Worcester, MA – A Worcester County jury has convicted 43-year-old Joshua Hubert of multiple charges, including attempted murder and kidnapping, after prosecutors said he strangled a 7-year-old girl and threw her off a bridge into Lake Quinsigamond in 2017, District Attorney Joseph D. Early, Jr. announced.
The verdict came Wednesday after a multi-day trial in Worcester Superior Court. Hubert was found guilty of two counts of attempted murder, one count of strangulation, and one count of kidnapping a child. He was acquitted of two aggravated rape charges.
Prosecutors said Hubert attended a family cookout with the victim’s relatives on Aug. 26, 2017, and in the early hours of the next day kidnapped the girl. He allegedly strangled her before driving to the I-290 bridge and throwing her into the water. The child survived by swimming to shore and knocking on the door of a nearby home in Shrewsbury for help.
The incident sparked a joint investigation by Shrewsbury Police, Worcester Police, and Massachusetts State Police detectives assigned to the District Attorney’s Office.
DA Early praised the victim for her strength in testifying. “I want to commend this survivor for her tremendous bravery and strength,” he said. He also credited prosecutors Mark McShera and Emily Meyers and Victim Witness Advocate Maria Deyette for their work on the case.
Worcester Police Chief Paul Saucier also commended the collaboration, saying the prosecution “demonstrated remarkable dedication in their pursuit of justice.”
Hubert is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Karin Bell on Oct. 3.
Key Points
- Joshua Hubert, 43, was convicted of attempted murder, strangulation, and kidnapping in Worcester County.
- Prosecutors said he kidnapped a 7-year-old girl from a family gathering, strangled her, and threw her off a bridge.
- The girl survived by swimming to shore and seeking help; Hubert will be sentenced Oct. 3.
A survivor’s courage helped bring a Worcester man to justice.
