Reports say Tyhan Brown was offered a plea deal giving him a 40-year sentence.
CAMDEN -- The city man charged with first-degree murder in last summer's fatal shooting of 8-year-old Gabby Carter pleaded not guilty on Monday.
Tyhan Brown, 18, made the plea in Camden County Superior Court, according to Camden County Prosecutor's Office (CCPO) spokesman Robert English. He's being held on $1.5 million bail.
According to PhillyVoice, Brown could take a plea deal of 40 years behind bars and has another court hearing on Feb. 13. English added that Brown's mother, 35-year-old Shakia Land, and his 19-year-old girlfriend, also entered not guilty pleas to charges against them that are related to the investigation.
Gabby Carter was riding a bicycle in her neighborhood on Aug. 24 when shots rang out. Amir Dixon was the alleged target, prosecutors previously said. Dixon and Gabby tried to enter the same doorway at the same time when the 8-year-old was struck in the head. She died two days later at a Camden hospital.
'That's Dope City,' neighbors at shooting scene claim
Brown allegedly fled to Tennessee not long after the shooting, but was captured there and extradited back to New Jersey in October. A cell phone warrant eventually placed Brown at the scene of the shooting, according to CCPO Assistant Prosecutor Christine Shah.
Land's attorney told NJ Advance Media on Monday that the case against his client is "flimsy" and that he hopes to have the fourth-degree charge of hindering apprehension tossed out. She too is due back in court on Feb. 13. Natasha Gerald, 19, of Sicklerville, is also charged with hindering the investigation.
Greg Adomaitis may be reached at gadomaitis@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @GregAdomaitis. Find NJ.com on Facebook.