September 11, 2025 • 25 mins
This week’s release is a reworked edition of our Elizabeth Struhs episode.
How far would you go for your beliefs? Would you risk your child's life? That's the heartbreaking question at the core of Elizabeth Struhs story, an 8-year-old girl who loved the colour pink, dreamed of becoming a doctor, and died surrounded by 14 adults who chose prayer over the insulin she needed to survive.
Elizabeth's parents belonged to "the Saints," a small religious sect led by Brendan Stevens that rejected modern medicine as "witchcraft." Though they had been convicted once before for denying Elizabeth medical care after her diabetes diagnosis in 2019, everything changed when her father Jason converted to the group in August 2021. Four months later, Elizabeth's insulin treatments stopped completely.
For six agonizing days, as her condition deteriorated the group gathered around her singing, dancing, and praying—believing God alone would heal her.
Join us as we examine the case that left a community forever marked by a preventable tragedy.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:08):
Welcome to Clue Trail , where true stories unravel one
step at a time.
If you're enjoying the show,check out Patreon for bonus
episodes and early access.
Just search Clue Trail or hitthe link in the show notes, and
don't forget to follow, rate orreview the podcast.
(00:30):
It helps more curious mindsfind us.
Now let's dive into today'scase.
I'm sorry.
(01:06):
8-year-old Elizabeth Struth hadtype 1 diabetes a manageable
condition with proper care.
But instead of giving herinsulin, her parents stopped
treatment, believing God wouldheal her.
Surrounded by members of theirreligious sect, elizabeth grew
weaker over six days.
(01:27):
They sang, they prayed, butthey never called for help until
it was far too late.
In this episode, we take youinside the case that horrified
the nation, exposed the darkside of religious extremism and
reignited a crucial conversationwhen does religious freedom end
(01:50):
and where does child protectionbegin?
This is the story of ElizabethStruth and the community that
let her die.
(02:16):
Elizabeth lived in Toowoomba,queensland, in a modest home
with her parents and siblings.
By all outward appearances, herlife was quiet and routine.
Elizabeth loved the color pink,she was dreaming of becoming a
doctor, she was bubbly and sheloved life.
Unfortunately, elizabethcarried something most kids
(02:42):
didn't.
She was diagnosed with type 1diabetes and, like many with
this condition, elizabeth neededdaily insulin injections to
survive.
It was manageable, but neveroptional.
Without insulin, her body wouldbegin to shut down.
At just 8 years old, elizabethalready understood more about
(03:05):
life and death than mostchildren ever will.
She depended on the adults.
She trusted her family to keepher alive.
Her family was deeply religious.
They belonged to a small,independent Christian group
called the Saints, a housechurch not affiliated with any
(03:27):
major denomination.
They belonged to a small,independent Christian group
called the Saints, a housechurch not affiliated with any
major denomination.
They believed in the power ofprayer.
The church leader was BrendanStevens.
He ran the church for 17 years.
Even after the trial, brendanStevens and the Saints still
remain a mystery.
(03:47):
We know he had a pretty normalchildhood, raised with strong
religious beliefs, not of theextremist type, though.
An average student went on tojoining the police force for a
few years before leaving theforce and turning more and more
towards religion.
He ended up in something of aleadership position with the
(04:07):
Brisbane Revival CentreInternational Church.
He married Loretta Stevens andthey have seven children
together.
His time in church didn't lastvery long.
He used his position more andmore to preach his extremist
views, preaching a literalrepresentation of the Bible.
(04:28):
This wasn't very well receivedby the other members of the
church or the pastor, so he wasasked to leave.
That is when, in 2004, fouryears after joining Brisbane
Revival, he left and establishedthe Saints.
Kerry Struess followed throughand joined him.
(05:12):
For nearly two decades, membersmet several times a week in each
other's homes, and at the heartof this group were the two
families, the Strews and theStevens.
They were bound not just byfaith, but by belief that they
were spiritually chosen, unitedby what they called the Holy
(05:33):
Spirit.
