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Elizabeth Rose Struhs died on Jan. 7, 2022 at her family’s home
in Toowoomba in Queensland state after six days without her
prescribed insulin shots for type-1 diabetes.
Her father, Jason Richard Struhs, 53, and the leader of the
family’s religious group called “The Saints,” Brendan Luke
Stevens, 63, had been charged with the more serious crime of
murder, but Queensland Supreme Court Justice Martin Burns found
both guilty of her manslaughter.
Burns also found another 12 members of the congregation,
including the victim’s mother, Kerrie Elizabeth Struhs, 49, and
the victim’s bother Zachary Alan Struhs, 22, guilty of
manslaughter. No one charged escaped conviction.
All 14 were remanded in custody to appear in court for
sentencing on Feb. 11. Each faces a potential maximum sentence
of life in prison.
The victim’s adult sister, Jayde Struhs, told reporters outside
court that she welcomed the verdicts.
“Although we had a good outcome today, I have to acknowledge the
system failed to protect Elizabeth in the first place,” Jayde
Struhs said.
“We are only here today because more wasn’t done sooner to
protect her or remove her from a credibly unsafe situation in
her own home,” she added.
In finding the father and religious leader not guilty of murder,
Burns said the prosecution had failed to prove they had shown
reckless indifference to life.
“There remained a reasonable possibility that, in the cloistered
atmosphere of the church which enveloped Struhs … that he (the
father) never came to the full realization Elizabeth would
probably die,” Burns said.
But the judge found the victim’s parents had shown an “egregious
departure from the standard of care” with the support and
encouragement of the other defendants.
Speaking on behalf of all defendants at the trial's opening
statements, Stevens argued they held a reasonable belief that
God would heal the child. The defendants all represented
themselves and each spoke on their own behalf during the closing
statements.
Burns urged them all to get lawyers before they are sentenced.
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