The family of a three-year-old boy who was stabbed to death in a supermarket parking lot alongside his mother are ‘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, at about 3pm on Monday.
Suddenly a Bionca Ellis, 32, who had followed them out of the store, charged at the pair and allegedly stabbed them as Julian sat in the shopping trolley.
Both were rushed to St John Medical Center but Julian died from the flurry of stab wounds to his 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 was killed and his mother Margot Wood, 38, wounded. They are pictured on the right, with the boy’s grandmother, father Jared Wood, and older brother
Wood’s family has so far raised more than $210,000 for Margot’s husband Jared as he tries 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. Â
‘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.’
Heartbreaking photos of the scene showed groceries scattered across the parking lot’s asphalt where the mother and son where attacked.Â
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 Bionca Ellis, 32, (pictured) as she was walking away from the scene, still holding a bloodied kitchen knife allegedly used in the attack
Julian (right) with his older brother at Christmas 2022 when he was two years old
‘We will continue to share stories about our beautiful baby boy, his laugh, his cheesy smile, his rambunctious attitude, his love of dinosaurs, his love of school,’ they wrote.
‘His obsession with his new baby sister and wrestling 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 being cradled in his older brother’s arms.Â
The family said they hoped to received ‘some sort of justice’.
Police arrested Ellis as she was walking away from the scene, still holding a bloodied kitchen knife allegedly used in the attack.
Detective Sergeant Matthew Beck said North Olmsted Police had no motive for the attack, calling it ‘entirely a random act of violence’.
Heartbreaking photos of the scene showed groceries scattered across the parking lot’s asphalt where the mother and son where attacked
Julian was stabbed as he sat in his mother’s shopping cart, seen her lying on its side after the attack
Ellis was arrested just days earlier on May 29 when police investigating an unrelated incident at a Walmart detained her on a parole violation,Â
But she was released hours later and on Monday morning she Ellis went to the North Olmsted Police Department to discuss her arrest.
Beck said she then bought the knife from a Volunteers of America Thrift Store and walked to the Giant Eagle where she spotted Wood and her son inside.
They did not interact with each other at all, but Ellis allegedly followed them into the car park and charged at them brandishing the knife.
Ellis has ‘no known violent criminal history’ and her rap sheet only consisted of stealing from a nearby Walmart that was reduced to unauthorized use of property.
She was charged with aggravated murder and arraigned at Rocky River Municipal Court on Tuesday afternoon, where her bail was set at $1 million.
Police said she could face more charges when the case is presented to a Cuyahoga County Grand Jury.
Julian and Wood were rushed to St John Medical Center but Julian died from the flurry of stab wounds to his back and cheek. His mother’s injuries were not life-threatening
Julian was born in November 2020 when his parents posted adorable photos of him as a newborn being cradled in his older brother’s arms
Julian plays with his older brother at their home, with friends remarking how fast he was growing
Giant Eagle said it was providing counseling to its workers.
‘We were heartbroken to learn of the passing of the young victim in yesterday’s senseless act of violence,’ it said.
‘Our thoughts are with the child, his mother and their loved ones during this unimaginably difficult time.’
The same Giant Eagle was the scene of a murder-suicide on June 25 last year.
Bernard Smith shot dead his ex-wife Susan Petterson, 63, as she worked at the store before turning the gun on himself, two decades after they divorced in 2004.