Elizabeth Struhs: Court hears explosive claims that born-again dad Jason Struhs was ‘brainwashed’ by cult The Saints
The former boss of a man accused of murdering his diabetic daughter has told a court that his employee was “brainwashed” into joining a cult-like church community accused of fatally withholding the girl’s insulin.
Jason Richard Struhs is one of 14 people facing charges in the death of his eight-year-old daughter Elizabeth Struhs, who was found dead in her Rangeville home in early 2022.
Witness Brendan O’Donnell, who employed Mr Struhs, told how Mr Struhs changed after he joined the religious group The Saints, following Elizabeth’s near-death experience in 2019.
He strongly opposed the beliefs of the fringe group and how Mr. Struhs, having recently converted to Christianity, was treated as an “easy target.”
“I was afraid of him,” Mr O’Donnell told the court.
‘Jason had been touched by god. He was a new convert and was an easy target to be brainwashed into their way of believing.’
The prosecution alleges that Mr. Struhs, his wife Kerrie Elizabeth Struhs, and other members of The Saints Elizabeths withheld insulin for several days until she died between January 6 and 7, 2022.
The court has already heard evidence showing that the group rejected medicine and medical treatment because they believed God would cure all ailments.
Brendan O’Donnell (pictured), Jason Struhs’ former boss, told the Brisbane Supreme Court he believed members of the fringe religious group known as The Saints had ‘brainwashed’ Jason
Kerrie Elizabeth Struhs and Jason Richard Struhs are both on trial for the death of their daughter Elizabeth in early 2022
Jason Struhs, 57, and 62-year-old Brendan Luke Stevens, the leader of The Saints, are both charged with Elizabeth’s murder, while Kerrie Struhs, 49, is charged with manslaughter.
Elizabeth’s older brother Zachary Alan Struhs, 21, Loretta Mary Stevens, 67 – the wife of Brendan Stevens – and her adult children Acacia Naree Stevens, 31, Therese Maria Stevens, 37, Sebastian James Stevens, 23, Andrea Louise Stevens, 34, Camellia Claire Stevens, 28, and Alexander Francis Stevens, 26, Lachlan Stuart Schoenfisch, 34, and his wife Samantha Emily Schoenfisch, 26, and a third woman, Keita Courtney Martin, 22, also face manslaughter charges.
They have all denied guilt to the charges.
In his testimony, Mr O’Donnell said he noticed Jason wasn’t as angry after his “spiritual encounter” when he joined The Saints in August 2021.
Mr O’Donnell said Jason was trying to provide for his family while Kerrie was serving a prison sentence for failing to provide Elizabeth with basic necessities in 2019.
He said he felt Zachary Struhs wanted “more” from his father and that Jason would share his beliefs with him.
“As his relationship with Zach deteriorated rapidly, he got to the point where he started praying with Zach,” O’Donnell said.
“He really wanted a good relationship with his son, he told me.”
In his statement to police, Mr Struhs (left) said his wife had not told him in 2019 how serious Elizabeth’s condition was because she knew he would take her to hospital against her religious beliefs. Photo: Supplied
The court was told that Mr O’Donnell believed Jason had had a “real encounter with God” but that he was becoming increasingly distant from it.
“(I felt like) Zach and the group influenced him,” O’Donnell said.
The court was told that Mr O’Donnell had urged him not to go to the Stevens’ home.
“I wanted him to know the true side of the Bible, the full context of what it says,” he said.
“What struck me was that over the years, in conversations with Jason at work, the group would pull little bits out of the Bible to fit their story.”
Lachlan Schoenfisch asked Mr O’Donnell during cross-examination whether he considered ‘speaking in tongues’ an essential part of ‘salvation’, to which Mr O’Donnell replied: ‘No.’
He also denied that he thought Jason was “weak” when Alexander Stevens asked him about it, adding that he felt Jason was “brainwashed” into the group’s beliefs.
Elizabeth nearly died in 2019 due to diabetic ketoacidosis. Photo: Supplied
More than a dozen members of the healing group The Saints, which includes Elizabeth’s parents, are on trial for her death.
Phone calls Kerrie made during her captivity were also played in the Brisbane Supreme Court.
Between August 10 and December 14, 2021, she called Jason, Zachary and Brendan 119 times.
The court had previously heard that Jason was baptised into the group around August 2021 after struggling to parent the children and administer Elizabeth’s insulin.
In a phone call on August 23, he tells Kerrie that he had “broken down” and was seeking help from his work and Zachary.
Jason tells her that he woke up the next day feeling “calm and peaceful and not angry.”
A day later he said he had not yet “received the Holy Spirit,” but told her he would continue to give Elizabeth insulin and take her to the doctor “until it is proven that she is healed.”
On August 31, Jason tells Kerrie, “The Lord has decided to give me the Holy Spirit.”
“That’s amazing, oh my god!” Kerrie replies.
The trial, in which only the judge is present, continues.