Cult leader’s wild claim on child’s death
The leader of a cult-like faith-healing group charged with the murder of a diabetic girl claimed to police they had “fabricated” the charge and they were “making out an innocent death” to be murder.
In a frosty interview with detectives months after Elizabeth Struhs was found dead, played to the Brisbane Supreme Court on Thursday, Brendan Luke Stevens launched into an extraordinary spray as police questioned him over the girl’s alleged murder.
Elizabeth, 8, was found dead in her family’s Rangeville home in early 2022, after her insulin had been withdrawn.
Mr Stevens, the 62-year-old leader of the religious sect known as The Saints, is among the 14 people currently on trial over the child’s death.
In his interview following his arrest in July 2022, Mr Stevens becomes combative and claims police were making out the child’s “innocent” death to be a murder.
Police also recount their conversation with Mr Stevens in the days after Elizabeth’s death where he said: “I’ve spoken with you already, I know your hearts. They’re evil … I know what you do, it’s unrighteous.”
The Crown contends Elizabeth’s parents Jason Richard Struhs, 52, and Kerrie Elizabeth Struhs, 49, decided to withdraw the girl’s insulin medication to prove their faith in God.
Members of The Saints are also alleged to have joined in by encouraging Jason to stay firm in his decision.
Elizabeth became increasingly unwell until she died between January 6-7, 2022 from diabetic ketoacidosis.
Jason Struhs and Brendan Luke Stevens – the leader of the The Saints – are both charged with her murder.
Kerrie Struhs, her son Zachary Alan Struhs, 21 and 10 others are charged with Elizabeth’s manslaughter.
All 14 defendants are representing themselves and have pleaded not guilty to their charges.
On Thursday, Brendan Stevens’s interview with police following his arrest on July 5, 2022 was played to the court.
He appeared hostile to officers, keeping his arms folded and giving short, direct answers to questions.
“What’s there to understand?” He responded when asked about his initial police interview over Elizabeth’s murder.
Detectives ask Brendan if he has a friend or relative he wishes to contact to which he says: “You’ve locked up all my friends.”
Asked if he knows what murder is, Brendan says: “Definitely not what happened to Elizabeth.”
“It’s clear you have fabricated this charge, and you’re making out an innocent death to be a murder,” he continues.
An exchange between Kerrie Struhs and Brendan is also recounted in the tape, where the pair had discussed Elizabeth’s illness back in 2019, along with one where Kerrie asked for help “bathing” her daughter.
Brendan is seen taking a sip of water and sits in silence.
When asked by police why Kerrie would need help with such a request, he answered: “No.”
The court was told Kerrie informed Brendan over text in 2019 that her husband was then taking Elizabeth to the hospital.
Brendan tells her “God has it all in hand” and “she (Elizabeth) was healed”.
He continues by saying they have a “covenant with God” and it will be “Jason who will be confounded, not the saints of God.”
Detectives then ask what he meant when he texted Elizabeth was healed.
“Why would you tell me to explain something when you previously said I could choose whether or not I speak?” Brendan questions.
“You’re not trying to get an understanding – we know from the outset you are trying to persecute the church.
Detectives reiterate they are investigating Elizabeth’s death but Brendan continues.
“If you’re investigating the death of Elizabeth Struhs you would have got it in the first five minutes,” he tells them.
“But you deliberately persecuted the church and all those involved, continually.”
In the footage played to the court on Thursday, Brendan is seen becoming more agitated during the interview, talking about the deaths of children in hospital and complaining of an “anti-God” approach by police.
One detective asks him: “Brendan why did you let this happen?”
He responds: “It wasn’t me that let it happen, and (Elizabeth) herself did not want medical intervention.”
The same detective points out she was an eight-year-old girl and may not have been able to make that decision.
Brendan responds: “In Victoria eight-year-olds are able to have sex changes aren’t they?”
He then questioned why police were not prosecuting “everyone that dies in hospital”.
Brendan goes on in the interview to say police were “against God” and were advocates for the medical system, reiterating he had nothing to do with the decision to stop the insulin and it “wasn’t his position” to do so.
Detectives ask if he considered if there was a correlation between Elizabeth’s insulin being withdrawn and her condition deteriorating over the week.
“I didn’t think about it,” Brendan answers.
“She was healed the next morning… and then she deteriorated.
“The Lord allowed her to go down this path.”
In the interview he chides detectives over the suggestion he “forced” his faith onto anyone and calls them “foolish” for suggesting it.
While he claims insulin “doesn’t heal” people he is heard admitting it “does keep some people alive”.
Police also show Brendan multiple photos showing members of the congregation surrounding Elizabeth’s body in the days she lay dying in her house.
Brendan claims Elizabeth didn’t want to be on insulin and her parents agreed.
A detective tells him: “You’re a 60-year-old man who’s lived a full life and has several adult children. This is an eight-year-old girl who has paid the price.”
Brendan shouts: “She didn’t pay the price! A dead person doesn’t pay the price!”
“You’ve got no idea – she had no outward pain and suffering at all.”
When asked what he sees in the photograph of the child lying prone in the home, Brendan dismissively responds: “I see a photograph.”
The judge-only trial continues.
