Family releases statement after toddler killed in stabbing at Giant Eagle parking lot
***Watch previous coverage in the video above.***
NORTH OLMSTED, Ohio (WJW) – Family members say they’ve been overwhelmed with generosity and support as they mourn the loss of a toddler killed in a random stabbing in a local Giant Eagle parking lot.
A pile of stuffed animals, photos and balloons now rests outside the Giant Eagle in North Olmsted, honoring 3-year-old Julian Wood who was fatally stabbed while out grocery shopping with his mother on Monday.
In a Thursday post on their GoFundMe page, the family released a statement, “on behalf of Margot, Jared, JuJu’s grandmother Nasra, his siblings, and the rest of our family.”
“We are profoundly grateful for the overwhelming generosity and support,” the statement reads, in part. “Your donations, kind words, and heartfelt messages have provided us with much-needed comfort and relief as we navigate through our grief.”
The child’s mother, 38-year-old Margot Wood, was also stabbed. She was treated at the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
The suspect in the stabbing, 32-year-old Bionca Ellis, of Cleveland, was arrested quickly. She was indicted by a grand jury Wednesday on charges including murder, attempted murder, felonious assault and more. She’s due back in court on June 10.
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The GoFundMe page for Julian and his family has raised more than $190,000, as of Thursday afternoon.
In the statement, the family says the funds are helping with funeral expenses and legal fees, “allowing us to focus on healing and remembering JuJu.”
“Your kindness has not only alleviated some of the financial burdens, but has also brought us a sense of peace knowing that we are surrounded by such a caring community,” the statement reads. “Each contribution no matter the size, has made a significant impact on our lives.”
The family continues asking for privacy at this time.
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A Mass of Christian Burial for Julian will be Saturday, June 8 at St. Charles Borromeo Church along Ridge Road in Parma.
The community is invited to take part in what the family is calling a “memory line” as a procession leads from the church to Sunset Memorial Park in North Olmsted, where the young boy will be interred.
The procession will be Saturday, June 8 from 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Everyone is asked to flood the streets with the color green and plenty of dinosaurs, two of Julian’s favorite things.
The procession route is:
Starts at Saint Charles Borromeo Church, 5891 Ridge Road in Parma
North on Ridge Road
West on Snow Road
North on Smith (W. 150th Street)
West on Brookpark Road
South on Great Northern Boulevard
Great Northern Boulevard turns into Columbia Road
Ends at Sunset Memorial Park, 6625 Columbia Road in North Olmsted
Learn more about funeral arrangements here.
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