‘Sickness is given by God’: What mum of Elizabeth Struhs told jury captured in audio
Audio has captured the mother of a diabetic girl addressing a jury at her trial less than a year before she allegedly killed her daughter.
Audio of a woman on trial for the manslaughter of her diabetic daughter has captured her address to a jury less than a year before, where she tells them “sickness comes from God”.
Kerrie Elizabeth Struhs is the mother of Elizabeth Struhs, 8, who was found dead at her family’s Rangeville home in early 2022.
A Supreme Court trial of Kerrie, the girl’s father Jason Richard Struhs and12 other members of a cult-like religious circle known as The Saints has heard evidence Elizabeth became critically unwell as a result of her diabetes, which was yet to be diagnosed, in 2019.
The girl would have died if not for medical treatment when Jason rushed her to hospital.
Kerrie and Jason were both charged with failing to supply the necessaries of life for Elizabeth following the 2019 incident.
Jason pleaded guilty to the charge and received a suspended sentence, giving evidence against his wife during her trial in 2021.
Audio of Kerrie Struhs’ address to the jury at Toowoomba Supreme Court that year was played on Wednesday.
Kerrie is heard asserting she is a “daughter of God” who “came to the knowledge of the words in the Bible 17 years ago”.
“Sickness is given by God, and in this case I believe God didn’t give me this sickness on my child for any bad reason,” she is heard saying.
“He is trying to show everyone that he is there.
“It is usually through seeing things that help people to believe.”
The Crown contends Elizabeth died between January 6 and 7, 2022 after her parents, and members of The Saints, withheld her insulin for several days.
Jason Struhs, 57, and 62-year-old Brendan Luke Stevens – the leader of The Saints – are both charged with Elizabeth’s murder while Kerrie Struhs, 49, is charged with manslaughter.
Elizabeth’s elder brother Zachary Alan Struhs, 21, Loretta Mary Stevens, 67 – the wife of Brendan Stevens – and her adult children Acacia Naree Stevens, 31, Therese Maria Stevens, 37, Sebastian James Stevens, 23, Andrea Louise Stevens, 34, Camellia Claire Stevens, 28, and Alexander Francis Stevens, 26, Lachlan Stuart Schoenfisch, 34 and his wife Samantha Emily Schoenfisch, 26, and a third woman, Keita Courtney Martin, 22, are also charged with manslaughter.
They have all pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Brisbane Supreme Court was on Wednesday told Kerrie received a five-month jail term in 2021, after being found guilty of failing to supply Elizabeth with the necessaries of life back in 2019.
In the audio of her trial, Kerrie tells the jury: “I didn’t cause her life to be in danger, I didn’t bring this sickness upon her.”
She goes on to say there is “confusion” everywhere because of the Covid-19 pandemic and governments were “struggling” to decide which vaccinations were best and how often they were taken.
Kerrie also references disgraced ex-surgeon Jayant ‘Dr Death’ Patel and “wrong medications and amputated limbs” as proof the medical system did not guarantee healing.
Audio of District Court Judge Jennifer Rosengren passing her sentence onto Kerrie was also played to the court.
“You failed in your duty to her (Elizabeth) and you extended the suffering needlessly,” Judge Rosengren can be heard telling Kerrie.
Judge Rosengren says Kerrie has not demonstrated any remorse or insight into her offending.
“It is of some concern you told the police you would do the same again, even knowing of the dire situation your daughter was in,” the judge continues.
Earlier in the day, registered nurse Dianne Voll gave evidence of her interactions with Jason and Elizabeth following the child’s diagnosis in 2019.
Jason attended clinical appointments with his child and showed a “profound” knowledge of the information, the court was told.
But during an appointment in August that year, Ms Voll said Jason asked if there was a “test” that could prove his daughter had type-1 diabetes.
Ms Voll said he wanted doctors to prove Elizabeth still had the condition because she was “looking so well”.
“Elizabeth’s mum (Kerrie) believed she was cured now that she was looking so well,” Ms Voll said.
“She was asking (Jason) to stop delivering insulin.”
Jason’s request was refused as it was deemed unnecessary and “unethical” to subject Elizabeth to another blood test, Ms Voll said.
Neither Jason nor Elizabeth made complaints about the need for insulin or made requests to stop it during their appointments, she said.
The court also heard from staff members at Gabbinbar State School – where Elizabeth attended – and their actions to help manage her diabetes.
A detailed medical action plan was signed by Gabbinbar State School principal Jouwana Habash, the school’s nurse Katrina McNalty and Jason.
Peta Singleton, a former teacher aide who looked after Elizabeth at Gabbinbar State School, said she had an “ongoing rapport” with the child and helped monitor her insulin intake.
Jason was listed as the primary emergency contact for Elizabeth.
“We were given explicit instructions not to contact Elizabeth’s mother,” Ms Singleton said.
She told the court Jason was “responsive” and would talk staff through what needed to be done.
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Elizabeth was “so confident” about her insulin, Ms Singleton explained.
“The kid was amazing; she could program and do it herself, she had no qualms about it,” she said.
The trial continues.