With her long dark hair, pink Tweety Pie cap and Dora the Explorer shirt, eight-year-old Elizabeth Struhs looks like a happy little girl in a family photograph.
But her cheeky smile is hard to reconcile with the harrowing evidence presented in a Queensland regional court over the past two months, as one after another, 14 people were committed to stand trial for her murder.
The young girl was found dead in a Rangeville home in Toowoomba on January 8 this year after her life-saving insulin was allegedly withheld by a group of people who claim to love her and trusted God to heal her.
In one of the most extraordinary cases in Australia, over the past several weeks her parents and 12 other members of a fringe religious group have appeared in Toowoomba Magistrates Court over her death.
For the first time, the court heard what role each is alleged to have played.
Queensland Police have described the investigation as unprecedented and poured significant resources into the case, with 45 uniformed officers and 14 detectives tasked with examining the eight-year-old's death over the past 11 months.
During almost 20 court appearances, all 14 members appeared before magistrates Louise Shepard, Kay Philipson or Clare Kelly in the Toowoomba courtroom, which was packed with journalists but strangely devoid of supporters or lawyers for the defendants, who all declined legal representation.
Some of the hearings lasted just a few minutes, as the accused politely answered questions asked by the court, offering their faith in God as the only defence.
The mother
Elizabeth's 47-year-old mother Kerrie Elizabeth Struhs was charged on January 11 with offences including murder, torture and failure to supply the necessities of life.
During the committal hearing, it was revealed she had served jail time for failing to get medical assistance for her child in 2019 and had been released the month before Elizabeth's death.
The court heard that news reports in 2019 had prompted another of the defendants, Samantha Emily Schoenfisch (nee Crouch), to join the religious group.
"Ms Schoenfisch had read in a news article, and she had been told by a member of the Struhs family, that Elizabeth had stopped breathing [in 2019] and was resuscitated and that the doctors were so concerned they thought Elizabeth may suffer permanent injury, such as brain injury," the court was told.
The court heard that in a statement to police, Mrs Struhs had revealed she knew her daughter's life depended on her being given insulin.
"[Mrs Struhs] goes into detail about being told by her husband that if Elizabeth did not get her insulin, she would die," Magistrate Kay Philipson told the court.
Magistrate Philipson dismissed the torture charge against Mrs Struhs saying she was not satisfied there was sufficient evidence that the failure to provide insulin was done to intentionally inflict pain and suffering on Elizabeth.
The father
Disturbing details about Elizabeth's final days were revealed in court when her 50-year-old father, Jason Struhs, was committed for trial for her murder.
The court was told her cause of death was diabetic ketoacidosis and that symptoms would have included excessive urination, thirst, abdominal pain, vomiting, weakness, lethargy and altered levels of consciousness, incontinence and coma until respiratory failure and death.
It was alleged that Mr Struhs withdrew his young child's insulin on Monday, January 3 and that she fell ill the following day before dying on Friday, January 7.
The court heard that Mr Struhs had not believed in the healing power of God until August 2021 and that a week prior to his wife's release from prison in December 2021 he had begun "embracing the healing".
During the committal hearing for another defendant, the court was told Mr Struhs had struggled when his daughter became ill but had been reassured by the religious group to keep his faith.
A charge of torture against him was dropped.
The brother
Zachary Alan Struhs, 19, had a key role in promoting the cessation of Elizabeth's medication, according to Magistrate Clare Kelly.
The court heard he believed the involvement of authorities after his sister's death would lead to the "miracle of her rising".
In evidence presented to court, he allegedly said he did not believe modern medicine was part of God's plan and that God would heal her.
He did not know why she had died but believed his sister would walk "amongst us" again and that would be "evidence of healing".
When asked if he had anything to say, Mr Struhs, the youngest of the 14 committed to stand trial for murder, said "not guilty".
The religious leader
Brendan Luke Stevens has been identified as the leader of the religious group known as the "the Church".
Evidence submitted during court hearings showed he worked in the Queensland Police Service during the 1980s.
During his committal, the court heard Kerrie Struhs believed Mr Stevens was "appointed by God to lead them".
"The religious beliefs held by the religious community include the healing power of God," Magistrate Clare Kelly told the court, "and the shunning of medical intervention in human life".
The 60-year-old has been one of the most vocal of the people charged, after he accused police of gross ineptitude when they failed to provide him with a brief of evidence.
According to an interview between Kerrie Struhs and police, no-one in the group spoke against Mr Stevens.
The 60-year-old was remanded on separate charges of failing to provide the necessities of life relating to an incident in 2019 and was committed to stand trial for the 2022 murder of Elizabeth Struhs.
