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A “dangerous, highly manipulative” Queensland religious sect leader has been sentenced to 13 years behind bars for the death of eight-year-old type 1 diabetic Elizabeth Struhs, while her father and mother have each been handed jail terms of more than 14 years.
Elizabeth’s father, Jason Struhs, was the first of 14 members of Toowoomba-based religious sect the Saints to learn his fate at a sentencing hearing in the Queensland supreme court on Wednesday, after they were found guilty of manslaughter over Elizabeth’s January 2022 death by diabetic ketoacidosis. Justice Martin Burns sentenced him to 14.5 years in jail, with a minimum of 80% of that time to be spent in prison.
The sect’s leader, Brendan Stevens, was next to be sentenced, and must spend at least 80% of 13 years behind bars before applying for parole.
“You are a dangerous, highly manipulative individual and the authorities would be wise to consider that on your release from custody,” Burns told Stevens.
Elizabeth’s mother, Kerrie Struhs, was sentenced to “slightly in excess” of 15 years, because she was on parole at the time of the offence. She must also serve 80% behind bars before becoming eligible for parole.
Elizabeth’s brother, Zachary Struhs, was sentenced to six years’ prison, and can apply for parole after three.
Jason Struhs and Stevens, were convicted of manslaughter alongside the 12 other sect members after being found not guilty of murder by reckless indifference in last year’s judge-only trial.
Addressing Jason Struhs, Burns said: “You put your own personal beliefs ahead of your duty and then staked the life of your eight-year-old child on it.”
The 14 sect members showed no emotion and did not say anything while Burns was delivering his remarks.
“You allowed your faith to blind you to her real plight,” Burns said to them.
“Elizabeth suffered a slow and painful death and you are all in one way or another responsible.”
Loretta Stevens, the wife of sect leader Brendan Stevens, was sentenced to nine years’ prison, and can apply for parole after 4.5 years. The couple’s daughter, Therese Maria Stevens, was sentenced to seven years, with the possibility of parole after 3.5.
The faith group, which was likened to a cult in court, does not believe in medicine - which some members have described as “witchcraft”. Instead of administering insulin, they prayed and sang for Elizabeth’s miraculous healing as she lay dying over a four-day period at a house in Rangeville, Toowoomba.
Mother Kerrie and father Jason Struhs had previously been convicted of failing to provide the necessities of life for Elizabeth after an in incident 2019.
In that year, Elizabeth, who had yet to be diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, became seriously ill over a period of about six days. When she was eventually taken to hospital by father Jason she was described in court as on the verge of death, and fell into a coma.
Kerrie was sentenced to serve 18 months in prison, but served only five. Jason was given a six-month suspended sentence, reduced partly because he testified against his wife.
Jason then spent years helping treat Elizabeth’s incurable illness before being convinced to convert to the Saints faith, and then to end the use of insulin to treat his daughter’s diabetes, in 2021.
The 14 defendants were not represented by counsel during the trial or sentencing.
They refused to defend themselves against their charges, which they described as “religious persecution”.
They also refused to enter pleas. Justice Martin Burns ordered that pleas of not guilty be entered on their behalf, pursuant to Queensland law.
The 14 guilty sect members are: Jason Struhs, 53, Brendan Stevens, 63, Kerrie Struhs, 49, Zachary Struhs, 22, 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, Sebastian James Stevens, 23, and Alexander Francis Stevens, 26.
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