The parents of three-year-old Julian Wood are preparing for a civil trial against Giant Eagle and Volunteers of America, alleging that security failures at and around a North Olmsted grocery store contributed to the fatal stabbing of their son. The lawsuit, filed in October 2024 by Margot and Jared Wood, argues that both organizations prioritized profits over public safety and failed to take reasonable measures that could have prevented the attack. Court records now show that the case is scheduled to go to trial on October 19, 2026, more than two years after the incident that claimed Julian’s life and left his mother critically injured.
Julian Wood was killed on June 3, 2024, after being stabbed while seated in a shopping cart in the parking lot of a Giant Eagle store in North Olmsted, Ohio. His mother, Margot Wood, was also stabbed as she tried to pull her son from the cart and survived the attack. The assailant, Bionca Ellis, was arrested within minutes and later convicted of murder. While the criminal case resulted in a life sentence for Ellis, the Woods’ civil lawsuit focuses on what they allege were preventable security lapses by businesses operating in and around the shopping center.
The lawsuit names Giant Eagle, Volunteers of America, and leaders at both organizations as defendants, along with Ellis herself. At the heart of the legal action is the claim that visible warning signs were missed and that proper monitoring and intervention could have stopped the attack before it escalated. The case has drawn significant public attention, both because of the young age of the victim and because it raises broader questions about security responsibilities in public retail spaces.
The Attack and Criminal Conviction
According to prosecutors and police, the stabbing was a random act of violence carried out by Bionca Ellis, who had no prior connection to the Wood family. On the day of the attack, Ellis allegedly stole two kitchen knives from a Volunteers of America thrift store located next door to the Giant Eagle. Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Michael O’Malley said Ellis then walked into the Giant Eagle grocery store while carrying at least one of the knives.
Investigators stated there was no altercation inside the store before the stabbing. Prosecutors said Ellis observed Margot Wood and her son Julian as they exited the grocery store and followed them into the parking lot. Julian was sitting in a shopping cart when Ellis attacked, stabbing both the child and his mother. Police described the incident as sudden and unprovoked.
North Olmsted police officers arrested Ellis minutes after the stabbing. At the time of her arrest, she was still carrying the kitchen knife allegedly used in the attack. Julian Wood later died from his injuries, while Margot Wood survived after receiving emergency medical care.
Ellis was charged with multiple offenses, including aggravated murder. In October 2025, she was convicted and sentenced to life in prison. During the trial, prosecutors presented evidence outlining Ellis’s movements between the thrift store and the grocery store, emphasizing that the knives used in the attack had been stolen shortly before the stabbing. In November, Ellis filed an appeal of her conviction, which remains pending.
Read : Two Women Sue Apple for Paying Female Employees Less Than Male Counterparts in the US
The criminal trial was closely followed by the public and local media, with extensive live coverage and courtroom reporting. Witnesses testified about the moments before and after the stabbing, and Margot Wood herself took the stand to recount the events of that day. The guilty verdict and life sentence brought legal accountability in the criminal sense, but the Woods have maintained that the circumstances surrounding the attack warrant further examination in civil court.
Allegations of Security Failures
The civil lawsuit filed by Margot and Jared Wood centers on allegations that Giant Eagle and Volunteers of America failed to provide adequate security measures and oversight, creating conditions that allowed the attack to occur. The parents argue that Ellis’s actions were visible and detectable before the stabbing and that employees had opportunities to intervene or alert authorities.
Attorneys for the Woods allege that Ellis was openly wielding a large knife inside and around the Giant Eagle store prior to the attack. According to the lawsuit, proper monitoring of surveillance cameras by Giant Eagle employees would have revealed Ellis’s behavior and prompted a response that could have prevented her from following the Woods into the parking lot.
The complaint further alleges that Volunteers of America failed to prevent the theft of the knives from its thrift store. Prosecutors previously stated that Ellis stole two knives from the store on the day of the attack, raising questions about loss prevention practices and whether staff noticed or responded to the theft. The Woods’ lawsuit contends that both organizations failed in their duty to maintain safe premises for customers and the general public.
In naming corporate leaders as defendants alongside the companies themselves, the lawsuit seeks to emphasize what the Woods describe as systemic issues rather than isolated mistakes. The complaint alleges that profit-driven decisions resulted in understaffing, inadequate training, or insufficient security protocols, increasing the risk of harm to customers.
Read : Family Sues Royal Caribbean After 35-Year-Old Michael Virgil Dies Aboard Cruise Ship
Giant Eagle and Volunteers of America have not publicly detailed their defenses, but such cases often hinge on whether the attack was foreseeable and whether the defendants owed a duty to take specific preventive actions. The Woods’ attorneys are expected to argue that the combination of a visible weapon, shared commercial space, and available surveillance systems made the danger foreseeable and actionable.
The lawsuit also names Ellis as a defendant, a common step in wrongful death and personal injury cases, even when the primary focus is on third-party liability. By including Ellis, the Woods preserve their claims against all parties they believe bear responsibility for the events leading to Julian’s death.
The Road to Civil Trial
Court records indicate that the first day of the civil trial is scheduled for October 19, 2026. The timeline reflects the complexity of the case, which involves multiple defendants, extensive discovery, and the overlap between criminal and civil proceedings. By the time the trial begins, more than two years will have passed since the stabbing and nearly a year since Ellis’s criminal conviction.
In civil court, the standard of proof differs from that of a criminal trial. The Woods will not be required to prove their claims beyond a reasonable doubt but must instead show that it is more likely than not that the defendants’ alleged failures contributed to the harm suffered. The case is expected to include testimony from security experts, retail operations professionals, and possibly former employees, as well as a review of surveillance footage, internal policies, and incident reports.
The outcome of the civil trial could have significant implications beyond the immediate parties. Lawsuits alleging inadequate security often prompt broader discussions within the retail industry about surveillance practices, employee training, and coordination between neighboring businesses. A verdict in favor of the Woods could lead to financial damages and potentially influence how large retailers and nonprofit operators approach safety and loss prevention.
For Margot and Jared Wood, the trial represents another stage in a long legal process following the loss of their son. While the criminal conviction of Ellis established responsibility for the act itself, the civil case seeks to address what the parents argue were preventable failures in the environment where the attack occurred. The lawsuit asserts that Julian’s death was not only the result of a single individual’s actions but also of broader lapses in security and oversight.
As the trial date approaches, the case continues to draw attention as a tragic example of violence in a public place and as a test of how courts evaluate the responsibilities of businesses to protect customers from third-party criminal acts. The proceedings in 2026 are expected to revisit the events of June 3, 2024, in detail, with the central question being whether different decisions or actions by Giant Eagle and Volunteers of America could have changed the outcome for Julian Wood and his family.
Been using w88trangchu for a while now, and overall, I’m pretty happy with it. Nice selection of games, decent payouts. Check w88trangchu, pretty sure you won’t regret it.