Members of a church group accused of killing an eight-year-old lady have denied they acted in a felony conspiracy to disclaim her diabetes remedy, a courtroom heard.
Elizabeth Rose Struhs died on 7 January 2022 at her household’s dwelling in Toowoomba, west of Brisbane, after six days with out her prescribed insulin pictures for type-1 diabetes.
Elizabeth’s mother and father and 12 different defendants confronted Brisbane Supreme Courtroom on Friday and began giving their closing addresses following seven weeks of prosecution proof in a judge-only trial earlier than justice Martin Burns.
Lachlan Stuart Schoenfish, 34, is charged with manslaughter and informed Burns throughout his closing handle: “We imagine in God above medication.”
No illustration, no pleas
Elizabeth’s father, Jason Richard Struhs, 52, and Brendan Luke Stevens, the 62-year-old chief of her household’s church group generally known as ‘The Saints’, are charged with Elizabeth’s homicide.
Schoenfish mentioned he by no means inspired Struhs to withdraw Elizabeth’s insulin as he had come to that call himself after being baptised in The Saints in August 2021.
“Regardless of what the prosecution allege by some persuasion or manipulation of us in the direction of Jason to do or not do something, Jason was given energy by God to imagine in God,” he mentioned.
Elizabeth’s mom, Kerrie Elizabeth Struhs, 49, together with 10 different members of the congregation additionally confronted trial charged with manslaughter.
All 14 defendants have refused to enter pleas and represented themselves at trial.
Schoenfish mentioned he denied the prosecution’s declare that he considered all remedy as pointless as he solely considered it as pointless for himself.
The group refused authorized illustration and refused to enter pleas. In consequence, pleas of not responsible had been entered on their behalf. Supply: AAP / Michael Felix
The group “actually have completely different beliefs about dying”, he mentioned.
“We imagine she can be raised from the lifeless.”
His spouse Samantha Emily Schoenfish, 26, informed Burns there had been a “misrepresentation of our beliefs by the prosecution”.
“I did attend the Struhs’ home to help them … merely as family and friends,” she mentioned.
A miracle turns into an alleged homicide
Schoenfish mentioned Elizabeth’s low glucose studying when she was initially taken off insulin was an indication to her “that God did heal Elizabeth and confirmed us a miracle”.
“I believed she was getting higher. I mentioned ‘Wow, that is superb. She’ll be sitting up the subsequent morning,'” she mentioned.
“I used to be shocked when that was not what occurred. I belief in God. We nonetheless imagine that the Lord will rise her once more.”
Keita Courtney Martin, 23, informed Burns there was no proof of members of the group speaking plainly to Jason Struhs that he ought to cease Elizabeth’s insulin.
Martin mentioned prosecutors alleged she knew withdrawing insulin from a diabetic would outcome of their dying.
“My information of God negated such an acceptance in my thoughts,” Martin mentioned.
Sebastian James Stevens, 28, mentioned he had solely acted to help the choice for Elizabeth to cease taking insulin as a result of she “hated” injections.
“There was an try to painting all of us as killers or conspirators in a heinous crime. This can be a style of fiction,” he mentioned.
The defendants informed Burns they meant to finish giving their closing addresses on Friday.
