The boss of a father accused of his daughter's murder feared his hard-working employee and friend had been "brainwashed" by a fringe Christian group, a judge has heard.
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Eight-year-old Elizabeth Struhs died at the family home in Toowoomba, west of Brisbane, on January 7, 2022, after her parents and 12 others allegedly withheld her life-saving insulin for six days while they gathered around her in prayer.
Brisbane Supreme Court Justice Martin Burns on Thursday heard testimony from Brendan O'Donnell, who previously employed Elizabeth's father Jason Richard Struhs, 52, to work long night shifts as a foreman at his bakery.
Mr O'Donnell said he was a Christian and Struhs had never previously shown interest in the religion.
"It wasn't for him, I'd imagine. He allowed me to share and that was it," he said.
Brendan Luke Stevens, the 62-year-old leader of the Christian group calling itself "The Saints", is on trial for murder along with Jason Struhs.
Elizabeth's mother Kerrie Struhs, 49, and the other 11 members of the congregation are charged with manslaughter.
Mr O'Donnell said he "feared" for Jason Struhs after August 2021 as a new convert and did not want to him to be involved with The Saints.
"This group used to take bits and pieces out of the Bible to suit their narratives or beliefs and not the full context," he said.
Thursday was the seventh day of a judge-only trial for all 14 defendants, who are self-represented and have refused to enter pleas with Stevens telling the court they had reasonable belief God would cure Elizabeth's type-1 diabetes.
Under cross-examination by defendant Sebastian James Stevens, 23, Mr O'Donnell said Jason Struhs was not weak or easily led but he did have a powerful spiritual encounter at the time he joined The Saints.
"He was an easy target for being brainwashed into their way of believing," Mr O'Donnell said.
Justice Burns heard three hours of phone calls made to Kerrie Struhs while she was serving a five-month prison term for failing to provide her daughter the necessities of life in 2019.
Crown prosecutor Caroline Macro said the 30 calls between August and December 2021 would show how her relationship changed with her husband over the issue of religion.
The phone calls covered Jason Struhs' decision after pressure from his wife and The Saints to receive the "Holy Spirit" in the form of being baptised and speaking in tongues.
"I was speaking in tongues. I was doing it. I just let it go. I started crying ... it was pretty amazing," Jason Struhs told his wife during a prison phone call on August, 31, 2021.
Kerrie Struhs said it was "wonderful news" and she was very proud.
"Thanks for letting me know," she said.
Most of the phone conversations related to Kerrie Struhs seeking updates on her family and discussing the challenges of inmate life such as setting up an account to receive letters and e-mail, prison dinners of chicken drumsticks and lockdowns from a lack of guards.
Ms Marco previously said Elizabeth attended Jason Struhs' baptism and watched with joy as Stevens spoke in tongues as he lowered her father into a water trough.
About nine days after the baptism, Kerrie Struhs received a call from Stevens while he was leading the congregation during its Sunday worship at a house in Toowoomba.
Stevens told Kerrie Struhs to rejoice in the confidence and wisdom that God had granted her after Jason Struhs received the Holy Spirit and had been more accepting of the group's belief Elizabeth should not be given insulin.
"The Lord just thrills you when you see it. It's just incredible. He's just sucking it up. Just embracing it so fast," Stevens said.
Ms Marco previously said Jason Struhs decided in late December 2021, soon after his wife was released from prison, to reduce Elizabeth's multiple daily insulin shots then completely stop the doses a few days later.
The other defendants are Loretta Mary Stevens, 67, Andrea Louise Stevens, 34, Acacia Naree Stevens, 31, Camellia Claire Stevens, 28, Therese Maria Stevens, 37 Keita Courtney Martin, 22, Lachlan Stuart Schoenfisch, 34, Samantha Emily Crouch, 26, Zachary Alan Struhs, 21, and Alexander Francis Stevens, 26.
Australian Associated Press
