A member of a cult-like church accused of causing the death of a diabetic girl told his father: “Peace, healing and comfort are your birthright,” and urged him to have “a peaceful sleep” as the child lay dying.
Creepy text messages sent by members of the religious sect, known as the Saints, were obtained through downloads from the phones of the 14 defendants after the death of 8-year-old Elizabeth Strohes in early 2022.
The Crown alleges that members of the church group — including Elizabeth’s father, Jason Richard Strohes, and her mother, Keri Elizabeth Strohes — withheld her insulin for several days in line with their beliefs about God’s healing power.
She died of diabetic ketoacidosis on January 6-7, 2022.
Strohs, 52, and Saints leader Brendan Luke-Stevens, 62, face charges in the girl’s murder.
Kerry Strohs, 49, Zachary Alan Strohs, 21, Loretta Marie Stevens, 67, Acacia Nareah Stevens, 31, Therese Maria Stevens, 37, Sebastian James Stevens, 23, Andrea Louise Stevens, 34, Camelia Claire Stevens, 28, Alexander Francis Stevens, 26, Lachlan Stewart Schoenfish, 34, his wife Samantha Emily Schoenfish, 26, and Keita Courtney Martin, 22 — all charged with involuntary manslaughter.
All 14 defendants have pleaded not guilty to the charges against them.
In a text message to his father at around 10.50pm on January 5, 2022, Sebastian Stevens urged his father Brendan to have a “good night’s sleep” after “enduring another day”.
The text, which was presented to the Supreme Court in Brisbane on Tuesday, was sent in the days before Elizabeth’s death.
In the letter, Sebastian says, “Praise the Lord, Father,” and declares that he “sought the Lord in your time and trial and declared his true followers before the saints, as is customary.”
“We are now one day away from the end of Elizabeth’s illness, and one day away from the Lord’s return. The path is narrow and few follow Him, but when He returns He will find faith in Israel,” Sebastian’s message continues.
Good night and may God bless you – peace, healing and comfort are your birthright so take it all.
Other photos taken from their phones were shown to the court, including some showing Elizabeth recovering in hospital after a near-fatal incident caused by the condition in 2019.
The court heard the girl spent weeks in Brisbane Children’s Hospital recovering before being diagnosed with type 1 diabetes.
Jason was responsible for giving the girl insulin, and for years resisted joining the Saints until August 2021.
A video of his baptism was shown in court where Brendan Stevens can be seen immersing the 52-year-old in a large tub of water.
Other members of the group can be seen and heard singing, playing music and clapping as Jason is submerged in the water before Brendan speaks in an unknown accent.
The court was previously told this was in line with the group’s beliefs about “speaking in tongues” – a special, unknown language known only to God.
Another text message seized from the accused’s phone was sent to Lachlan and Samantha Schoenfish on January 7, 2022.
The message read: “Hello Sam and Lachlan, please pray as much as you can and get to Strohs as soon as possible. Elizabeth doesn’t seem to be breathing, but we will see victory very soon. God is able to do all things.”
A text message sent to Kerri Strohes’ phone by the Child Safety Department in July 2019 was also shown, asking her to meet with “Jason, the Child Safety Department and hospital staff once Elizabeth is released from the hospital.”
The trial continues.
