Massachusetts Man Sentenced After Kidnapping 7-Year-Old Girl, Strangling Her and Throwing Her Off Bridge Into Lake, Police Say
WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS — A Massachusetts man will spend nearly three decades behind bars for the horrifying kidnapping and attempted murder of a 7-year-old girl who miraculously survived after being thrown off a bridge into a lake.
Authorities say Joshua Hubert, 43, abducted the young girl after a family cookout, strangled her, and threw her into Lake Quinsigamond in August 2017 — leaving her to die. Instead, she swam roughly 100 yards to shore and found help at a nearby home.
Hubert was sentenced Friday to 28–30 years in prison after a jury convicted him of attempted murder by drowning, attempted murder by strangulation, strangulation or suffocation, and kidnapping a child under 16, according to the Worcester County District Attorney’s Office.
Girl’s Brave Survival and Chilling Testimony
Prosecutors say Hubert attended a family cookout where the girl’s relatives were present. Later that night, he kidnapped the child as she slept, strangled her, and drove to an interstate bridge before throwing her off.
The victim, now 15, shared a haunting victim impact statement in court describing her terror that night.
“I saw his face when he placed me in the car. I saw his face when he strangled me,” she wrote. “The first time I realized I was in danger, all I was thinking was that I wanted to see my mom again.”
The girl said she still suffers from nightmares and anxiety, living in constant fear that Hubert will find her again.
“I’m afraid for little girls who trust unknowingly,” she wrote. “I’m afraid for my younger cousins, for my future children. Since I couldn’t protect myself, I’m scared I won’t be able to protect anyone else.”
A Miracle Escape After a Near-Death Fall
Court records show the girl was thrown from the I-290 bridge into the dark lake below — a drop that could have easily been fatal. Despite suffering bruises and exhaustion, she swam to shore, crossed roughly 100 yards of deep water, and reached a nearby home.
A woman inside wrapped her in a towel and gave her Batman pajamas before calling police. The child was later taken to a hospital, where she calmly told investigators her “friend Josh” was the man who threw her from the bridge.
Investigators say Hubert had attended the barbecue as a friend of the victim’s father, giving him easy access to the child.
Family Says Childhood Was Stolen
The girl’s mother described how her once bright and carefree daughter was forced to rebuild her life after unimaginable trauma.
“She was pure sunshine before this,” her mother told the court. “She’s gone through more in 15 years than most people go through in their entire lives.”
Despite years of therapy, prosecutors said the emotional scars remain deep — a daily reminder of that horrific night.
Conviction and Sentencing
Hubert was acquitted of aggravated rape charges but convicted on the remaining counts after a two-week trial in Worcester County. His attorney argued late evidence disclosures and disputed DNA findings, but jurors sided with prosecutors.
Judge Michael Gibbs handed down the maximum sentence allowed, emphasizing the severity of the crime and the lifelong impact on the survivor.
Hubert will serve 28 to 30 years in state prison before being eligible for parole. His attorney has indicated plans to appeal.
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