‘A little trial, good fellowship and encouragement’: Shock alleged texts from leader of religious cult charged with 8yo’s murder

The leader of a tightly knit religious cult accused of causing the death of an eight-year-old girl allegedly texted her parents that the child’s sickness was “a little trial” to prove they were “faithful to God” as she lay dying in the family home. Shocking allegations against Brendan Luke Stevens, the leader of the Queensland religious circle known as The Saints, can be revealed after he and 13 others were ordered to face a judge-only trial over Elizabeth Struhs’ death. The Crown alleges Elizabeth, a type 1 diabetic, was deprived of her insulin medication for days by the faith-healing group, including her parents Jason and Kerrie Struhs. Members of the group, who believe in the healing power of God and shun medical intervention, are alleged to have opted to pray for God to heal Elizabeth instead of seeking medical attention. She was found dead at the family’s Rangeville home, near Toowoomba, on January 7, 2022. Court documents obtained by NCA NewsWire have revealed the extent of the police allegations against Mr Stevens, including his statements to police and numerous exchanges with the Struhses before Elizabeth’s death. The texts were detailed as part of his committal proceedings at Toowoomba Magistrates Court on November 18, 2022 – some 10 months after Elizabeth’s death. Mr Stevens and Mr Struhs are both charged with Elizabeth’s murder. Twelve other people – including Mrs Struhs and Elizabeth’s elder brother Zachary Alan Struhs – are facing charges of manslaughter. Other people charged with manslaughter include Mr Stevens’ wife Loretta Mary Stevens and their six adult children – Acacia Naree Stevens, Therese Maria Stevens, Sebastian James Stevens, Andrea Louise Stevens, Camellia Claire Stevens and Alexander Francis Stevens. Lachlan Stuart Schoenfisch and his wife Samantha Emily Schoenfisch and another woman, Keita Courtney Martin, are also charged with manslaughter. According to the court documents, Mr Stevens is alleged to have texted Mrs Struhs on August 26, 2019 about her husband asking doctors “to prove that Elizabeth is or isn’t healed”. Mr Stevens is alleged to have responded: “Don’t forget, no matter what they say, unless she is taken off the insulin there is no proof at all. If they do any test other than that, then they just continue in their deceit.” During interviews with police, Mr Stevens is alleged to have told officers that Elizabeth “spoke to him directly” about her insulin and confided she did not want to take it”. He allegedly told them: “Insulin does not heal people, but it does keep some people alive.” Police allege in the documents that Mr Struhs was not a member of the religious circle until 2021 and until then did not share his wife’s or the group’s belief in the healing power of God. NED-10973-Alleged-texts-sent-by-Brendan-Luke-Stevens Mr Struhs was allegedly “baptised” into the group by Mr Stevens in 2021. At the time, Mrs Struhs was serving a jail term for failing to supply Elizabeth with the necessaries of life back in 2019. On October 16, 2021, Mr Stevens is alleged to have told Mrs Struhs in a phone call that the group was “not backing away from the healing, one iota”. He allegedly said they were making Mr Struhs realise it was “absolutely fundamental, according to the gospel” and he “is hearing this every week.” During a call on November 14, 2021, Mr Stevens is alleged to have told Mrs Struhs: “We are going to keep saying that Elizabeth is healed and we are going to see it.” In another call on December 8 that same year, he allegedly tells her that Mr Struhs seems to be “embracing the healing” and they are seeing “a change” in him. According to the court documents, Mr Stevens was allegedly aware that Mr Struhs declared his child “healed” on January 2, 2022. Two days later, she became ill after Mr Struhs allegedly decided to stop her medication. Mr Stevens is alleged to have sent several texts to the Struhses assuring them that Elizabeth was “healed by God”. The documents further allege he said “God will not fail them” and this was “a little trial to prove that they were truly faithful to God”. Mr Stevens is alleged to have organised an impromptu fellowship at the Struhs’s home on January 4, 2022 to “encourage” Elizabeth’s parents. In one alleged text, sent to Mr Schoenfisch, he said: “We will go to the Struhs by 6.30. They are needing good fellowship and encouragement.” Police allege in the documents that Mrs Struhs sought advice from Mr Stevens on what Elizabeth should be eating and drinking. Members of the group are alleged to have been at the Struhs’s home over the following days while Elizabeth’s health deteriorated. Mr Stevens was committed to stand trial on Elizabeth’s murder following the November 8, 2022 hearing. A judge-only Supreme Court trial for Mr Stevens and his 13 co-accused was ordered by Chief Justice Helen Bowskill on November 28. Since their arrests, all 14 members of the group have refused to seek legal advice and maintained they will represent themselves. None have applied for bail. A date for the Supreme Court trial has not been set.