Brendan Stevens was seen as themessenger, the healer and a
direct conduit to God.
His words carried the weight ofdivine authority.
The saints practiced a rigidand insular form of Christianity
.
They believed in speaking intongues which they saw as a
(05:54):
divine language gifted by theHoly Spirit, rejecting holidays
like Christmas, easter and evenbirthdays, calling them pagan
and unbiblical.
They had strict gender roleswhere men held authority and
women were expected to submit,and they had a deep hostility
towards modern medicine, whichthey referred to as witchcraft.
(06:17):
In the later interviews withthe police, carey explained that
the group considered themselvescloser than any blood relations
because, in their eyes.
They were joined not by familyties but by faith.
We are all united by the HolySpirit, she said.
(06:38):
The saints didn't recruit inpublic.
There were no flyers or loudsermons on the street corners.
Instead, the group workedquietly and personally, gaining
trust, embedding themselves intolives and slowly replacing
biological families with theirspiritual one.
(07:01):
According to Jade Strews,elizabeth's estranged sister and
a former member of the sect,children in the group didn't
attend school to learn in thetraditional sense.
They went to school to spreadthe word of God, she said.
Even their schoolwork wasfiltered through scripture.
Any assessment, no matter thesubject, was answered from a
(07:26):
religious standpoint and slowly,more and more members joined.
Danielle Martin later testifiedin court about how her daughter
, keita Martin, was graduallydrawn into the group.
What started as harmless visitsor drum lessons with the
(07:47):
Stevens turned into long stays.
By January 2018, keita wasbaptized into the sect.
That same year, when Danielleforbade her daughter from
returning to the Stevens, keitajust 17, moved out.
Danielle received a chillingmessage in a Christmas card from
(08:11):
the Stevens.
It read we are your true family.
We love you more than yourfamily does.
This was meant for KeitaLachlan Shoalfish, once a civil
engineer, was baptized into thegroup in August 2021.
His father, cameron, testifiedthat Lachlan transformed within
(08:35):
weeks.
By September or October he wasno longer the son I knew,
cameron said.
But he didn't give up.
He made one final attempt tospeak reason into him.
This is going to end badly, andwhen it does, when you get to
the end of the road, you don'tknow where to go.
(08:56):
Just remember that we love youdesperately, no matter what.
You've got a special place inyour mother's heart, cameron
said.
But it was too late.
The group had already becomehis reality.
Not all members of Elizabeth'sfamily wholeheartedly followed
(09:18):
the saints.
Jason, elizabeth's dad, didn'tjoin the group until 2021.
Jason later told police thathis wife wasn't very religious
during the first few years oftheir marriage, but that changed
when she met leader BrendanStevens and his wife Loretta in
2004.
(09:38):
Although Kerry had a very closerelationship with the Stevens,
jason remained a non-believerwho insisted that their eight
children be vaccinated.
Their conflicted beliefs causedmany years of friction in the
household.
This led Jason moving to thegarage to escape the tension for
(10:00):
some time.
He also started working nightshifts and preferred to stay
away from the house eitherworking or playing golf, and
preferred to stay away from thehouse, either working or playing
golf.
Carrie later told the policethat her husband was an angry
man for many years who waschoosing not to believe in God.
She was planning to leave himafter her release from prison in
(10:22):
2021, but she changed her mindafter she discovered that Jason
had joined the church,describing him as much calmer
now, like a new person.
(10:48):
It all started in 2019, whenElizabeth became gravely ill.
Over the course of six days,her condition worsened, but no
one in her family called formedical help.
By the time Jason finally tookher to the hospital, she already
slipped into a coma.
(11:09):
Doctors managed to save herlife, and that is when she was
diagnosed with type 1 diabetes,chronic conditions that require
daily insulin to survive.
Her near-death experienceraised immediate red flags and
her doctors notified theauthorities right away.
Both Jason and Carrie wereconvicted of failing to provide
(11:32):
the necessities of life.
Carrie was sentenced to 18months in prison, though she
served just five months.
