CLEVELAND — The woman accused of killing a 3-year-old boy in North Olmsted had a run-in with law enforcement in California.
New police records from Bakersfield, California, show Bionca Ellis was arrested at a hospital in January. Records show Ellis was accused of punching and kicking security guards and staff while refusing to leave after being discharged.
The officer found Ellis on the floor of an exam room, and records show she told the officer she needed to be taken to jail for the assaults.
While in a police cruiser, Ellis told police she wished to do something to stay in custody for at least two weeks but wouldn’t say why.
In February, a bench warrant was issued when Ellis didn’t show up for court.
In March, Ellis was in Kissimmee, Florida where she was arrested on a trespassing charge.
Court records reveal Ellis tried to rent a room at a hotel but didn’t have any money and refused to leave when asked.
She then told police she was on vacation from Ohio and she wanted to go to jail.
"Alright Bionca, you know you've got warrants,” said North Olmsted police. Ellis answered, “Oh, probably for here, yes.”
The comments were made on body camera video from May when Ellis was picked up by police just days before the deadly stabbing outside the Giant Eagle.
Store surveillance video provided by police shows Ellis following the child and his mom out of the store. Authorities say they were attacked with a knife Ellis stole from a thrift store in a random act of violence.
The child's father spoke in court, asking that Ellis be kept behind bars.
RELATED — 'Do whatever you can to keep this monster behind bars': Bionca Ellis bond set at $5 million
Ellis remains in jail on a $5 million bond.
