A man who murdered a two-year-old girl after inflicting severe physical abuse and punishments has been jailed for life.
On Friday the congregation,known as “the Saints”,told a judge the allegations against the members were false,and that they believed the girl would be healed by God.
The justice was shown thousands of text messages and emails exchanged between two or more of the defendants in the months leading up to the eight-year-old’s death.
Prosecutors have completed presenting evidence after nearly seven weeks of hearings. All 14 defendants are self-represented and have refused to enter pleas.
A woman accused of killing eight-year-old Elizabeth Struhs by withholding her medication would not have called an ambulance even if the girl was in obvious pain,a judge has heard.
Crown prosecutors have taken Justice Martin Burns through more than 5400 text messages exchanged by members of a religious group as Elizabeth Struhs died.
“This isn’t really a trial about murder of a child as it is religious persecution.”
Elizabeth Struhs’ body was left on a mattress for 36 hours before authorities were called because a fringe religious group believed God would “raise her from the dead”,a court has heard.
Bruce Lehrmann has been committed to stand trial for rape after his barrister failed to have the case thrown out of court.
A woman who accused Bruce Lehrmann of raping her twice in 2021 has given evidence behind closed doors at his committal hearing.
“Can you call urgently??? Lehrmann has been charged with rape in Qld.” As rival TV networks battled over the Brittany Higgins story,another case was building.