NORTH OLMSTED, Ohio (WJW) – The FOX 8 I-Team has found a woman was released from jail three days before police arrested her for a deadly attack at a North Olmsted grocery store.
She had been released even though the court had raised concerns about her mental health.
Bionca Ellis has now been indicted for stabbing a woman and child outside a Giant Eagle, killing 3-year-old Julian Wood.
Now, we’ve uncovered the story of how Ellis ended up back on the streets just before that attack.
Family releases statement after toddler killed in stabbing at Giant Eagle parking lot
Police video shows, last week, North Olmsted officers checked on a woman in a wheelchair at a busy street corner. It turned out to be Ellis.
“Are you all right?” an officer asked in the video.
“I’m fine, I’m headed to the bus stop,” she answered.
Police found Ellis was wanted for violating probation in a theft case. So, they arrested her. The video shows Ellis did a little dance while getting handcuffed.
Records show a magistrate in Rocky River Municipal Court referred her for a mental health evaluation, but it didn’t happen. On Friday, Rocky River Judge Brian Hagan released Ellis.
Monday, she ended up arrested for the vicious attack that police call random.
The court’s contact with Ellis goes back to last year — an arrest for stealing $69 worth of merchandise from a department store.
All Ellis had to do was report to a probation officer and take a short class for the court, but records show she didn’t do that, so she had a warrant out for her arrest.
“Why didn’t this woman get a psychiatric or mental health evaluation?” the I-Team asked Judge Hagan.
The judge tells us the organization handling mental health evaluations for the court had no one available. Also, Ellis would have had to sit in jail for days on a very minor case.
“There wasn’t any red flags shooting up that pole. There wasn’t any indications here. No sign of mental distress. No sign of previous, violent acts,” Judge Hagan said.
After the arrest for violating probation, you can get an indication of why a magistrate called for a mental health check. On court audio from the hearing, Magistrate Gregory Sponseller wonders if Ellis is paying attention or falling asleep.
“Ms. Ellis, can you hear me? Can you tell me, North Olmsted, is she falling asleep, or what’s going on?” he said. “Can you acknowledge me, Ms. Ellis, please?”
Finally, the magistrate said, “I think we need to get a mental health evaluation. Let’s hold her for an evaluation from recovery resources,” and, “I’m not sure she fully understands the simple requirements the court has imposed on her.”
Nonetheless, Judge Hagan released Ellis. And, we found, he’d do it again even though she is now indicted for murder.
“What would you do differently handling this case, or even next time?” the I-Team asked.
“Nothing. I’m confident in the way this court handled the matter,” the judge said. “We did it by the letter of the law. There was nothing there to send up the alarms.”
The murder case is moving forward in county court, and Ellis could face the death penalty. Cuyahoga County prosecutors will have a committee review the case.
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Fox 8 Cleveland WJW.
Source Agencies