Jason, who had eventuallybrought Elizabeth to the
hospital and testified againstCarrie, received a six-month
suspended sentence.
That was because he said hewould not let this happen again.
Maybe he believed it at thetime, but three years later, the
(11:58):
same failure returned, and thistime it would cost Elizabeth's
life.
And this time it would costElizabeth's life For the next
two years.
Jason helped Elizabeth with hermedication and died despite
Carrie's and the Saints'protests, and everything seems
to be back on track.
(12:22):
But everything changed just fourmonths before Elizabeth's death
, on 21st of August 2021, whileCarrie Struess was serving a
sentence in jail, jason wasbaptized into the saints.
The day began with somethingsimple and joyful a birthday
(12:43):
picnic for one of their children.
But afterwards the family wentto the Stevens' home, where the
tone shifted dramatically.
There, in the backyard, jasonwas submerged in water, with
Brent and Stevens speaking intongues as he performed the
ceremony.
Police later recovered a videoof the baptism from a phone.
Jason reportedly saidafterwards that he has been
(13:05):
cleansed of his sins.
From that moment on, he was nolonger the reluctant father who
once testified against his wife.
He was a believer.
Jason later told police hesuffered a mental breakdown and
sought support from othermembers.
To the other church members.
His conversion was something ofa miracle proof that God has
(13:32):
cured his anger.
This shift in Jason would,unfortunately, also lead to
Elizabeth losing her only parent, which helped her manage her
condition While Carrie wasbehind bars.
She was not cut off from thegroup.
According to the evidencepresented in court, she
exchanged letters and phonecalls with members of the Saints
(13:52):
.
In these communications, thegroup spoke of their mission to
convert Jason and, moredisturbingly, their plans to
wean Elizabeth of her insulin.
This was a coordinated effort.
Jason conversion marked thebeginning of the end for
Elizabeth.
Once he joined the saints, hefully embraced their doctrine,
(14:15):
including the belief that Godalone would heal his daughter
and that medication was a signof mistrust in divine power.
This belief would come toreplace medicine In late
December 21,.
Elizabeth was growing weak,jason had stopped her medication
and her blood sugar was risingdangerously high.
(14:37):
Her parents didn't call anambulance, didn't take her to a
hospital.
Instead, they gathered theirreligious community to pray over
poor Elizabeth.
They continued to sing, danceand pray around her body for 36
hours before Jason said it wastime to phone for help.
According to the police, thegroup waited, believing it was
(15:02):
God's will and that prayer hasalready done all it could.
Paramedics who arrived at thescene described the
heartbreaking situation.
Elizabeth had died in her home,surrounded by people who
watched her deteriorate,believing faith would be enough.
What followed wasn't just afamily in mourning.
(15:23):
It was a full-scale policeinvestigation and a growing
national outcry rightly so.
This was a crime, a horrificcrime, and fortunately,
authorities weren't about to letit go unanswered.
You, in the days followingElizabeth's death, queensland
(16:02):
police began an investigationand what they uncovered wasn't
just parental neglect.
This was a wider circle ofinaction and shared belief.
All these people standing overthis dying little girl praying.
All these people standing overthis dying little girl praying,
and yet no one, not one singleone, decided it was too far.
(16:22):
Everyone failed her.
In January 22, jason andCarrie's troops were charged
with Elizabeth's murder, tortureand, once more, failing to
provide the necessities of life.
But the story didn't end there,because justice hasn't been
served.
In July 2022, police arrested12 more members of the Saints
(16:47):
who had been present in the homewhile Elizabeth was suffering.
I am saying it again Twelvepeople sat there and watched
this little girl die.
Twelve.
All were charged with murderand failure to seek medical
assistance.
That brought the total numberof people charged to fourteen.
(17:09):
Amongst them were severalrelatives of the family.
These were not strangers.
Elizabeth knew and trustedthese people, and all of them
were so indoctrinated thatbelieved medical treatment was a
form of spiritual betrayal andthey allowed the little girl,
who had all her life ahead ofher, to die a terrifying death.
