An Ohio woman accused of stabbing three-year-old Julian Wood and his mother while they were grocery shopping was seen smiling in court Monday as she faced charges of killing the little boy.
Bionka Ellis, 32, was seen in Cuyahoga Court of Common Pleas, smiling and almost laughing as Judge Nancy Margaret announced that she was charged with murder, aggravated murder, attempted murder, felonious assault, child endangerment, tampering with evidence and misdemeanor theft.
She even turned directly toward the camera and smiled broadly, before pleading not guilty to charges stemming from Wood's murder at a Giant Eagle grocery store in North Olmsted, Cleveland on June 2.
But just moments later, Wood's grieving father, Jared Wood, pleaded with the judge to “do everything in his power to keep this monster behind bars,” and prosecutors announced they would seek the death penalty.
Bionca Ellis, 32, was seen smiling as she faced murder charges in the stabbing death of three-year-old Julian Wood on Monday.
The little boy was sitting in a grocery cart when Ellis stabbed him in the face and back
“On that day, a week ago, you took everything from us,” he said, apparently trying to cry.
“There is nothing that can replace my son or anything that my wife and I go through, and even our other children.”
Police say Ellis first encountered Julian and his mother, Margot, 37, as they were exiting a Giant Eagle grocery store and followed them outside to their car — brandishing a knife she allegedly stole from a nearby Volunteers of America store.
She then allegedly stabbed the toddler in the face and back while he was sitting in a shopping cart, then injured his mother as she tried to pull her child to safety, Cleveland 19 reported.
Ellis was found just a few minutes later walking down a nearby side street, still carrying a blood-stained knife, police said.
Wood's grieving father, Jared Wood, called on the judge to “do everything in his power to keep this monster behind bars.”
Ellis' defense attorney suggested in court that she had “significant mental health problems.”
Meanwhile, the grocery store was in chaos as paramedics desperately tried to revive the little boy and rushed him and his mother to nearby St. John's Medical Center.
But Julian's wounds were too extensive and he did not survive the attack.
But his mother is expected to make a full recovery.
It remains unclear why Ellis attacked the family as they were leaving the grocery store.
Police say Ellis had no previous connection to the Wood family and described the attack as a “completely random act of violence.”
“There is no indication why she would have done this.” “She wasn't talking about anything, she was just lawyering up,” Detective Sergeant Matthew Peck said.
Ellis was allegedly caught on surveillance footage following Julian and his mother out of the grocery store while brandishing a knife
She initially appeared in court on Monday via video conference with her head down
He noted that there was no recorded history of mental illness, but admitted that after her alleged vicious and unprovoked crime, he was not sure it was accurate.
“We have some mental health concerns, but nothing concrete at this point,” he added.
Ellis' defense attorney also suggested in court Monday that she had “marked mental health issues” as the suspect initially appeared via video with her head down and refused to answer any of the judge's questions about whether or not she had read the indictment.
Judge Russo then ordered an attorney from the public defender's office to go to the Cuyahoga County Jail and read the indictment to Ellis.
About 45 minutes later, Ellis appeared in court and pleaded not guilty.
Russo then set Ellis' bail at $5 million and ordered the suspect to return to court next Monday
Julian's family is raising money for his funeral, legal bills and for Margot's recovery
Meanwhile, Julian's family is raising money for his funeral, legal bills, and for Margot's recovery.
“Our family is overwhelmed with grief,” they wrote in a group statement.
He added: “We have no explanation as to how or why this happened. It was a random act of violence.” There had been no previous quarrel, they didn't know each other…this was a random, malicious act.
“You have destroyed our family beyond words. You have taken something from us that we can never get back.”
