CUYAHOGA COUNTY, Ohio (TCN) —Â An Ohio appeals court has upheld the conviction of a woman sentenced to life in prison for fatally stabbing a toddler and injuring his mother outside a supermarket in 2024.
According to an October 2025 press release from the Office of the Cuyahoga County Prosecuting Attorney, Bionca Ellis stole two knives from a thrift store on June 3, 2024, before walking into the Giant Eagle supermarket next door. She saw a 37-year-old woman and her 3-year-old son, Julian Wood, and started to follow them. After the mother made her purchase and walked out of the market, Ellis followed them to their car, where she fatally stabbed Wood, who was still sitting in the cart. His mother tried to take him out of the cart and was also stabbed in the process.
Several people called police to report the stabbing, and officers with the Olmstead Police Department took Ellis into custody without incident, according to police. Both Wood and his mother were transported to the hospital. Wood died from his injuries and his mother survived.
According to the office of the prosecuting attorney, Ellis was found guilty in October 2025 of one count of aggravated murder, two counts of murder, two counts of attempted murder, two counts of felonious assault, one count of endangering children, and one count of misdemeanor theft. Later that month, she was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, according to Law & Crime.
Ellis had reportedly pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity. The jury deliberated for approximately 24 hours before finding her guilty, according to Law & Crime. In February 2025, Ellis had been found competent to stand trial after undergoing treatment for schizophrenia, according to WKYC.
On Oct. 8, the Eighth District Court of Appeals released their decision rejecting arguments Ellis’ defense made. They claimed there were errors made during the trial, including that Ellis received ineffective counsel, that the legal standard for an insanity defense was misstated, and that a prosecutor made improper remarks during closing, according to WKYC. The panel, consisting of three judges, affirmed Ellis’ conviction.
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