(17:32):
They just prayed over her,watched her decline and did
nothing.
This case sparked nationalinterest.
It was everywhere and everyonein Australia was enraged.
How was this allowed to happen?
Kerry has clearly said to herparole officers upon her release
(17:55):
she will withhold medication ifshe has the opportunity, but
she will not oppose anyonegiving Elizabeth her medication.
Well, with Jason converted bythat point, elizabeth had no one
with some common sense aroundher to give her the life-saving
medication.
For months, public figures,legal experts and child
(18:18):
advocates weigh in.
Many question how such extremebeliefs could be allowed to
flourish unchecked and how achild with a known medical
condition could fall so farthrough the cracks.
Queensland Child ProtectionServices came under the fire.
It was later reported thatElizabeth had been removed from
(18:40):
her parents once before butreturned to their care.
That relevation promptedoutrage.
In the months that followed,politicians and child safety
advocates began calling forstricter oversight, began
calling for stricter oversight,mandatory reporting and better
(19:01):
tracking of at-risk families,especially those operating in
isolated religious communities.
After the initial wave ofarrests, the case moved onto the
courts and everyone arrested.
All 14 of them remained incustody awaiting trial.
Meanwhile, elizabeth'ssurviving siblings were taken
(19:21):
into protective care Out ofrespect for their privacy and
well-being.
Authorities have not releasedfurther information.
The full legal proceedings tookmonths.
This case was a landmark forAustralian justice system.
The trial started in 2024, andall 14 defendants represented
(19:43):
themselves.
The trial lasted for nine weeksand it was a judge-only trial.
None of the 14 gave or calledany evidence.
Speaking on their behalf, brentand Stevens called the trial a
religious persecution.
All 14 members were foundguilty of manslaughter.
(20:03):
Jason and Carrie were sentencedto 14 years in prison.
Brandon Stevens, now 63 yearsold, the group's self-proclaimed
pastor and spiritual leader,was sentenced to 13 years in
prison.
And spiritual leader wassentenced to 13 years in prison.
Eleven other members of thesect, who stood by singing and
praying as Elizabeth'sconditions worsened over six
(20:26):
days, were also sentenced.
Their punishment ranged fromsix to nine years behind bars.
In his powerful sentencingremarks, justice Burns said it
(20:49):
marked a moment of long-awaitedaccountability, but for many,
including Elizabeth's sistersJade, it can never undo the loss
.
After the sentencing, jadestood outside the courtroom and
faced the media.
No sentence will ever be enough.
It doesn't bring her back, jadesaid.
(21:13):
Jade left the sect in 2014.
She had spent years trying towarn authorities about what was
happening behind closed doors.
Her pleas went unheard.
My little sister died becauseof blind faith, because adults
who were supposed to protect herchose prayer over medicine,
(21:34):
jade said.
In her statement, she expressedboth sorrow and relief.
Sorrow for what her sisterendured.
Relief that finally thoseresponsible would be held
accountable.
Today there is justice, butthere is no joy.
This is a victory rocked ingrief.
(21:55):
Jade has since become a vocaladvocate for stronger
protections against coercivecontrol and religious extremism.
Her courage in speaking out haskept Elizabeth's story alive
and helped her ensure her voice,even in death, will never be
silenced.
Her kind soul and infectiouslaughter will forever hold a
(22:19):
place in our hearts as weremember her.
She told reporters Today.
All those accused sit in prisonserving their long sentences.
Justice Byrne said at theirsentencing that the prospects of
the offender's rehabilitationwere bleak, to say the least.
That the prospects of theoffender's rehabilitation were
(22:39):
bleak, to say the least, toquote.
Each of you engaged in somesort of spiritual gamble with
the life of a child, a child youprofessed to love.
The arrogance of your belief inthat regard was, and remains
bewildering.
Elizabeth's story is one ofunimaginable loss of a life cut
(23:20):
short, but not by illness but bybelief.
