Elizabeth Struh’s death: Toowoomba girl’s harrowing final days after her parents and members of The Saints cult refused her life-saving medication
An eight-year-old girl suffered “for days” after members of a religious faith healing group – including her parents – allegedly withheld life-saving insulin medication from her.
Fourteen members of the religious group known as The Saints are on trial in the Brisbane Supreme Court over the 2022 death of Toowoomba girl Elizabeth Struhs.
The entire group did not put up a defense against the various charges of murder and manslaughter at the start of the trial on Wednesday afternoon.
Among those charged in her death are her parents, Jason Richard Struhs, 52, and Kerrie Elizabeth Struhs, 49, and her older brother Zachary Alan Struhs, 21.
Elizabeth, a type 1 diabetic, was found dead in her family’s Rangeville home on January 7, 2022.
Prosecutors say members of the close-knit religious circle withheld the girl’s life-saving insulin medication for several days before she died.
Members believe in the healing power of God and avoid medical intervention.
It is further alleged that the group prayed for Elizabeth to be “healed” by God rather than seeking medical help.
Elizabeth’s parents Jason Richard Struhs (left) and Kerrie Elizabeth Struhs are among 14 members of a religious group charged in the girl’s death. Photo: Supplied
Brendan Luke Stevens – the 67-year-old leader of The Saints – and Jason Struhs are both charged with her murder.
Twelve others, including Kerrie and Zachary Struhs, are charged only with manslaughter.
The others are 67-year-old Loretta Mary Stevens – the wife of Brendan Stevens – and their 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.
Another couple – Lachlan Stuart Schoenfisch, 34, and his wife Samantha Emily Schoenfisch, 26 – and a third woman, Keita Courtney Martin, 22, also face manslaughter charges.
Prosecutor Caroline Marco told the court that Elizabeth died sometime between the evening of January 6 and the morning of January 7, 2022.
Ms Marco said the girl’s cause of death was diabetic ketoacidosis, a result of stopping her insulin medication, which she had suffered from for “days”.
Kerrie and Jason Struhs were well aware of Elizabeth’s condition and the consequences of her not receiving her medications following an incident that left the girl hospitalized in 2019, she said.
The court was told that Kerrie Struhs was found guilty of failing to provide the necessities of life over this incident in 2021 and was sentenced to five months in prison.
A sketch of the court of the 14 defendants in the Brisbane Supreme Court on Wednesday. The three with their faces in more profile are Elizabeth’s father Jason Richard Struhs (with glasses) and the leader of the religious group Brendan Struhs (with the long beard). Elizabeth’s mother Kerrie Elizabeth Struhs sits next to him. Photo: NewsWire
Jason testified against her at trial.
Ms. Marco said Kerrie Struhs has been a member of the congregation for 17 years. She shares the group’s belief that God heals all things and rejects medical intervention.
Jason was baptized into the group while his wife was in prison because he “couldn’t handle” childcare and was having a falling out with his son Zachary.
“Mr. Jason Struhs knew he would lose his wife and family if he did not change,” said Ms. Marco.
But Jason Struhs didn’t fully endorse the group’s stance on rejecting medical intervention, especially regarding Elizabeth’s need for insulin, Marco said.
On Monday 3 January 2022, the court was told that Jason and Kerrie Struhs had both made the decision to completely stop Elizabeth’s insulin in line with the council’s ‘extreme’ beliefs.
On Tuesday, Elizabeth began vomiting after every meal and was described as “listless.”
“She barely spoke, needed help going to the toilet and was incontinent,” said Mrs Marco.
On Thursday, Elizabeth was largely unconscious and unable to speak, Ms. Marco said.
The court was told the Stevens family would care for her, but the next morning it was discovered she was not breathing.
“She was only eight years old when she died,” Mrs. Marco said.
“She was too young to understand the terrible consequences of stopping insulin… for which she ultimately paid with her life.”
Keita Courtney Martin is accused of the manslaughter of Elizabeth Struhs. Photo: Facebook
Ms Marco said Jason and Kerrie both owed a duty of care to Elizabeth to provide her with the necessities of life, but they had breached this duty by not providing her with insulin.
“Despite Jason Struhs’ resistance, his wife and the other defendants united in a mission to convince him to adhere to all aspects of their faith, including the fundamental principle that God heals,” she said.
“And through the persistent pressure they put on him to conform, they succeeded in convincing him not to administer or require Elizabeth to take insulin and not to seek medical care or treatment for her, which was in keeping with the extreme views of their faith.”
The prosecution is calling 60 witnesses, including Jayde Struhs, the adult daughter of Kerrie and Jason Struhs who left home in 2014 when she was a teenager.
Ms Marco said that the various text messages exchanged between the group would be used during the trial.
Some of the messages – taken from the phones of members of the Stevens family – were read out in court on Wednesday.
Ms Marco said some of the messages showed Kerrie Struhs talking to Loretta Stevens about Elizabeth’s diabetes on July 11, 2019.
On July 16, 2019, Kerrie Struhs allegedly told Brendan Stevens that her husband almost took Elizabeth to the hospital while she was ill.
“He’s torn apart,” she is said to have said, later saying she “doesn’t know how to stop him.”
Brendan Stevens is said to have then responded, “God is in control, and she (Elizabeth) is healed.”
In another message, Brendan reportedly said, “God will win, not Jason,” when told that Jason Struhs would be taking his daughter to the hospital the next morning.
None of the members of the religious circle sought legal advice or representation, nor did they file a request for bail.
The courtroom has been modified to accommodate all 14 defendants and meet with them each day before the trial begins.
This includes two long tables with microphones and screens, so that each suspect can tell his story.
During their arraignment on Wednesday afternoon, each of the defendants said “no plea” or “I don’t plead” when asked how they pleaded to their respective charges.
Supreme Court Justice Martin Burns ordered a plea of not guilty to be entered in response for each of the defendants.
He told the group that he was obligated to give each defendant “sufficient information” to assist them at trial, as none of them were represented.
“But I can’t give you legal advice,” Judge Burns said.
Lachlan Stuart Schoenfisch, his wife and Samantha Emily Schoenfisch are among 12 other suspects accused of killing Elizabeth Struhs. Photo: Supplied
The trial follows a lengthy legal investigation conducted at the Supreme Court since the first charges were filed last year.
Jason Struhs is charged with murder. He allegedly caused Elizabeth’s death by failing to provide her with insulin and medical care and treatment, knowing that doing so would likely cause her death.
Kerrie Struhs is charged with manslaughter for failing to provide Elizabeth with insulin and/or medical care and treatment.
The murder charge against Brendan Stevens relates to the allegation that he advised Jason and Kerrie Struhs (or both) to withhold insulin and/or medical care and treatment from Elizabeth, knowing that doing so would likely result in her death.
Alternatively, the Crown alleges that Brendan Stevens aided or abetted Jason Struhs and Kerrie Struhs to unlawfully kill Elizabeth by encouraging and supporting them in withholding insulin from her and/or withholding medical care and treatment, knowing that doing so would likely result in her death.
The remaining eleven suspects are charged with manslaughter, alleging that they “advised and/or incited and/or assisted Elizabeth’s parents … by their words and actions” to unlawfully kill Elizabeth.
The trial, presided over by Chief Justice Martin Burns, is expected to last 55 days.
