“My brother was a kind and loving person. He had a beautiful soul and a kind heart. He always looked after his younger siblings. Sincere was taken too soon and we miss him every day.

The Coroner held back the investigation of the timeline of events leading to Sincere’s death, until the last day of my brother's hearing, and by then it was too late to fully cross examine key witnesses.

My legal team was concerned that this key part of the case was being inadequately considered and so requested that the Coroner launch a full and thorough investigation into my brother's death, including this key timeline information but she denied this request.

Additionally, in my opinion, by limiting the inquest's scope to exclude the interpretation of religious doctrine, (except when directly relevant to understanding certain issues), the Coroner overlooked a key characteristic of Gloriavale.

In Gloriavale, doctrine dictates every aspect of life, eliminating any division between the secular and the sacred. This oversight potentially hinders a full understanding of the issues at hand, significantly impacting the outcome of the case.

I have great respect for the police and the important work they carry out. However, regarding my brother's death, the reality is that they fell short in their duties.

I believe their decision-making compromised the collection of factual evidence, hindering the pursuit of justice. I am awaiting advice from my barrister Brian Henry, about options I may consider from here.”

Background:

An inquest into the death of 20-year-old Gloriavale man, Sincere Standtrue, began in Greymouth on May 20, 2024.

Sincere died in Christchurch Hospital in November 2018, after being found unresponsive by another Gloriavale member on the evening of 23 October, 2018.

He was the eldest child in his family which had eleven children.

Rose Standtrue, sister of Sincere Standtrue who died 2 November 2018 at Christchurch Hospital. A Coroner’s report was completed on February 28, 2025 finding Sincere’s death was an accident.

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