It's a reminder of whathappened when fate is twisted
into control, when love isclouded by doctrine and when the
most vulnerable are leftunheard.
Though justice has been served,the pain remains.
She should have grown up, goneto school, laughed with her
(23:45):
siblings, lived.
But in telling her story, insaying her name, we ensure
Elizabeth is never forgotten andin her memory we keep fighting
to protect every child fromsuffering the same fate.
Elizabeth deserved better andwe owe it to her to make sure
(24:06):
this never happens again.
Thank you.
Welcome to Clue Trail , where true stories unravel one
step at a time.
If you're enjoying the show,check out Patreon for bonus
episodes and early access.
Just search Clue Trail or hitthe link in the show notes, and
don't forget to follow, rate orreview the podcast.
(00:30):
It helps more curious mindsfind us.
Now let's dive into today'scase.
I'm sorry.
(01:06):
8-year-old Elizabeth Struth hadtype 1 diabetes a manageable
condition with proper care.
But instead of giving herinsulin, her parents stopped
treatment, believing God wouldheal her.
Surrounded by members of theirreligious sect, elizabeth grew
weaker over six days.
(01:27):
They sang, they prayed, butthey never called for help until
it was far too late.
In this episode, we take youinside the case that horrified
the nation, exposed the darkside of religious extremism and
reignited a crucial conversationwhen does religious freedom end
(01:50):
and where does child protectionbegin?
This is the story of ElizabethStruth and the community that
let her die.
(02:16):
Elizabeth lived in Toowoomba,queensland, in a modest home
with her parents and siblings.
By all outward appearances, herlife was quiet and routine.
Elizabeth loved the color pink,she was dreaming of becoming a
doctor, she was bubbly and sheloved life.
Unfortunately, elizabethcarried something most kids
(02:42):
didn't.
She was diagnosed with type 1diabetes and, like many with
this condition, elizabeth neededdaily insulin injections to
survive.
It was manageable, but neveroptional.
Without insulin, her body wouldbegin to shut down.
At just 8 years old, elizabethalready understood more about
(03:05):
life and death than mostchildren ever will.
She depended on the adults.
She trusted her family to keepher alive.
Her family was deeply religious.
They belonged to a small,independent Christian group
called the Saints, a housechurch not affiliated with any
(03:27):
major denomination.
They belonged to a small,independent Christian group
called the Saints, a housechurch not affiliated with any
major denomination.
They believed in the power ofprayer.
The church leader was BrendanStevens.
He ran the church for 17 years.
Even after the trial, brendanStevens and the Saints still
remain a mystery.
(03:47):
We know he had a pretty normalchildhood, raised with strong
religious beliefs, not of theextremist type, though.
An average student went on tojoining the police force for a
few years before leaving theforce and turning more and more
towards religion.
He ended up in something of aleadership position with the
(04:07):
Brisbane Revival CentreInternational Church.
He married Loretta Stevens andthey have seven children
together.
His time in church didn't lastvery long.
He used his position more andmore to preach his extremist
views, preaching a literalrepresentation of the Bible.
(04:28):
This wasn't very well receivedby the other members of the
church or the pastor, so he wasasked to leave.
That is when, in 2004, fouryears after joining Brisbane
Revival, he left and establishedthe Saints.
Kerry Struess followed throughand joined him.
(05:12):
For nearly two decades, membersmet several times a week in each
other's homes, and at the heartof this group were the two
families, the Strews and theStevens.
They were bound not just byfaith, but by belief that they
were spiritually chosen, unitedby what they called the Holy
(05:33):
Spirit.
Brendan Stevens was seen as themessenger, the healer and a
direct conduit to God.
His words carried the weight ofdivine authority.
The saints practiced a rigidand insular form of Christianity
.
They believed in speaking intongues which they saw as a
(05:54):
divine language gifted by theHoly Spirit, rejecting holidays
like Christmas, easter and evenbirthdays, calling them pagan
and unbiblical.
They had strict gender roleswhere men held authority and
women were expected to submit,and they had a deep hostility
towards modern medicine, whichthey referred to as witchcraft.
