WPF MenuItem.Command binding to ElementName results to System.Windows.Data Error: 4 : Cannot find source for binding with reference

I have the following XAML:

<UserControl x:Class="EMS.Controls.Dictionary.TOCControl"
    xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
    xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
    xmlns:vm="clr-namespace:EMS.Controls.Dictionary.Models"
    xmlns:diagnostics="clr-namespace:System.Diagnostics;assembly=WindowsBase"
    x:Name="root"  >

    <TreeView                    
        x:Name="TOCTreeView"                    
        Background="White"
         Padding="3,5"      
        ContextMenuOpening="TOCTreeView_ContextMenuOpening"
        ItemsSource="{Binding Children}" BorderBrush="{x:Null}"  >

        <TreeView.ItemTemplate>
            <HierarchicalDataTemplate ItemsSource="{Binding Path=Children, Mode=OneTime}">
                <Grid >
                    <Grid.ColumnDefinitions>
                        <ColumnDefinition Width="Auto"/>
                        <!--<ColumnDefinition Width="Auto"/>-->                       
                        <ColumnDefinition Width="*"/>
                    </Grid.ColumnDefinitions>
                    <!--<CheckBox VerticalAlignment="Center" IsChecked="{Binding IsVisible}"/>-->   
                    <ContentPresenter Grid.Column="0" Height="16" Width="20"
                                    Content="{Binding LayerRepresentation}"  />
                    <!--<ContentPresenter Grid.Column="1"      >
                        <ContentPresenter.Content>
                            Test
                        </ContentPresenter.Content>
                    </ContentPresenter>-->
                    <TextBlock Grid.Column="2" FontWeight="Normal" Text="{Binding Path=Alias, Mode=OneWay}" >
                        <ToolTipService.ToolTip>
                            <TextBlock Text="{Binding Description}" TextWrapping="Wrap"/>