WORCESTER, Mass. — Jurors are preparing to deliberate in the case against Joshua Hubert, a 43-year-old Worcester man accused of kidnapping a seven-year-old girl in 2017, assaulting her, and then throwing her off a bridge. The child, who survived the incident, is now 15 years old and provided testimony during the trial, which commenced last week.
Hubert has pleaded not guilty to multiple serious charges, including attempted murder, strangulation, kidnapping, and aggravated child rape. The closing arguments in his trial are set to begin Tuesday morning, with jurors expected to start their deliberations later in the day.
According to authorities, on the night of August 27, 2017, Hubert is alleged to have taken the girl from her grandparents’ home in Worcester shortly after 2:30 a.m. Hubert was reportedly a familiar face at the house, as he was friends with the child’s father and had attended a barbecue there earlier.
Once in his vehicle, Hubert allegedly drove for about 90 minutes before stopping on the Interstate 290 bridge, where he threw the girl into the water below. Remarkably, she managed to swim to safety. Prosecutors have claimed that during the drive, Hubert assaulted her in the back seat and attempted to suffocate her by placing a bag over her head secured with a rope.
During her testimony last week, the girl recounted initially believing her grandfather was lifting her, only to realize it was Hubert who was placing her in the car. She described a moment when Hubert reportedly remarked, “Oops, I guess we’re lost,” prompting her to fight back by trying to kick him.
The young survivor shared that she felt as if her life was hanging in the balance, indicating thoughts of faking her death to escape Hubert’s grasp. “If I breathed really lightly and quietly, he would think that I was dead and everything would stop,” she testified. Her relief came when she hit the water, interpreting that as her chance for safety from further harm.
Last week, Hubert’s attorney requested a brief pause in proceedings to review a new report regarding evidence that might support Hubert’s defense, specifically concerning his cellphone location during the alleged crime. The legal counsel argued the findings appeared to contradict claims of his proximity to the bridge at the time of the incident.
In 2017, during Hubert’s district court arraignment, authorities described how he had abducted the girl while she was sleeping at a family gathering. Police reported, “She was put in a car, strangled, and thrown off a bridge into Lake Quinsigamond,” but they noted that she survived the fall and made it ashore, where she was found with injuries that were not life-threatening.
The child was discovered about 90 minutes after her abduction in Shrewsbury, prompting a response from Worcester District Attorney Joseph D. Early Jr., who expressed relief that a greater tragedy had been averted. “The young victim had the strength to make it to shore and get help,” he said.
This unfolding case attracts significant public and legal interest as jurors approach their critical decision on Hubert’s fate.
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