Religious cult refuses to get lawyer over schoolgirl’s death

A judge has urged for a case against a religious cult charged over the death of a schoolgirl to move quickly, as the group again refused legal representation.

Fourteen members of the Toowoomba group, made up of three families known as “the Saints”, were charged in relation to the death of Elizabeth Rose Struhs in Rangeville last year.

The eight-year-old, who died in January 2022 after being denied insulin, had told her school friends she wanted to help other children who had diabetes like her.

Her parents, Jason Richard Struhs and wife Kerrie, allegedly gathered members of their church to pray over Elizabeth in her final days, and eventually, her body, instead of calling paramedics.

The group appeared in the Supreme Court in Brisbane on Friday for a review of their case, where they again refused legal representation or to make any application for bail.

The court heard from a legal aid solicitor, who informed the group how the accused could access a lawyer if they desired later in the proceedings.

At one point when there was discussion about how long the group had been on remand, Jason stood up and told the court he had been in custody almost 16 months.

“I’ve been in custody for – what’s today, Friday – two days short of 16 months,” he said.

“It’s only me and my wife, your honour, that have been in 16 [months], and the rest are 10 months.”

Justice Martin Burns told Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions Todd Fuller, KC, the case had to move as quickly as possible.

“We have to move as quickly as we can Mr Fuller ... to minimise as much as possible any further passage of time,” he said.

Fuller explained there was more than 100 hours of recorded interviews to be transcribed.

“These aren’t covert recordings?” Burns asked.

Fuller replied: “No, they’re not covert recordings, they’re actually recorded interviews that have been conducted by police.”

Fuller said the prosecution case relied on parts of the interviews, but that would be subject to admissibility by the group, who were self-representing.

Burns adjourned the matter to next month for further review, asking for a legal aid contact list be provided to each of the accused.

The court heard there were also arrangements being made to allow the group to confer during a trial.

The others charged in relation to Elizabeth’s death are Brendan Luke Stevens, Zachary Alan Struhs, Loretta Mary Stevens, Therese Maria Stevens, Andrea Louise Stevens, Acacia Naree Stevens, Camellia Claire Stevens, Alexander Francis Stevens, Sebastian James Stevens, Keita Courtney Martin, Lachlan Stuart Schoenfisch and Samantha Emily Schoenfisch.