulin was withheld because the congregation rejected the medical system and believed God would heal her of her Type-1 diabetic condition, according to ABC News.

The 14 defendants include the child’s mother, father and brother alongside the group’s leader and 10 others.

Police were not contacted until more than a day after her death.

The group believed Elizabeth would come back from death.

“We took Elizabeth off her medication and waited for God to do his work,” Elizabeth’s mother Kerrie Struhs told police. “He (God) can still bring her back. It doesn't matter where her body is, he can still raise her up and that's what we still expect.”

Elizabeth’s sister Jayde Struhs called the verdict a “good outcome.”​​​​​​​

"The system failed to protect Elizabeth in the first place,” she added.

The members are expected to be sentenced next month