The leader of a religious group that allegedly withheld insulin from an eight-year-old girl, leading to her death, has been depicted in court as somebody "no one ever spoke against".
Brendan Luke Stevens, 60, was the leader of a fringe religious group and the last of 14 members to be committed to stand trial for the murder of Elizabeth Struhs in southern Queensland early this year.
Elizabeth had type 1 diabetes and died on January 7 at a house in Toowoomba from diabetic ketoacidosis several days after her insulin was stopped.
The Toowoomba Magistrates Court heard during a committal hearing that Elizabeth's mother Kerrie Struhs believed Mr Stevens was "appointed by God to lead them".
"No-one has ever spoken against what Mr Stevens says," Mrs Struhs told police.
"No one has ever wanted to.
"Members of the fellowship went to him for clarity when it came to illness or ailments."
The court also heard that Elizabeth's father, Jason Struhs, did not believe in the healing power of God until August 2021.
It heard that during a phone call between Mrs Struhs and Mr Stevens, the religious leader said they were "not backing away from the healing, not one iota."
"We are making Jason realise it is absolutely fundamental according to the gospel," Mr Stevens allegedly said.
"Jason is hearing this every week. We're going to keep saying that Elizabeth is healed, and we're going to see it."
Magistrate Louise Shephard said Mr Struhs was eventually baptised by Mr Stevens while Ms Struhs was in jail for failing to seek medical intervention for Elizabeth in 2019.
A week prior to Mrs Struhs' release from custody in December 2021, the court heard Mr Stevens told her he had started to see a change in Mr Struhs, and that he was "embracing the healing".
When asked by Magistrate Shephard on Thursday via videolink if he wanted to say anything to the court, Mr Stevens declined and did not enter a plea.
Group 'followed the Bible'
Lachlan Stuart Schoenfisch, 32, was the 13th member of the religious group ordered to stand trial over Elizabeth's death.
When asked on Wednesday via videolink by Magistrate Shephard if he wanted to say anything, Mr Schoenfisch said the group had followed the Bible.
"Which doesn't say anything about calling doctors," Mr Schoenfisch said.
"It [the Bible] says pray, lay hands on the sick, and the prayer of faith will save the sick.
"So we did, as far as the Bible is concerned, everything.
"So for you [the magistrate] to read things like that and say that we knew this was going to happen, we did not think for a second that this was going to happen and even now we believe that Elizabeth will rise again in this life."
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.
'Everyone dies'
Magistrate Shephard said when asked by police why he watched Elizabeth die knowing she needed insulin to live, Mr Schoenfish had responded by saying, "Because Elizabeth's eternal life is more important".
"The truth is the spirit and the world and the body is temporary," Mr Schoenfish told police.
"Everyone dies and it does not matter. The most important thing is to serve God."
Mr Schoenfish told the magistrate that Elizabeth was "tormented daily, being forced to take this stuff against her will and society calls that well and good".
"We just wanted to give her the chance to follow her religious beliefs, which is the same as our religious beliefs, and if a court or jury or a judge decides that's murder, so be it," he said.
All members committed
Elizabeth's parents Jason and Kerrie Struhs were committed to stand trial in the Supreme Court earlier this year.
Samantha Emily Schoenfisch (nee Crouch), 24; Keita Courtney Martin, 20; Loretta Mary Stevens, 65; Andrea Louis Stevens, 31; Therese Maria Stevens, 35; Acacia Maree Stevens, 29; Sebastian James Stevens, 21; Alexander Francis Stevens, 24; Zachary Alan Struhs, 19; and Camellia Claire Stevens, 26, have also been ordered to stand trial for murder.
