The family of Julian Wood, the 3-year-old boy who was fatally stabbed in a North Olmsted grocery store parking lot, made a statement about Julian's death on the family's GoFundMe Page.
Family members said they have been overwhelmed with sadness, as well as with the support they have received from the community.
Julian was allegedly killed by 32-year-old Bionca Ellis on Monday after he and his mother were in the Giant Eagle parking lot.
Suspect in North Olmsted fatal toddler stabbing obtained knife at thrift store just before attack, police say
RELATED: Suspect in North Olmsted fatal toddler stabbing obtained knife at thrift store just before attack, police say
Ellis obtained a knife from a nearby thrift store and randomly attacked the child and mother, say police. The suspect, who was arrested soon after, had no connection to the family.
Julian and his mother were transported to a hospital, where Julian succumbed to his injuries. His mother is expected to make a full physical recovery.
Read the full statement below:
We are sick to our stomachs writing this…
Many of you have been following this horrendous story online and have been asking what happened and how something like this could happen in our own neighborhood.. honestly 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.
On June 3rd, 2024 - Margot (38) and Julian (3) were walking out of the North Olmsted Giant Eagle and they were followed to their car by a random woman. Prior to making her way to Giant Eagle the woman obtained a knife from the Volunteers of America in the same plaza. She then noticed Margot and Julian… While Margot was opening the trunk of her car to put groceries away the woman viciously attacked and stabbed both Margot and Julian. Medical and Emergency services were on site immediately... Margot and Julian were rushed to St. John hospital, but Julian's injuries were far too extensive and he did not make it.
Our family is overwhelmed with sadness… and overwhelmed with the loving support the community has already provided us. This will be an incredibly long journey to recovery, but truthfully we will never recover - but 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, 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.
Hundreds of people - friends, family, strangers have been reaching out, sending us love and kind words, and asking how they can help the Wood family at this time…if you feel inclined we are asking for donations to help with the cost of funeral arrangements and to cover any time off work…
This is something no person, no family, no mother, no father, no grandmother should ever experience. We urge you all to hold your babies close. This should have never happened.
Please continue your prayers for our family, for Margot, baby Julian, Jared, his grandmother, his brother, and his sister, and pray our family receives some sort of justice.
The family has asked for privacy while it grieves; however, community members can show their support during a memory line that will take place on Saturday.
People are asked to line the streets from St. Charles Borromeo Church in Parma to Sunset Memorial Park with Julian's two favorite things: dinosaurs and the color green.
This is the route for the memorial line:
- Saint Charles Borromeo Church; 5891 Ridge Rd. in Parma
- Turn right and drive North on Ridge Road
- Turn left on Snow Road and drive West
- Turn right on Smith (W. 150th Street) and drive North
- Turn left on Brookpark Rd. and drive West
- Turn left on Great Northern Boulevard and drive South
- Great Northern Boulevard turns into Columbia Road
- Sunset Memorial Park; 6625 Columbia Rd. in North Olmsted
The memorial line will start at 11:45 a.m. and go until 1 p.m. More information can be found on the GoFundMe page. The GoFundMe started by the family has raised over $190,000 to help with funeral expenses and time taken off of work. You can access the GoFundMe here .
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