Mother, father, other members of fringe group the Saints jailed for girl’s death in Toowoomba

Elizabeth’s father, Jason Richard Struhs, and the group’s leader, Brendan Luke Stevens, charged with murder, were found guilty of the lesser charge of manslaughter on the basis that it could not be proved that they knew their actions would result in Elizabeth’s death.

In sentencing the group in the Supreme Court on Wednesday, Justice Martin Burns said Elizabeth suffered greatly in the lead-up to a profoundly disturbing death.

“Elizabeth suffered a slow and painful death, and you are all in one way or another responsible,” he said.

He said the group had taken the life of a “vibrant, happy child, who should have gone on to enjoy a full life”.

He sentenced Elizabeth’s father and mother to 14 years’ imprisonment.

“You knew Elizabeth required insulin to live, and that without it, she would die,” Burns said in sentencing 53-year-old Jason Struhs, who stood in the dock with his hands clasped.

Stevens, 63, was sentenced to 13 years’ imprisonment. Burns said it was quite likely that had he not encouraged Jason Struhs in the days before she died, Struhs would have taken Elizabeth to hospital, and she would still be here today.

Stevens’ wife, Loretta Mary Stevens, 67, received nine years for her role in the death.

Elizabeth’s brother, Zachary Alan Struhs, 22, was sentenced to six years imprisonment.

Immediately after sentencing each person, Burns told security officers to remove them from the court.

He said many of the group harboured contempt for what they described as the medical system, with more than one of them referring to medicine as witchcraft.

Burns referred to how Jason Struhs had solely maintained Elizabeth’s diabetes for 2½ years after she had been diagnosed with diabetes in 2019. During that incident, Elizabeth nearly died, and her mother was imprisoned in 2021 for failing to provide the necessities of life.

While she was in prison, Jason Struhs quickly became immersed in the church and their beliefs, Burns said. He said each of the defendants had encouraged Jason Struhs to not only have faith, but to have their particular faith.

“Each of you knew Elizabeth almost died in 2019 … You knew both Jason and Kerrie Struhs owed a duty under the law to provide Elizabeth with the necessities of life,” he said.

“You knew this because you were all well aware they had been prosecuted in the criminal courts for their failures to do so, and that this was the reason Kerrie Struhs was imprisoned.”

The group sat during the sentencing in separate docks, most with their hands in their lap. At one point, Jason Struhs bent forward, putting his head between his knees.

No members of the public or journalists were permitted in the room due to the courtroom’s reconfiguration of the separate docks.

Burns also told the defendants they were eligible to apply to appeal against the sentence.

During the first part of the sentencing hearing earlier this month, Crown prosecutor Caroline Marco said the 14 defendants could have sought medical help for Elizabeth but instead they “arrogantly and stubbornly allowed faith to wilfully blind them”.

Eldest sibling Jayde said her younger sister had died because of her parents’ extreme religious beliefs, and that they were indoctrinated.

“She was my sister. Now she’s dead. She’s never coming back. There was no accident,” she said.

Jayde is now suing Child Safety for negligence over the death.

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