Cleveland woman charged with murder of 3-year-old in Giant Eagle, video released

A Cleveland woman was indicted Wednesday on murder, attempted murder and numerous other charges in connection with the stabbing death of a 3-year-old boy outside a northeast Ohio grocery store .

Bionca Ellis, 32, is accused of stabbing 3-year-old Julian Wood to death in an attack on the toddler and his 38-year-old mother Monday in front of a giant eagle in the town of North Olmsted, police said. Cuyahoga County officials.

North Olmsted police officers responded to several 911 calls regarding the stabbing, which occurred in the parking lot of the grocery store, the department said in a news release.

“All information gathered at this time indicates that this was a random act of violence and that the accused and the victims never met,” the North police spokesperson said. Olmsted, Matt Beck.

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 charges of aggravated murder, child endangerment, tampering with evidence, aggravated robbery and two counts of felonious assault , according to court records found by USA TODAY. She is currently in jail on $1 million bail.

Ellis did not have a defense attorney listed in Cuyahoga County court records Thursday.

Surveillance video shows Bionca Ellis with knife in hand before fatally stabbing her

Surveillance video obtained by USA TODAY captured Ellis brandishing a knife and walking cautiously around the mall where the giant eagle is located before the attack.

The 30-second clip shows Ellis hitting the knife on a brick pillar before walking out of frame.

Ellis stole two knives from a thrift store next to the Giant Eagle around 3 p.m. the day of the attack, Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Michael O'Malley said in a news release. After getting 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 “immediately stabbing the 3-year-old child” who was inside the shopping cart, O'Malley said. When Julian's mother tried to get him out of the cart, Ellis also stabbed her, the prosecutor added.

Police arrested Ellis at the scene without incident after the attack.

“This case is truly devastating,” O’Malley said in the statement. “I would like to express my deepest condolences to the Wood family during this difficult time. As a father, I could not imagine this heartbreak, but I can promise that we will do everything in our power to bring justice to Julian Wood and the Bois Family.”

Bionca Ellis was being evicted from her Cleveland apartment

Before the attack, Ellis was on the verge of being evicted from her subsidized building in Cleveland, according to court records obtained by Cleveland.com.

Lawyers for real estate company K&D filed a lawsuit in Cleveland Housing Court in March seeking permission to remove Ellis from the apartment after she missed three rent payments, according to court records, reported The media.

A Cleveland Housing Court magistrate granted the company's request in May. K&D also kicked Ellis out of a different location in 2018, Cleveland.com said, according to court documents.

“We have a stomach ache”

A GoFundMe was created by family members and friends of Julian's mother to help the Wood family cover funeral arrangements and other expenses.

“We are feeling sick to our stomachs writing this,” the fundraising page says. “Many of you have been following this horrific story online and wondering what happened and how something like this could have happened in our own neighborhood. Honestly, we have no explanation for how or why this happened. happened. It was a random act of violence. There was no prior altercation, they didn't know each other…it was a malicious and random act. It devastated our family beyond. words…she took something from us that we can never get back.

The GoFundMe said the Wood family was “overwhelmed with sadness.”

“This is something that no person, no family, no mother, no father, no grandmother should ever experience. We urge you all to hold your babies close. This should never have happened,” according to the page.

The outpouring of support for the Wood family continues as the GoFundMe goal of $10,000 has been far exceeded with more than $190,000 in donations raised so far.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 3-year-old stabbed in Ohio killed by Bionca Ellis, prosecutors say