A member of a religious group charged with the murder of an eight-year-old girl has described how they sat, sang and prayed while the child became progressively ill and died.
Keita Courtney Martin, 20, is one of 14 members of a fringe religious group charged over the death of Elizabeth Struhs in a Toowoomba house on January 7 after she was denied medical care for her type 1 diabetes.
A committal hearing in Toowoomba Magistrates Court heard that during a police interview in July, Ms Martin revealed she was present for Elizabeth's final days.
Evidence presented to the court from the interview also showed Ms Martin was aware Elizabeth's father, Jason Struhs, had decided to stop his daughter's insulin, announcing it at a religious meeting on the Sunday before her death.
Magistrate Louise Shephard told the court that Ms Martin said she was woken early on January 7 by her family and rushed to the Struhs' home along with other members of the small religious group, and spent hours sitting, praying and singing.
Text messages revealed
The court heard Ms Martin told police said she became aware Elizabeth had fallen ill on January 4 after Elizabeth's mother, Kerrie Struhs, messaged several members of the group, telling them her husband was upset about the child's condition.
A text message from Ms Martin to co-accused Andrea Stevens at 2.30pm on January 4 was read out by Magistrate Shephard.
"Heading to Struhs now, Jason sent a text saying he's really struggling and is scared despite much prayer," the text said.
Magistrate Shephard told that court that about an hour later, at 3.41pm, Ms Martin sent a further text to Andrea stating: "Still encouraging, keep praying, we've got to see this victory".
In her police interview, Ms Martin said when she left the house on the evening of January 4, Mr Struhs was feeling better about things and that his daughter Elizabeth looked tired and was not keeping food down.
Group believed God would 'raise' Elizabeth
Ms Martin told police she spent all of January 5 and 6 at the Struhs' home to assist the child's mother and the family.
"On Thursday [January 6] she assisted in caring for Elizabeth, she assisted in taking Elizabeth to the toilet," Magistrate Shephard told the court.
"Elizabeth, could not walk, wasn't talking and her eyes were closed.
"At some point Ms Martin assumed that Elizabeth had stopped breathing and that was later confirmed to her by those that had cared for her during the previous night.
"The group continued to pray throughout the day, waiting for God to raise Elizabeth."
Elizabeth died on January 7 from diabetic ketoacidosis after she was allegedly denied insulin for her type 1 diabetes.
Magistrate Shephard said she was satisfied the evidence was sufficient for Ms Martin to stand trial for the offence of murder.
Ms Martin pleaded not guilty and was remanded in custody.
First to enter plea
Ms Martin is the first of the group of 14 charged over the child's murder to formally enter a plea.
Jason Struhs and his wife Kerrie Struhs, 47, have both been committed to stand trial for murder of their daughter along with Loretta Mary Stevens, 65 and Andrea Louise Stevens, 31.
Acacia Maree Stevens, 29, Camellia Claire Stevens, 26, and Therese Maria Stevens, 35, are expected to face court again in November.
Six other people, including Lachlan Stuart Schoenfisch, Samantha Emily Crouch, Brendan Luke Stevens, Zachary Alan Struhs, Sebastian James Stevens, and Alexander Francis Stevens, are also facing murder charges in relation to Elizabeth's death.
Their matters remain before the courts.
They all belonged to a religious community they called "The Church", headed by Brendan Luke Stevens, which believes in the healing power of God and shuns medical intervention.
When asked if she had anything to say, Ms Martin told the court she denies having "reckless indifference".
"I think that this charge of murder under the perception of reckless indifference is entirely false because all actions or admission of actions that I took on the day specified weren't reckless indifference because reckless indifference implies that I was heedless as to the consequences," she said.
"However, I heeded that I trust in God and God is all powerful and he has promised healings in the Bible, which is a book that the court even uses to swear on during hearings.
"It clearly states that God will heal anything if you pray faithfully and that's what I was praying for, for Elizabeth's healing."
Ms Martin said she loved Elizabeth Struhs.
"And it was with respect to her personal beliefs as well because she's also a Christian who has the same faith as me," she said.
