Wife of alleged sect leader Brendan Stevens told police ‘God can and does raise the dead’

The wife of an alleged sect leader on trial over a girl’s death told police on the scene “perhaps she could be risen from the dead” to explain the delay in authorities being contacted.

The wife of an alleged sect leader on trial over a girl’s death told police on the scene “perhaps she could be risen from the dead” to explain the delay in authorities being contacted.

Jason Struhs waited around 36 hours after his daughter Elizabeth Struhs had died in their Toowoomba home before calling triple-zero about 5pm on Saturday, January 8, 2022.

The Brisbane Supreme Court has heard Jason and his wife Kerrie Struhs allegedly took their eight-year-old diabetic daughter off lifesaving insulin on January 3 to prove their faith in god.

Fourteen members of a religious sect, allegedly led by Brendan Stevens and including Elizabeth’s parents, are on trial for her alleged homicide.

Detective Snr Con Jamie O’Toole, of Toowoomba CIB, attended the Struhs’ home about an hour after Elizabeth’s death had been reported.

“Firstly I heard music and singing and then I could see a group of people between 15 and 20 … singing and playing music,” she said.

Brendan Luke Stevens has been charged with the death of Elizabeth Struhs.

In an audio recording Det O’Toole can be heard asking Brendan’s wife Loretta Stevens if it was correct that the group had been praying to god to heal Elizabeth so that she came back to life.

“That’s right, we have an expectation that God can and does raise the dead there’s evidence of that in the scripture” Loretta said.

“It’s not a crime to wait a number of hours or day to raise them.”

On day 11 of the trial the crown began reading into evidence 2000 individual text messages sent between members of the religious group - known as the Saints - who believe in divine healing over modern medicine.

The first tranche of text messages covered a period in July 2019 when Elizabeth was rushed to hospital minutes from death due to complications from her then undiagnosed diabetes.

“They’re taking Elizabeth to Brisbane. They say she has diabetes and she was in a coma. But that’s no concern to God. Our God is so much greater than that,” Kerrie Struhs messaged Brendan Stevens.

Elizabeth Struhs died in Toowoomba in 2022.

In another message she said: “just had the diabetes doctor call to try to explain things to me, of course she couldn’t hear that I trust God and won’t need to learn about her [Elizabeth’s] maintenance.”

“Oh fantastic Kerrie, praise our God,” Brendan replied.

The court heard Elizabeth’s school principal had contacted Kerrie to ask if she needed help with home meals which was relayed to the Stevens.

“You can imagine Brendan’s reaction, you know, people stepping in where they have… right,” Loretta Stevens messaged Kerrie.

In another message Brendan talks to Kerrie about her marriage with Jason who at this stage was staunchly opposed to the Saints, angry at his wife for downplaying Elizabeth’s illness at the time and intent on treating his daughter with insulin after her diabetes was discovered.

A mammoth trial of 14 members of a cult-like religious circle who are accused of killing an eight-year-old girl Elizabeth Struhs, by withholding her insulin medication.

“It also seems exciting to me that you have endured years of trial and pressure and compromise and the use of foul language etc at the hand of Jason and now it seems God is bringing that to a wonderful finale … it seems from here that he would have to either leave or no longer stand against you,” Brendan texted Kerrie.

After years of opposition Jason eventually joined the Saints in August 2021 after what the crown alleges was a process of manipulation and pressure by the Saints.

Brendan and Jason are on trial for murder.

Kerrie Struhs, Zachary Struhs, Loretta Stevens, Therese Stevens, Andrea Stevens, Acacia Stevens, Camellia Stevens, Alexander Stevens, Sebastian Stevens, Keita Martin, Lachlan Schoenfisch and Samantha Schoenfisch have all been charged with manslaughter. Pleas of not guilty have been entered.

The trial continues Thursday.