Elizabeth Struhs: Cult-like church group member’s texts wishing his father ‘peace, healing and comfort’ as eight-year-old diabetic girl lay dying are revealed in court
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A member of a cult-like church group charged with causing a diabetic girl’s death told his father ‘peace, healing and comfort are your birthright’, urging him to have a ‘peaceful sleep’ as the child lay dying.
Texts sent by members of the religious sect, known as The Saints, were obtained from downloads of the 14 co-accused’s phones following the death of eight-year-old Elizabeth Struhs in early 2022.
The Crown contends the church group’s members – which include Elizabeth’s father Jason Richard Struhs and mother Kerrie Elizabeth Struhs – withheld her insulin for several days in line with their beliefs on the healing power of God.
She died of diabetic ketoacidosis between January 6-7, 2022.
Mr Struhs, 52 and The Saints’ leader Brendan Luke Stevens, 62 are charged with the girl’s murder.
Kerrie Struhs, 49, Zachary Alan Struhs, 21, Loretta Mary Stevens, 67, Acacia Naree Stevens, 31, Therese Maria Stevens, 37, Sebastian James Stevens, 23, Andrea Louise Stevens, 34, Camellia Claire Stevens, 28, Alexander Francis Stevens, 26, Lachlan Stuart Schoenfisch, 34, his wife Samantha Emily Schoenfisch, 26, and Keita Courtney Martin, 22 – all charged with manslaughter.
All 14 have pleaded not guilty to their charges.
In a text to his father about 10.50pm on January 5, 2022, Sebastian Stevens urges his father Brendan to have a ‘peaceful sleep’ after ‘enduring another day’.
Content retrieved from: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13666937/Elizabeth-Struhs-Cult-like-church-group-members-texts-wishing-father-peace-healing-comfort-eight-year-old-diabetic-girl-lay-dying-revealed-court.html.
