He Was Her ‘Friend.’ Then He Kidnapped Her and Threw Her Off a Bridge — and Now He Learns Fate

**Girl, 7, Survived Horrific Bridge Plunge as Attacker Found Guilty**

A seven-year-old girl miraculously survived a terrifying ordeal when she was kidnapped, strangled, and thrown off a bridge by a man who was known to her family. The perpetrator, Joshua Hubert, has now been convicted of attempted murder and kidnapping in Massachusetts, following a harrowing incident in 2017.

Hubert was found guilty by a jury on two counts of attempted murder – one by strangulation and one by drowning, along with charges of strangulation/suffocation and kidnapping a child under 16. The young victim, who is now 15 years old, recounted the traumatic events during the trial.

According to reports from WCVB, Boston.com, and the Boston Globe, the girl testified that she had fallen asleep at a family gathering when Hubert abducted her and later sexually assaulted her. However, the jury acquitted Hubert on the rape charges brought against him.

The prosecution detailed how Hubert then placed a bag over the girl’s head, tied it with a rope, and forced her into the trunk of his car before driving her to the I-290 bridge. He callously threw her, still in her pajamas and wrapped in a blanket, into Lake Quinsigamond.

Despite the terrifying ordeal, the brave young girl managed to swim over 100 yards to shore, weighed down by her wet clothes. Knocking on a stranger’s door, she sought help and was rescued from the traumatic ordeal, as reported by WCVB, Boston.com, and the Boston Globe.

During her testimony, the girl revealed that she had played dead in an attempt to survive the brutal attack. “I was thinking that he wanted me dead. If I breathed really lightly and quietly, he would think that I was dead and everything would stop,” she told the jurors.

The trial also highlighted the discovery of sperm cells on the girl’s clothing from the night of the attack, although forensic evidence later revealed that they did not match Hubert’s DNA. His defence argued that the DNA found belonged to the victim’s father.

After the verdict, Hubert’s lawyer expressed disbelief at the jury’s decision, likening the case to a scene from “To Kill a Mockingbird.” A sentencing date for Hubert is yet to be set, as per reports from WCVB and the Globe.

This horrifying incident serves as a stark reminder of the dangers that vulnerable individuals, especially children, may face from those they know and trust. The courageous resilience shown by the young survivor in the face of such adversity is truly inspiring and a testament to her strength.

As the legal proceedings continue, the focus remains on justice being served for the victim and her family, while also highlighting the importance of vigilance and safeguarding against potential harm from those around us.