NORTH OLMSTED, OH - A funeral for a three-year-old North Olmsted boy who was stabbed to death in a random attack was held Saturday, June 8. Julian “JuJu” Woods was stabbed to death on June 3 outside a Giant Eagle grocery store, WOIO 19 in Cleveland reported and his mother suffered non-life threatening injuries.
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The stabbing occurred just after 3:00 p.m. in the grocery store parking lot as the child’s mother placed groceries in her car. The child’s mother, Margot Woods, 38, was also stabbed. When police officers arrived on scene, they immediately began to provide aid to both victims. The child and his mother were transported to St. John Medical Center, where the child succumbed to his injuries.
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His mother suffered non-life threatening injuries and is expected to recover physically, however, the emotional and psychological toll will be long-lasting.
North Olmsted police officers soon located the suspect still carrying the kitchen knife used in the attack. Bionca Ellis, 32, of Cleveland was taken into custody without resisting and was transported to the North Olmsted Jail.
Ellis was charged with aggravated murder, and was scheduled to appear in Rocky River Municipal Court last week. On June 5, Cuyahoga County prosecutor Michael O’Malley announced she had been indicted by a grand jury. She was charged with one count of aggravated murder, two counts of murder, two counts of attempted murder, two counts of felonious assault, one count of endangering children, one count of tampering with evidence, and one count of misdemeanor theft.
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Ellis was seen laughing during the hearing.
“This case is truly devastating. I want to express my heartfelt condolences to the Wood family during this difficult time,” said O’Malley. “As a father, I could not begin to imagine the grief, but I can promise that we will do everything in our power to bring justice for Julian Wood and the Wood family.”
Ellis allegedly stole two knives from the North Olmsted Volunteers of America Thrift Store before walking next door to the Giant Eagle.
“This was entirely a random act of violence,” Det. Sgt. Matthew Beck said at a press conference.
Beck also noted that Ellis had just been arrested on May 30 after responding to an investigation at a Walmart store, where they discovered she was wanted for a probation violation. She was held and released.
The prosecutor’s office said that as Ellis entered the store, she spotted Ms. Woods and Julian exiting the store. She followed them and immediately and without provocation stabbed the child, who was still sitting in the shopping cart, multiple times. His mother attempted to intervene, but was also stabbed.
https://x.com/unlimited_ls/status/1799511728977261029Ellis was scheduled to be arraigned on June 10.
Authorities said that Ellis had no “known violent criminal history.”
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North Olmsted Mayor Nicole Dailey Jones issued the following statement:
As North Olmsted Mayor, and a mother myself, I cannot fathom what this family must be going through. To lose their youngest child in such a violent and senseless manner is absolutely heartbreaking. I know that all the residents of North Olmsted join me in sharing their profound grief. We are all terribly sorry for their loss and I ask everyone to keep them in thought and prayer. Our police department continues its on-going investigation of the crime as we attempt to begin healing and moving forward. I commend all our safety forces for their compassion and swift response in the wake of this situation."
Meanwhile, the grocery store where the stabbing took place also issued a statement:
"We are heartbroken to learn of the passing of the young victim in yesterday’s senseless act of violence. Our thoughts are with the child, his mother, and their loved ones during this unimaginably difficult time. We thank the North Olmsted Mayor’s Office and the community’s first responders for their unwavering commitment. We are providing counseling services to our store teams and are ready to support our North Olmsted neighbors however we can."
Julian’s family said he loved dinosaurs and school. He leaves behind his parents, an older brother, and a baby sister.
The family’s relatives have started a GoFundMe to cover funeral expenses, legal fees, and for support for the family.
