33-year-old Pierre Cleveland, a dog owner, was charged with murder and other criminal counts after his 3 dogs mauled a 9-year-old girl to death while she was riding her bike near her house.

Cleveland is charged with second-degree murder, involuntary manslaughter, and having a dangerous animal that caused death.

The lawyer of Cleveland entered the not guilty pleas.

A bystander who saw the incident shot one of the dogs while a medical team was trying to save 9-year-old Emma Hernandez.

The incident happened in Detroit.

In order to help save the girl from the dog attack, the neighbors threw bricks at the dogs.

Authorities said 9-year-old Emma suffered injuries on her throat and body, she passed away at a hospital in Detroit.

Prior to the dog attack, Armando Hernandez, the father of Emma, had an argument with Cleveland about his dogs and his fence, as they were too flimsy.

Prosecutors said that Cleveland left the dogs loose and unsecured in his backyard and went to a store near his house even after knowing they were dangerous.

Investigating officers also found that the fence of Cleveland’s house was damaged and was not secured properly.

A side of the door on a garage was also left open when the incident happened, investigators said the dogs used the open door to get out and attack 9-year-old Emma.

Prosecutor Kym Worthy said, “It is horrible to imagine what Emma went through as she was being mauled to death by vicious dogs allegedly owned by the defendant.

Prosecutor Worthy added, “It is high time that the City of Detroit shines a light on the owners of these dangerous animals that sometimes roam and wreak serious havoc — none worse than what happened here.”

Claudia Stapleton, the godmother and aunt of Emma, said that the death of her niece could have been avoided if Cleveland secured his fences and didn’t leave the door open.

James Craig, the police chief of the Detroit Police, said that the case of little Emma is “tragic and distressing”.

Chief Craig added, “The owner of these dogs should be held accountable. Certainly the owner has a responsibility when they have violent animals that those animals are to be secured at all times. If you can’t secure the animal, you shouldn’t have the animal. Period.”

9-year-old Emma was riding her bike in the 6000 block of Central Avenue on the west side at around 4 pm when the three dogs jumped at her and mauled her to death.

Deborah Golden, a neighbor, said she heard a child crying and shouting for help.

Deborah said she went out and found Emma lying on the ground in a pool of blood with injuries all over her body and her throat.

Deborah also did CPR on Emma before Armando Hernandez, the father of Emma, arrived.