‘We are going to see it’: Diabetic girl’s condition branded ‘elephant in the room’ by cult-like religious circle’s leader
The leader of a religious circle on trial over the death of a young diabetic girl was recorded asserting the child would be “healed” in the months before she died.
The leader of a faith-healing religious circle charged with a diabetic girl’s murder said the child was “going to be healed”, with the group calling her condition an “elephant in the room” in the years before her death.
Fourteen members of the cult-like group known as The Saints are on trial in Brisbane Supreme Court over the death of eight-year-old Elizabeth Struhs, who was found dead in her family’s Rangeville home in early 2022.
It is alleged members of the group, which include the girl’s parents Jason Richard Struhs, 57, and Kerrie Elizabeth Struhs, 49, withheld her insulin medication for several days until she died between January 6-7 that year.
Mr Struhs is charged with murder and Ms Struhs is charged with manslaughter.
Brendan Stevens, 62, the leader of The Saints, is facing a charge of murder.
Eleven others, including 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.
All 14 have pleaded not guilty to their charges.
The court has already heard evidence of the group’s rejection of medical treatment and care, instead professing to believe God heals all ailments.
In calls recorded by Brisbane Women’s Correctional Centre, Brendan is heard speaking to Kerrie about how her husband was slowly beginning to embrace his new-found faith in 2021.
At the time, Kerrie was serving a five-month jail term for failing to supply Elizabeth with the necessaries of life back in 2019.
Brendan is heard recounting a birthday text Jason sent him: “Dear Brendan, have a wonderful birthday today with your family. Thanks for your guidance and wisdom since my miracle of being born again as a new man. Your brother, Jason Struhs.”
“Oh my goodness,” Kerrie is heard exclaiming.
Brendan continues by telling Kerrie her husband was not “shying away” from the group’s beliefs and she would be coming home to a “brand new man” and family life.
The court was told Brendan was attempting to convince Jason their faith-healing beliefs were “fundamental to the Gospel” and he was hearing it “every week”.
In another recorded call in November 2021, Brendan discusses one of the church group’s meetings where Elizabeth’s condition was referred to as the “elephant in the room”.
He says Jason said he was “not going to back away” from the “healing power of God” in the meeting.
“We are going to keep saying that Elizabeth is healed and we are going to see it,” Brendan tells Kerrie in the recording.
In other calls, Kerrie and her son Zachary discuss the “definite change” they have seen in Jason since his conversion.
“He’s telling me you’re getting on really well … (he’s) becoming a better father,” Kerrie says.
Zachary agrees the pair have been having “less and less arguments” but says his father still hasn’t fully embraced the group’s healing beliefs.
He references Jason’s views on the Covid-19 lockdowns and their necessity as “still something in his mind”.
On Thursday, Jason’s former boss Brendan O’Donnell gave evidence of how much Jason had changed since joining The Saints.
He took aim at the fringe group’s beliefs and how Jason was treated as an “easy target”.
“He was a new convert and was an easy target to be brainwashed into their way of believing,” Mr O’Donnell told the court.
Evidence has also been given about Elizabeth’s diagnosis of type-1 diabetes in 2019 after she became critically unwell.
Both Jason and Kerrie were charged with failing to supply the girl with the necessaries of life.
Jason pleaded guilty and received a wholly suspended sentence, giving evidence against his wife at her District Court trial in 2021.
Kerrie, who was self-represented, was found guilty and sentenced to five months’ jail.
The judge-alone trial continues.