(06:17):
In the later interviews withthe police, carey explained that
the group considered themselvescloser than any blood relations
because, in their eyes.
They were joined not by familyties but by faith.
We are all united by the HolySpirit, she said.
(06:38):
The saints didn't recruit inpublic.
There were no flyers or loudsermons on the street corners.
Instead, the group workedquietly and personally, gaining
trust, embedding themselves intolives and slowly replacing
biological families with theirspiritual one.
(07:01):
According to Jade Strews,elizabeth's estranged sister and
a former member of the sect,children in the group didn't
attend school to learn in thetraditional sense.
They went to school to spreadthe word of God, she said.
Even their schoolwork wasfiltered through scripture.
Any assessment, no matter thesubject, was answered from a
(07:26):
religious standpoint and slowly,more and more members joined.
Danielle Martin later testifiedin court about how her daughter
, keita Martin, was graduallydrawn into the group.
What started as harmless visitsor drum lessons with the
(07:47):
Stevens turned into long stays.
By January 2018, keita wasbaptized into the sect.
That same year, when Danielleforbade her daughter from
returning to the Stevens, keitajust 17, moved out.
Danielle received a chillingmessage in a Christmas card from
(08:11):
the Stevens.
It read we are your true family.
We love you more than yourfamily does.
This was meant for KeitaLachlan Shoalfish, once a civil
engineer, was baptized into thegroup in August 2021.
His father, cameron, testifiedthat Lachlan transformed within
(08:35):
weeks.
By September or October he wasno longer the son I knew,
cameron said.
But he didn't give up.
He made one final attempt tospeak reason into him.
This is going to end badly, andwhen it does, when you get to
the end of the road, you don'tknow where to go.
(08:56):
Just remember that we love youdesperately, no matter what.
You've got a special place inyour mother's heart, cameron
said.
But it was too late.
The group had already becomehis reality.
Not all members of Elizabeth'sfamily wholeheartedly followed
(09:18):
the saints.
Jason, elizabeth's dad, didn'tjoin the group until 2021.
Jason later told police thathis wife wasn't very religious
during the first few years oftheir marriage, but that changed
when she met leader BrendanStevens and his wife Loretta in
2004.
(09:38):
Although Kerry had a very closerelationship with the Stevens,
jason remained a non-believerwho insisted that their eight
children be vaccinated.
Their conflicted beliefs causedmany years of friction in the
household.
This led Jason moving to thegarage to escape the tension for
(10:00):
some time.
He also started working nightshifts and preferred to stay
away from the house eitherworking or playing golf, and
preferred to stay away from thehouse, either working or playing
golf.
Carrie later told the policethat her husband was an angry
man for many years who waschoosing not to believe in God.
She was planning to leave himafter her release from prison in
(10:22):
2021, but she changed her mindafter she discovered that Jason
had joined the church,describing him as much calmer
now, like a new person.
(10:48):
It all started in 2019, whenElizabeth became gravely ill.
Over the course of six days,her condition worsened, but no
one in her family called formedical help.
By the time Jason finally tookher to the hospital, she already
slipped into a coma.
(11:09):
Doctors managed to save herlife, and that is when she was
diagnosed with type 1 diabetes,chronic conditions that require
daily insulin to survive.
Her near-death experienceraised immediate red flags and
her doctors notified theauthorities right away.
Both Jason and Carrie wereconvicted of failing to provide
(11:32):
the necessities of life.
Carrie was sentenced to 18months in prison, though she
served just five months.
Jason, who had eventuallybrought Elizabeth to the
hospital and testified againstCarrie, received a six-month
suspended sentence.
That was because he said hewould not let this happen again.
Maybe he believed it at thetime, but three years later, the
(11:58):
same failure returned, and thistime it would cost Elizabeth's
life.
And this time it would costElizabeth's life For the next
two years.
Jason helped Elizabeth with hermedication and died despite
Carrie's and the Saints'protests, and everything seems
to be back on track.
