‘Disgusted’: Son’s reaction to murder probe
Written by admin on July 26, 2024
A brother accused of withholding his sister’s insulin medication – resulting in her death – alongside members of his faith-healing group claimed he was “disgusted” his parents were being investigated for murder and people would be “judged” for it.
Days after Elizabeth Struhs died in her family’s Rangeville, her brother Zachary Alan Struhs was questioned by detectives over what happened in the crucial moments before she died.
In his explanation of their beliefs, Mr Struhs, 21, tells officers that he did not regret calling anyone to seek medical attention for his sister.
He goes on to say his sister had the full support of their congregation when the decision to stop administering her lifesaving insulin medication in the days prior, before slamming the investigation into his family.
“I’m very disgusted this is a murder investigation,” Zachary told officers at Toowoomba Police Station.
“All of those involved will be judged based on what’s in their heart and what they’ve done today.”
Mr Struhs, 21, is among 14 members of a close-knit religious sect known as The Saints who are all on trial for the eight-year-old’s death in early 2022.
The Crown contends members of the group withheld her insulin medication for several days, in line with their hard line beliefs in the healing power of God over medication.
Elizabeth became more and more sick until she passed away between January 6-7, 2022 – the group then allegedly spending hours praying for God to raise her from the dead.
Elizabeth’s parents Jason Richard Struhs, 52 and Kerrie Elizabeth Struhs, 49, are charged with her murder and manslaughter respectively.
Zachary Struhs and 10 others – 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, are all charged with manslaughter.
62-year-old Brendan Luke Stevens – the leader of The Saints – is charged with murder alongside Jason.
The court was told police spoke to Zachary amid an investigation into Elizabeth’s murder, after the girl’s father phoned triple-0 36 hours after his daughter died.
He says he believed Elizabeth passed away “naturally, in her sleep” and that he did not consider she needed medical aid in the days she lay dying in the home.
Zachary reiterates towards the end he is “disgusted” with the investigation and promises those involved will be “judged”.
The court was told Zachary was aware of his parents being charged with failing to supply Elizabeth with the necessaries of life after she almost died in 2019.
In the interview, he claims people can now say they can “heal this or that” and that the meaning of the necessities of life had changed.
“God is the same, (he) has promised healing,” Zachary claims.
“We don’t need medical institutions … to give us healing.”
A recorded interview with Kerrie Struhs shortly after Elizabeth’s death was played to the court, where the mum is heard explaining what members of the group did as her daughter became more and more unwell.
The court was told Elizabeth would be shifted to different positions by the church group as she lay on the mat.
At other times, they fed her fruits, gave her water and took her to the toilet.
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Kerrie is heard saying she would help Elizabeth rinse out her mouth when she vomited and told officers her daughter knew “God heals”.
One officer asks: “When you say God heals, what did you expect to be the outcome?” Kerrie tells them she was expecting “100 per cent perfect health, no reliance on medication”.
The judge-alone trial continues.
