Cleveland woman indicted on a charge for killing 3-year-old at Giant Eagle, video released
A Cleveland woman was indicted Wednesday for murder, attempted murder and a slew of other charges related to the stabbing death of a 3-year-old boy outside of a northeastern Ohio grocery store.
Bionca Ellis, 32, is accused of stabbing 3-year-old Julian Wood to death during an attack on the toddler and his 38-year-old mother Monday outside of a Giant Eagle in the city of North Olmsted, Cuyahoga County officials said.
North Olmsted police officers responded to multiple 911 calls about the stabbing, which happened in the parking lot of the grocery store, the department said in a news release.
"All information gathered at this time indicates this is a random act of violence and the defendant and the victims never met," North Olmsted police spokesperson Matt Beck said.
Julian was stabbed twice and his mother was stabbed once in the shoulder, according to Beck. Julian would later die after being taken by paramedics to a nearby hospital, officials said.
In addition to the two counts of murder and attempted murder, a Cuyahoga County grand jury indicted Ellis on aggravated murder, endangering children, tampering with evidence, aggravated theft and two counts of felonious assault, according to court records found by USA TODAY. She is currently in jail with a $1 million bond.
Ellis did not have a defense attorney listed in Cuyahoga County court records on Thursday.
Surveillance video shows Bionca Ellis with knife in hand before fatal stabbing
Surveillance video obtained by USA TODAY captured Ellis wielding a knife and gingerly walking around the shopping center where the Giant Eagle is located before the attack.
The 30-second clip shows Ellis hitting the knife on a brick pillar before she walks out of the frame.
Ellis stole two knives from a thrift store next to the Giant Eagle around 3 p.m. on the day of the attack, Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Michael O’Malley said in a news release. After obtaining the knives, Ellis walked next door and spotted Julian and his mother leaving the grocery store, according to the prosecutor.
Ellis followed the mother and son before she "immediately stabbed the 3-year-old" who was inside the shopping cart, O'Malley said. When Julian's mother attempted to pull him out of the cart, Ellis stabbed her too, the prosecutor added.
Police arrested Ellis on the scene without incident following the attack.
"This case is truly devastating," O'Malley said in the release. "I want to express my heartfelt condolences to the Wood family during this difficult time. As a father, I could not begin to imagine this grief, but I can promise that we will do everything in our power to bring justice for Julian Wood and the Wood family."
Bionca Ellis was in the process of being evicted from Cleveland apartment
Before the attack, Ellis was in the process of being evicted from her subsidized apartment building in Cleveland, according to court records obtained by Cleveland.com.
Real estate company K&D's attorneys filed a complaint in Cleveland Housing Court in March seeking permission to remove Ellis from the apartment after she missed three rent payments, according to the court records, the outlet reported.
A Cleveland housing court magistrate granted the company's request in May. K&D also evicted Ellis from a different location in 2018, Cleveland.com said, per the court documents.
'We are sick to our stomachs'
A GoFundMe was created by Julian's mother's family members and friends to help the Wood family cover funeral arrangements and other expenses.
"We are sick to our stomachs writing this," the fundraising page says. "Many of you have been following this horrendous story online and have been asking what happened and how something like this could happen in our own neighborhood.. honestly we have no explanation as to how or why this happened… it was a random act of violence. There was no prior altercation, they did not know each other… this was a malicious random act. She has devastated our family beyond words…she took something from us we can never get back."
The GoFundMe said the Wood family is "overwhelmed with sadness."
"This is something no person, no family, no mother, no father, no grandmother should ever experience. We urge you all to hold your babies close. This should have never happened," according to the page.
The outpouring of support for the Wood family continues as the GoFundMe's goal of $10,000 has been greatly surpassed with over $190,000 in donations being raised so far.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 3-year-old stabbed in Ohio was killed by Bionca Ellis, prosecutors say