(12:22):
But everything changed just fourmonths before Elizabeth's death
, on 21st of August 2021, whileCarrie Struess was serving a
sentence in jail, jason wasbaptized into the saints.
The day began with somethingsimple and joyful a birthday
(12:43):
picnic for one of their children.
But afterwards the family wentto the Stevens' home, where the
tone shifted dramatically.
There, in the backyard, jasonwas submerged in water, with
Brent and Stevens speaking intongues as he performed the
ceremony.
Police later recovered a videoof the baptism from a phone.
Jason reportedly saidafterwards that he has been
(13:05):
cleansed of his sins.
From that moment on, he was nolonger the reluctant father who
once testified against his wife.
He was a believer.
Jason later told police hesuffered a mental breakdown and
sought support from othermembers.
To the other church members.
His conversion was something ofa miracle proof that God has
(13:32):
cured his anger.
This shift in Jason would,unfortunately, also lead to
Elizabeth losing her only parent, which helped her manage her
condition While Carrie wasbehind bars.
She was not cut off from thegroup.
According to the evidencepresented in court, she
exchanged letters and phonecalls with members of the Saints
(13:52):
.
In these communications, thegroup spoke of their mission to
convert Jason and, moredisturbingly, their plans to
wean Elizabeth of her insulin.
This was a coordinated effort.
Jason conversion marked thebeginning of the end for
Elizabeth.
Once he joined the saints, hefully embraced their doctrine,
(14:15):
including the belief that Godalone would heal his daughter
and that medication was a signof mistrust in divine power.
This belief would come toreplace medicine In late
December 21,.
Elizabeth was growing weak,jason had stopped her medication
and her blood sugar was risingdangerously high.
(14:37):
Her parents didn't call anambulance, didn't take her to a
hospital.
Instead, they gathered theirreligious community to pray over
poor Elizabeth.
They continued to sing, danceand pray around her body for 36
hours before Jason said it wastime to phone for help.
According to the police, thegroup waited, believing it was
(15:02):
God's will and that prayer hasalready done all it could.
Paramedics who arrived at thescene described the
heartbreaking situation.
Elizabeth had died in her home,surrounded by people who
watched her deteriorate,believing faith would be enough.
What followed wasn't just afamily in mourning.
(15:23):
It was a full-scale policeinvestigation and a growing
national outcry rightly so.
This was a crime, a horrificcrime, and fortunately,
authorities weren't about to letit go unanswered.
You, in the days followingElizabeth's death, queensland
(16:02):
police began an investigationand what they uncovered wasn't
just parental neglect.
This was a wider circle ofinaction and shared belief.
All these people standing overthis dying little girl praying.
All these people standing overthis dying little girl praying,
and yet no one, not one singleone, decided it was too far.
(16:22):
Everyone failed her.
In January 22, jason andCarrie's troops were charged
with Elizabeth's murder, tortureand, once more, failing to
provide the necessities of life.
But the story didn't end there,because justice hasn't been
served.
In July 2022, police arrested12 more members of the Saints
(16:47):
who had been present in the homewhile Elizabeth was suffering.
I am saying it again Twelvepeople sat there and watched
this little girl die.
Twelve.
All were charged with murderand failure to seek medical
assistance.
That brought the total numberof people charged to fourteen.
(17:09):
Amongst them were severalrelatives of the family.
These were not strangers.
Elizabeth knew and trustedthese people, and all of them
were so indoctrinated thatbelieved medical treatment was a
form of spiritual betrayal andthey allowed the little girl,
who had all her life ahead ofher, to die a terrifying death.
(17:32):
They just prayed over her,watched her decline and did
nothing.
This case sparked nationalinterest.
It was everywhere and everyonein Australia was enraged.
How was this allowed to happen?
Kerry has clearly said to herparole officers upon her release
(17:55):
she will withhold medication ifshe has the opportunity, but
she will not oppose anyonegiving Elizabeth her medication.
Well, with Jason converted bythat point, elizabeth had no one
with some common sense aroundher to give her the life-saving
medication.
