Court hears church members encouraged insulin denial before girl’s death

A hardline religious congregation was “excited” for a Queensland father to deny his eight-year-old diabetic child insulin, a court has heard.

Elizabeth Rose Struhs was found dead on January 7 2022.

A diabetic eight-year-old child was denied insulin by her family so that her father could “prove his faith” in God to their hardline religious congregation, a court has heard.

The group was “excited” for the Queensland father to take his daughter off the life-saving medication, and when he started to regret his decision, they went to “encourage” him.

Elizabeth Struhs, 8, died in her Rangeville home in Toowoomba after she was taken off her diabetes medication. It is alleged her insulin was withdrawn on January 2, 2022, and she was found dead on January 7.

Her parents, Jason and Kerrie Struhs, were arrested the same month, while the other 12 accused - five men and seven women - were arrested in July 2022.

A pre-trial hearing was held in Brisbane Supreme Court on Monday regarding whether certain pieces of evidence are admissible in the trial due to start in less than two months.

Crown Prosecutor Caroline Marco said Katelyn Dodman - a friend of group member Samantha Schoenfisch - will give evidence at trial regarding particular conversations.

Parents Jason and Kerrie Struhs.

The first involved Ms Schoenfisch talking about Jason Struhs, Elizabeth’s father.

“Samantha told her: ‘Oh well, we’re trying to get Jason to take insulin off his daughter. Jason has to take his daughter off insulin to demonstrate his trust in God. We are so excited for when he does’,” Ms Marco told the court, describing the evidence.

This account was put to Zachary Struhs, Jason’s son and Elizabeth’s brother, by investigating police during a formal interview. Zachary Struhs disagreed with the claims.

In further conversations, detectives asked Zachary Struhs whether his father was pressured by the congregation to take his daughter’s insulin away.

Police allege Jason Struhs expressed doubts to his wife, Kerrie.

“I told Zach they keep saying it is going to make me get sensitive, no one is showing me anything to say that she [Elizabeth] ain’t [healed], so until it is proven that she is healed, I will do her medicine no matter what,” Ms Marco said Mr Struhs allegedly told Mrs Struhs.

Police put this account to Zachary Struhs during an interview.

Zachary Struhs: “In dad’s mind, you’re going to think how is that going to happen? And he’s thinking: ‘I’m going to have to take her off this, but I can’t do that’.”

The religious circle’s leader Brendan Stevens.

Justice Glenn Martin - who oversaw Monday’s pre-trial hearing but will not be presiding over the trial - questioned this evidence.

“How can Zachary Struhs say how other people felt? He can only repeat what is being said, can’t he?” Justice Martin queried.

“He can say this is what was said by these people at this time … In effect, this is opinion evidence about how someone else feels.”

It was also revealed on Monday that police allege the congregation actively “encouraged” Jason Struhs when he started regretting his decision to withdraw his daughter’s insulin.

“When Jason was struggling with his decision that he had removed insulin from Elizabeth, all of the church members attended the Struh’s house and gave Jason encouragement, this encouragement resulted in no one providing Elizabeth with the insulin her body needed to survive,” Ms Marco told the court.

Another witness who will give evidence at the trial will be Cameron Schoenfisch, the father of accused congregation member Lachlan Schoenfisch.

Ms Marco told the court that the father tried to warn his son about the group’s beliefs and the dangers of acting upon them.

The Rangeville home where Elizabeth Rose Struhs was found dead.

The court heard that Lachlan Schoenfisch told his father that the congregation was “far superior to other [religious groups]” in its devotion and beliefs.

“Police are essentially using what Cameron Schoenfisch said to question … the extent to which he was perhaps warned by his father that there were religious groups with similar beliefs,” Ms Marco explained during Monday’s hearing.

“And the dangers of acting on those beliefs and not seeking medical treatment for a person with diabetes.”

Ms Marco outlined what the Crown will allege regarding the hardline religious group.

“The congregation abides by a faith that adheres to the following: God heals; medicine is to be rejected unless it is in the nature of no more than first aid, such as applying a bandaid,” she said.

“The congregation membership is finite and consists of three families; each family member is part of the congregation; the congregation is 23 members and relevantly the 14 defendants are the adult members of the congregation.”

Jason Struhs, 52, and alleged group leader Brendan Stevens, 62, have been indicted on charges of murder.

The remaining group members have been charged with manslaughter - Kerrie Struhs, 49, Zachary Alan Struhs, 21, Loretta Mary Stevens, 67, Therese Maria Stevens, 36, Andrea Louise Stevens, 34, Acacia Naree Stevens, 31, Camellia Claire Stevens, 28, Alexander Francis Stevens, 25, Sebastian James Stevens, 23, Keita Courtney Martin, 22, Lachlan Stuart Schoenfisch, 33, and Samantha Emily Schoenfisch, 25.

Justice Martin adjourned the matter indefinitely on Monday afternoon, he will deliver his ruling on the trial evidence application at a later date.

During Monday’s hearing, the defendants - who were on three separate video links from their various prisons - showed little emotion.

Some occasionally smirked or shook their heads in response to parts of the evidence.

At the end, the defendants waved, blew kisses, and made hearts with their hands to each other before the video feeds were disconnected.

All 14 defendants have repeatedly declined legal representation and are self-represented. They have all pleaded not guilty to the charges against them.

A three-month judge-only trial is scheduled to commence on July 8 before Justice Martin Burns in the Brisbane Supreme Court.

Originally published as Court hears church members encouraged insulin denial before girl’s death