Loretta Mary Stevens
The court heard 65-year-old Loretta Mary Stevens is married to the group's leader and encouraged Jason and Kerrie Struhs to rely on their religious faith rather than seek medical help for Elizabeth when she became ill after the insulin was withdrawn.
Magistrate Kay Philipson said the evidence supported the murder charge against Mrs Stevens, and that Mrs Stevens knew Elizabeth had diabetes and could die without insulin.
"[Mrs Stevens] was aware that Mr Struhs planned to and did stop giving Elizabeth insulin," she said.
"She thereafter went to the Struhs residence to care for Elizabeth and saw and could describe Elizabeth's deterioration."
Therese Maria Stevens
Therese Maria Stevens, 35, is the eldest daughter of Brendan and Loretta Stevens.
She told the court she believed Elizabeth would rise again and that murder did not apply as her actions weren't with malicious intent.
"We love Elizabeth and her family. We did not kill her, there was no hate behind it all," she told the court.
"She had a sickness and she died of it.
"We expect in his time, [God] will rise her again and I think the charge is false and does not apply to us."
Acacia Maree Stevens
In a recorded conversation between police and Acacia Maree Stevens, 29, on January 11, Ms Stevens said the religious group didn't question when Elizabeth got sick as it was a trial of faith and they trusted God would heal her.
The court also heard police had recovered eight deleted photos taken on January 6 from her phone, showing Elizabeth surrounded by the defendants.
Camellia Claire Stevens
The court heard Camellia Claire Stevens, 26, had been helping with food and meals in the days before Elizabeth Struhs's death, with the eight-year-old limited to soft fruits.
In a conversation with police, recorded on body-worn cameras, Camellia Stevens told officers that days before Elizabeth died, she had stopped breathing, "like she was sleeping".
She told police she had not expected God "would take it to this degree" and "expected Elizabeth would rise again".
Alexander Francis Stevens
The court heard Alexander Francis Stevens, 24, told police he and his family helped build each other up, sing songs and praise God when dealing with Elizabeth's sickness.
Magistrate Kelly said evidence provided by Mr Stevens's employer and co-workers alleged he had said "we will wean her off it" and "we're going to get her off that crap as soon as possible", in reference to Elizabeth's insulin.
But Mr Stevens told the court the evidence was "all lies and incorrect".
Keita Courtney Martin
Twenty-year-old Keita Courtney Martin was one of the first in the group to plead not guilty to murder.
The court heard Ms Martin was woken early on Friday, January 7, rushed to the Struhs's home and spent hours sitting, praying and singing for Elizabeth, who died that day.
"On Thursday, [Ms Martin] assisted in caring for Elizabeth, she assisted in taking Elizabeth to the toilet," Magistrate Louise Shephard told the court.
"Elizabeth could not walk, wasn't talking and her eyes were closed."
Samantha Emily Schoenfisch (nee Crouch)
Samantha Emily Schoenfisch (nee Crouch), 24, helped care for Elizabeth in her final days, according to evidence heard in court.
It's alleged she encouraged Jason Struhs to stay strong when he became upset over his daughter's condition.
Mrs Schoenfisch (nee Crouch) told the court the charge was "disgusting".
"Anything done was with Elizabeth's wishes in mind, as well as absolute care and love for her and her life and how she felt," she said.
"At no point anyone was intending any sort of harm on her or any sort of pain or anything, and absolutely no indifference — the charge of indifference I find disgusting."
She pleaded not guilty to murder.
Lachlan Stuart Schoenfisch
Thirty-year-old Lachlan Stuart Schoenfisch, who's married to Samantha Emily Schoenfisch (nee Crouch), told the court during his hearing that the group he belonged to followed the Bible which "didn't say anything about calling doctors".
When Elizabeth fell ill one day after her insulin was ceased, Mr Schoenfisch told police it was an unexpected development given the fellowship believed that Elizabeth was healed.
"The truth is the spirit and the world and the body is temporary," Mr Schoenfisch told police.
"Everyone dies and it does not matter. The most important thing is to serve God."
Andrea Louise Stevens
Thirty-two-year-old Andrea Louise Stevens said little during her appearances in the Toowoomba Magistrates Court.
She also repeatedly declined legal representation.
Sebastian James Stevens
Twenty-one-year-old Sebastian James Stevens didn't speak much during his committal hearings.
He has refused legal representation.
All members of the group have now been committed to stand trial in the Supreme Court at a later date for the alleged murder of Elizabeth Struhs.
They have been remanded in custody.
