The family of a three-year-old boy who was stabbed to death in a supermarket parking lot along with his mother is “overwhelmed with sadness.”
Margot Wood, 38, was about to load groceries into the back of her car with her son Julian at Giant Eagle in North Olmstead, Cleveland, around 3pm on Monday.
Suddenly, Bionca Ellis, 32, who had followed them out of the store, charged at the couple and allegedly stabbed them while Julian was sitting in the shopping cart.
They were both rushed to St John’s Medical Centre, but Julian died from a series of stab wounds to the back and cheek. His mother’s injuries were not life-threatening.
Julian Wood, 3, died after being stabbed outside a supermarket in Ohio with his mother
Julian died and his mother Margot Wood, 38, was injured. They are in the photo on the right, with the boy’s grandmother, his father Jared Wood and his older brother.
So far, Wood’s family has raised more than $210,000 for Margot’s husband, Jared, as they try to pay for Julian’s funeral, legal bills and his wife’s recovery.
“Our family is overwhelmed with sadness,” they wrote in a collective statement.
“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 and random act.
“She has devastated our family beyond words, she took something from us that we can never get back.”
Heartbreaking photos from the scene showed groceries scattered across the asphalt of the parking lot where the mother and son were attacked.
Julian’s family said they were overwhelmed by the support they received from friends and strangers at the start of a “long journey to recovery”.
Police arrested 32-year-old Bionca Ellis (pictured) as she walked away from the scene, still holding a bloody kitchen knife allegedly used in the attack.
Julián (right) with his older brother at Christmas 2022 when he was two years old
“We will continue to share stories about our beautiful baby, his laugh, his cheesy smile, his rambunctious attitude, his love of dinosaurs, his love of school,” they wrote.
“His obsession with his new little sister and fighting his big brother every chance he gets… and all the other beautiful things about that sweet little boy.”
Julian was born in November 2020 when his parents posted adorable photos of him as a newborn cradled in his older brother’s arms.
The family said they hoped to receive “some kind of justice.”
Police arrested Ellis as he walked away from the scene, still holding a bloody kitchen knife that was allegedly used in the attack.
Detective Sergeant Matthew Beck said North Olmsted police had no motive for the attack, calling it “a totally random act of violence.”
Heartbreaking photographs from the scene showed groceries scattered across the asphalt of the parking lot where the mother and son were attacked.
Julián was stabbed while sitting in his mother’s shopping cart, and saw her lying on her side after the attack.
Ellis was arrested just days earlier, on May 29, when police investigating an unrelated incident at a Walmart detained her for violating her probation.
But she was released hours later, and on Monday morning Ellis went to the North Olmsted Police Department to discuss her arrest.
Beck said he then bought the knife at a Volunteers of America thrift store and walked to the Giant Eagle, where he saw Wood and his son inside.
They didn’t interact with each other at all, but Ellis allegedly followed them into the parking lot and charged at them brandishing the knife.
Ellis has no “known violent criminal history” and his criminal history only consisted of shoplifting from a nearby Walmart which boiled down to unauthorized use of property.
She was charged with aggravated murder and arraigned in Rocky River Municipal Court Tuesday afternoon, where bail was set at $1 million.
Police said he could face more charges when the case goes before a Cuyahoga County grand jury.
Julian and Wood were rushed to St John’s Medical Centre, but Julian died from a series of stab wounds to the back and cheek. His mother’s injuries were not life-threatening.
Julián was born in November 2020 when his parents posted adorable photos of him as a newborn cradled in his older brother’s arms.
Julian plays with his older brother at their house and his friends comment on how fast he was growing.
Giant Eagle said it was providing advice to its workers.
“We were heartbroken to learn of the death of the young victim of yesterday’s senseless act of violence,” he said.
“Our thoughts are with the child, his mother and his loved ones during this unimaginably difficult time.”
The Giant Eagle itself was the scene of a murder-suicide on June 25 of last year.
Bernard Smith shot and killed his ex-wife Susan Petterson, 63, while she worked at the store before turning the gun on himself, two decades after they divorced in 2004.