7-Year-Old Is Choked and Thrown Off Bridge—but Survives

A 7-year-old Massachusetts girl was choked and assaulted by an alleged kidnapper before being thrown off a bridge—and she still managed to swim to shore and get help, prosecutors say. The alleged kidnapping occurred early Sunday when prosecutors say a guest at the girl’s grandparents’ house in Worcester abducted her while she was sleeping at around 2:30 a.m. The alleged kidnapper, identified as Joshua Hubert, is accused of then driving around with the girl before choking her and ultimately throwing her off the I-290 bridge into Lake Quinsigamond. Hours later, the girl turned up at a local resident’s door asking for help in “soaking wet” pajamas, prosecutors said. The girl has not been identified, but Worcester District Attorney Joseph Early Jr. said she is recovering from injuries that are “visible, but not life threatening.” Hubert entered a not-guilty plea to kidnapping charges on Monday and is due in court again this week.