Murder accused ’embraced’ belief to stop girl’s medicine before her death

A man accused of murder quickly embraced the belief he should stop his daughter’s diabetes medication in favour of God’s healing in the months before she died, a judge has heard.

Brisbane Supreme Court Justice Martin Burns today heard three hours of phone calls made to Elizabeth’s mother Kerrie Elizabeth Struhs, 49, while she was serving a five-month prison term for failing to provide her daughter the necessities of life in 2019.

Crown prosecutor Caroline Macro said the 30 calls between August and December 2021 would show how her relationship changed with her husband, Jason Richard Struhs, 52, over the issue of religion.

The phone calls covered Jason Struhs’ decision after pressure from his wife and her Christian group called The Saints to receive the “Holy Spirit” in the form of being baptised and speaking in tongues.

“I was speaking in tongues. I was doing it. I just let it go. I started crying … it was pretty amazing,” Jason Struhs told his wife during a prison phone call on August, 31, 2021.

Kerrie Struhs said it was “wonderful news” and she was very proud.

“Thanks for letting me know,” she said.

Most of the phone conversations related to Kerrie Struhs seeking updates on her family and discussing the challenges of inmate life such as setting up an account to receive letters and e-mail, prison dinners of chicken drumsticks, and lockdowns from a lack of guards.

Today was the seventh day of a judge-only trial for Jason Struhs and The Saints leader Brendan Luke Stevens, 62, on the charge of murder and Kerrie Struhs and 11 other members of the congregation charged with manslaughter.

Marco previously said Elizabeth attended Jason Struhs’ baptism and watched with joy as Stevens spoke in tongues as he lowered her father into a water trough.

About nine days after the baptism, Kerrie Struhs received a call from Stevens while he was leading the congregation during its Sunday worship at a house in Toowoomba.

Stevens told Kerrie Struhs to rejoice in the confidence and wisdom that God had granted her after Jason Struhs received the Holy Spirit and had been more accepting of the group’s belief that Elizabeth should not be given insulin.

“The Lord just thrills you when you see it. It’s just incredible. He’s just sucking it up. Just embracing it so fast,” Stevens said.

Marco previously said Jason Struhs decided in late December 2021, soon after his wife was released from prison, to reduce Elizabeth’s multiple daily insulin shots then completely stop the doses a few days later.

The other defendants are Loretta Mary Stevens, 67, Andrea Louise Stevens, 34, Acacia Naree Stevens, 31, Camellia Claire Stevens, 28, Therese Maria Stevens, 37 Keita Courtney Martin, 22, Lachlan Stuart Schoenfisch, 34, Samantha Emily Crouch, 26, Zachary Alan Struhs, 21, Sebastian James Stevens, 23, and Alexander Francis Stevens, 26.