For months, public figures,legal experts and child
(18:18):
advocates weigh in.
Many question how such extremebeliefs could be allowed to
flourish unchecked and how achild with a known medical
condition could fall so farthrough the cracks.
Queensland Child ProtectionServices came under the fire.
It was later reported thatElizabeth had been removed from
(18:40):
her parents once before butreturned to their care.
That relevation promptedoutrage.
In the months that followed,politicians and child safety
advocates began calling forstricter oversight, began
calling for stricter oversight,mandatory reporting and better
(19:01):
tracking of at-risk families,especially those operating in
isolated religious communities.
After the initial wave ofarrests, the case moved onto the
courts and everyone arrested.
All 14 of them remained incustody awaiting trial.
Meanwhile, elizabeth'ssurviving siblings were taken
(19:21):
into protective care Out ofrespect for their privacy and
well-being.
Authorities have not releasedfurther information.
The full legal proceedings tookmonths.
This case was a landmark forAustralian justice system.
The trial started in 2024, andall 14 defendants represented
(19:43):
themselves.
The trial lasted for nine weeksand it was a judge-only trial.
None of the 14 gave or calledany evidence.
Speaking on their behalf, brentand Stevens called the trial a
religious persecution.
All 14 members were foundguilty of manslaughter.
(20:03):
Jason and Carrie were sentencedto 14 years in prison.
Brandon Stevens, now 63 yearsold, the group's self-proclaimed
pastor and spiritual leader,was sentenced to 13 years in
prison.
And spiritual leader wassentenced to 13 years in prison.
Eleven other members of thesect, who stood by singing and
praying as Elizabeth'sconditions worsened over six
(20:26):
days, were also sentenced.
Their punishment ranged fromsix to nine years behind bars.
In his powerful sentencingremarks, justice Burns said it
(20:49):
marked a moment of long-awaitedaccountability, but for many,
including Elizabeth's sistersJade, it can never undo the loss
.
After the sentencing, jadestood outside the courtroom and
faced the media.
No sentence will ever be enough.
It doesn't bring her back, jadesaid.
(21:13):
Jade left the sect in 2014.
She had spent years trying towarn authorities about what was
happening behind closed doors.
Her pleas went unheard.
My little sister died becauseof blind faith, because adults
who were supposed to protect herchose prayer over medicine,
(21:34):
jade said.
In her statement, she expressedboth sorrow and relief.
Sorrow for what her sisterendured.
Relief that finally thoseresponsible would be held
accountable.
Today there is justice, butthere is no joy.
This is a victory rocked ingrief.
(21:55):
Jade has since become a vocaladvocate for stronger
protections against coercivecontrol and religious extremism.
Her courage in speaking out haskept Elizabeth's story alive
and helped her ensure her voice,even in death, will never be
silenced.
Her kind soul and infectiouslaughter will forever hold a
(22:19):
place in our hearts as weremember her.
She told reporters Today.
All those accused sit in prisonserving their long sentences.
Justice Byrne said at theirsentencing that the prospects of
the offender's rehabilitationwere bleak, to say the least.
That the prospects of theoffender's rehabilitation were
(22:39):
bleak, to say the least, toquote.
Each of you engaged in somesort of spiritual gamble with
the life of a child, a child youprofessed to love.
The arrogance of your belief inthat regard was, and remains
bewildering.
Elizabeth's story is one ofunimaginable loss of a life cut
(23:20):
short, but not by illness but bybelief.
It's a reminder of whathappened when fate is twisted
into control, when love isclouded by doctrine and when the
most vulnerable are leftunheard.
Though justice has been served,the pain remains.
She should have grown up, goneto school, laughed with her
(23:45):
siblings, lived.
But in telling her story, insaying her name, we ensure
Elizabeth is never forgotten andin her memory we keep fighting
to protect every child fromsuffering the same fate.
Elizabeth deserved better andwe owe it to her to make sure
(24:06):
this never happens again.
Thank you.
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