GoFundMe campaign pays for funeral of girl fatally mauled by dogs

Andrea Perez Balderrama
Detroit Free Press

Claudia Stapleton, the aunt and godmother of Emma Hernandez, who died in Detroit after being attacked by dogs on Monday, was on her way to a cemetery to figure out the cost of her niece's funeral when she got a surprising call.

She didn't have to worry about money anymore.

A photo of Emma Hernandez, 9, of Detroit, Tuesday, August 20, 2019.

The GoFundMe page her family had started Monday night was noticed by Detroit millionaire and founder of The Blight Authority, Bill Pulte.

He then publicized it, inspiring his vast online following to give to the cause and over 5,000 donations were made.

Emma's funeral was paid for.

Claudia Stapleton, aunt of Emma Hernandez, holds a photo of Emma, 9, outside of her home in Detroit, Tuesday, August 20, 2019.

"It is just amazing," Stapleton said. "It is shocking to me that there are people that are so kindhearted and are willing to extend a helping hand in time of need."

Pulte, known online for giving money away on Twitter, initially expressed his intent to help in a tweet, urging his followers to give to Emma's GoFundMe campaign.

Read more: Oakland County businessman Bill Pulte giving away $100K on Twitter

"My teammates and I want to help this girl’s family because they are suffering, and the least we can do is tweet about it and make them feel even a little bit better,” he said in a statement to the Free Press.

He then tweeted again, claiming he was going to pay for the funeral himself if his followers did not give enough to cover the costs.

Thankfully, he didn't have to.

The numbers have more than doubled since he first publicized the campaign Tuesday around noon, leaving the family with almost twice as much money than the $25,000 they had originally asked for.

Bill Pulte of Bloomfield Hills and of the Pulte Homes business family.

In the end, Stapleton said Pulte made a few contributions to the GoFundMe page, but he did not pay for the entire funeral.

The three dogs who attacked Emma are being evaluated by Detroit Animal Care and Control, but will likely be euthanized.

"The entire team at Detroit Animal Care and Control is devastated by this tragedy and our hearts and prayers go out to the family of this child," Detroit Animal Care and Control said in a statement. "All three dogs are in our possession and will be evaluated; our first priority is to ensure the health and safety of Detroit residents. Due to the severity of this case, it is very likely that the dogs will be euthanized."

The dogs' owner was arrested by Detroit police, who are handling the investigation. A warrant is pending in the Wayne County prosecutor's office, according to DPD Chief James Craig. 

The alley where 9-year-old Emma Hernandez was attacked in Detroit.

Craig said in a Tuesday press conference that he's never handled an incident like this one, which he said should have been preventable with more responsibility from the dogs' owner. 

"Certainly the owner has a responsibility when they have violent animals that those animals are to be secure at all times," Craig said. "I believe that, and if you can't secure the animal, you shouldn't have the animal — period, not open for conversation."

More:GoFundMe set up for Detroit girl, 9, fatally mauled by dogs

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