A father accused of murder was viewed by his friend as a “broken man” torn between giving his daughter life-saving medication and his family’s beliefs against medicine, a judge has heard.
Elizabeth Struhs died at the family home in Toowoomba, west of Brisbane on January 7, 2022 after her parents and 12 others allegedly withheld the eight-year-old’s insulin for six days as they gathered around her in prayer.
Brisbane Supreme Court Justice Martin Burns on Monday heard testimony from Travis Barnes who previously worked night shifts with Elizabeth’s father Jason Richard Struhs, 52, at a bakery.
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Barnes said Jason Struhs had been subject to “constant religious push by others in the family” in 2021 to join their small Christian congregation and adopt their belief that God could cure all illness, including Elizabeth’s type-1 diabetes.
“He was a broken man. He loved his family so much. He wanted to keep his family together,” Barnes said.
Barnes said Jason Struhs for years beforehand had not believed in religion and refused to join his family’s church, describing it as “rubbish”.
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“[Jason Struhs] told Elizabeth he would look after her until she was 16. It tore him apart,” Barnes said.
Barnes said Jason Struhs agreed to be baptised into the group, referred to by others as “The Saints”, in late 2021 while his wife Kerrie Struhs, 49, was serving a five-month prison term.
Kerrie Struhs was convicted of failing to provide the necessities of life to Elizabeth in 2019 when she suffered extreme diabetic shock, and is now charged with her manslaughter.
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Brendan Luke Stevens, the 62-year-old leader of “The Saints”, is on trial for murder along with Jason Struhs, and 11 members of the congregation are charged with manslaughter.
Monday was the ninth day of a judge-only trial for all 14 defendants, who are self-represented and have refused to enter pleas.
Barnes said Jason Struhs became “relaxed” and happy after joining the church, in contrast to when he had been reduced to tears over his disagreements with Kerrie Struhs and his 21-year-old son Zachary Alan Struhs, who is also charged with manslaughter.
Barnes said his last communication with Jason Struhs was a text message he received on January 8, 2022, telling him he was taking time off work as his situation was “not good at the moment”.
According to a timeline of alleged events from crown prosecutor Caroline Marco, this message was sent by Jason Struhs about 33 hours after he discovered Elizabeth had died.
Barnes was cross-examined by Jason Struhs, who appeared to pause with emotion when he asked if the pair were best friends.
“Do you believe I would ever hurt my daughter on purpose?” Jason Struhs asked.
“No,” Barnes said.
Parole and probation services officer Maria Bidgood testified that she met with Kerrie Struhs soon after she was released from prison in December 2021.
“We talked about the prospect of reoffending. Her opinion was she would do the same again … she said ‘I would make the same decision again but I would not stop any other person interfering’,” Bidgood said.
Jason Struhs’ friend and golf partner of 20 years, Anthony Howe, also gave evidence and said he spoke to Zachary Struhs after Elizabeth had died, in January 2022.
“I asked Zachary what happened. He said Jason had found God and they don’t believe in medicine to keep people alive. He said ‘we all decided to take her off medication’,” Howe said.
Howe said he was left “upset” by what Zachary Struhs told him.
“I was dumbfounded to hear that. I told him you don’t have the right to decide to take someone’s life. God will decide,” Howe said.
The other defendants are Loretta Mary Stevens, 67, Andrea Louise Stevens, 34, Acacia Naree Stevens, 31, Camellia Claire Stevens, 28, Therese Maria Stevens, 37 Keita Courtney Martin, 22, Lachlan Stuart Schoenfisch, 34, Samantha Emily Crouch, 26, Sebastian James Stevens, 23, and Alexander Francis Stevens, 26.
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