Massachusetts – A Massachusetts man was convicted by a jury on charges including attempted murder by drwning, attempted murder by strangIing, stranguIation or suffocation, and kidnapping a chiId under 16 years of age. The conviction stems from a incident in which the defendant, 43-year-old J. Hulbert, abducted a chiId, 7, from her family member’s home in Massachusetts.
According to court documents, the defendant, a family friend, took the 7-year-old from her grandparent’s house in the early hours in Aug. 2017. He allegedly drove her around for approximately ninety minutes before stopping on a bridge over a lake. Prosecutors stated that the defendant then choked the child, placed a bag over her head, and secured it with rope in an attempt to murder her by throwing her off the bridge. Despite these efforts, the girl survived by swimming nearly one hundred yards to shore and seeking help from a nearby resident.
The victim, now 15 years old, testified during the trial, recounting the traumatic events. She described how she initially thought her grandfather had lifted her out of her chair but then realized she was being placed into the defendant’s car. During the assault, she attempted to resist and later pretended to be dead in an effort to survive. She testified that she felt “slightly relieved” when she landed in the water, as it meant the defendant could not harm her further. The girl identified the man as her attacker, referring to him as friend Josh. The defendant had been attending a party at the family’s home, and was said to be familiar with the family due to his friendship with the victim’s dad.
Investigators noted that the victim did not initially disclose the se-ual assault due to her young age and lack of understanding of the concept. It wasn’t until 2022 that she confided in a family member about the assault. The man’s defense attorney argued that there was no DNA evidence linking the man to the crime, suggesting that the victim’s father might be the source of the sp-rm cells found on her clothing.
The trial, which began in Sept. 2025, had been delayed multiple times since 2020. Despite the defense’s claims, the jury found the denfedant guilty on all charges. He was acquitted of two additional charges of child r-pe.
Following the verdict, the victim’s family expressed relief and gratitude for the justice served. They praised the young girl’s bravery in testifying and the efforts of law enforcement in bringing the defendant to trial. The District Attorney’s Office commended the victim’s resilience and the thorough investigation conducted by the police.
The defendant is scheduled to be sentenced in the coming weeks. He faces a maximum sentence of life in prison for the attempted murder charges, with additional penalties for the kidnapping and strangulation convictions. The case has drawn attention to the importance of supporting survivors of such traumatic events and ensuring that justice is served.