Identified! PA - Philadelphia - 'Boy in the Box' - 4UMPA - Feb'57 #3 - Joseph Augustus Zarelli

[Friday Fan]

I was thinking of this on my way home, but what if there was some kind of medical institution in the mix?

Philly had/has a decent array of medical colleges, as well as psychiatric facilities. And JAZ had the genetic abnormality, correct? Combined with the scars and IV marks maybe something happened as a result of medical practices getting pushed too far?

This is just pure speculation mind you. (I'm very new to this, and just figured I'd throw my thought out to see if it struck a cord.)

His scars are not extensive

 

[steff13]

I can see, looking at the pictures of his face, that one might think that there was some sort of abnormality but I assume that those are due to decomposition changes.

 

[iamshadow21]

Or maybe it’ll just take time. Remember Carl Webb? You know, the Somerton Man? For a while, we had no photos of him when he was alive, but then they were recently discovered.

I wish I shared your optimism, but Carl lived a life of decades in the world with a large family taking photos of themselves at picnics, and playing football with his college. That's why we have pictures, because he was connected to people in the wider world.

Everything about the way this child was found makes me suspect he spent the majority of his life hidden from view, probably confined to a room, alone. I fear there are no pictures, and never were.

I hope I am proved wrong in this.

 

[J. J. in Phila]

rsbm

61st & Market St, circa 1942 (next available map is 1962 which looks the same).

PhilaGeoHistory Maps Viewer

www.philageohistory.org

They said that was the "area," not the specific location.

 

[iamshadow21]

I can see, looking at the pictures of his face, that one might think that there was some sort of abnormality but I assume that those are due to decomposition changes.

The eyes are the most obvious postmortem change in the photographs, but there are other postmortem changes to the shape of a decedent's face and features that do distort and change with time. Joseph was out in the wood for a long time, possibly weeks. One of the folks on here that does reconstructions like Carl or Victoria would probably be able to be more precise, I'm just an absolute layperson.

 

[Snackcakes66]

Joseph is now (and always) America's Child. Whatever atrocities happened during his short stay on earth, may he have a peaceful rest, and know people all over the world care, and hold him in their hearts. Joseph is how I found Websleuths years ago, reading, researching, and wanting to know, wanting him to be found, have a name, have justice. If he did not know love in life I hope he can know the love of so many here, and the investigators who spent year after tireless year trying so hard to give Joseph and love, care, and dignity.

 

[fred&edna]

I was thinking of this on my way home, but what if there was some kind of medical institution in the mix?

Philly had/has a decent array of medical colleges, as well as psychiatric facilities. And JAZ had the genetic abnormality, correct? Combined with the scars and IV marks maybe something happened as a result of medical practices getting pushed too far?

This is just pure speculation mind you. (I'm very new to this, and just figured I'd throw my thought out to see if it struck a cord.)

I've had similar thoughts. The physician would have been assisted in the medical procedures... but, no surgeon nor medical staff came forward. Were these procedures done outside the city/state? Also, he had no vaccination scars. The entire medical aspect is very puzzling/worrisome.

Were no footprints taken of this child at birth... or maybe they did and were blurred? Bill Kelly worked for years trying to find a match.

PhillyMag article November 2003

PhillyMag

Who was the mysterious Boy in the Box? Who killed him, and why? Was his death a tragic accident or a cruel and deliberate act of child homicide? Will this little boy's true identity ever be known, or will he forever remain America's Unknown Child?

americasunknownchild.net

 

[steff13]

<modsnip: Quoted post was removed>

We don't know his father's name, and we don't know the law surrounding who could be listed on the BC in 1953. It's perfectly possible that the mother could have listed the man that she believed to be the father or knew was the father on the birth certificate without him actually knowing that she had done it.

 

[breachtones]

I can see, looking at the pictures of his face, that one might think that there was some sort of abnormality but I assume that those are due to decomposition changes.

He's got a really long, tall head.. but even then I wouldn't look at him and immediately think he was disabled or anything.

 

[breachtones]

Was he circumcised? They didn’t say that, did they?

It says so on the Doe Network.

 

[LeBlack]

Press Release Transcript:

RSBM

A court order signed by a court of common pleas judge to obtain the birth records, death records, and adoption records for all children born to the established birth mother between the years 1944 to 1956 from the Pennsylvania Department of Health Bureau of Health Statistics and Registries Division of Vital Records.

There were three responsive results based on this order. Two of the results were birth certificates for children born to the established birth mother during that time frame who were previously known to investigators. One of who provided DNA and was matched previous by the genealogist.

The third result was a birth certificate for a male child born to the established mother in 1953 which could be consistent with the approximated age of the unidentified child.

RSBM

The three responsive results were THREE birth certificates. (No death certificates for the 2 other living children, no adoption records) -- of course those records could be in OTHER states. IF he was "adopted", it was likely unofficial and possibly to a family member
MOO based on the press conference

 

[fred&edna]

His scars are not extensive

That's true. But, it was believed they were IV scars on the ankle (distal tibia) IIRC. Maybe no surgeon was involved but a skilled RN or medical assistant.
jmo

 

[Zak]

That's how it is here in Ohio too but if the mother's maiden name is listed and the child has the same last name as the mother the implication would be that the mother and father were not married. We're talking about 1953 not 2022. It would be much less likely that a married woman would not take her husband's last name then than it is today. So Zarelli could be the father's name, but it could also be the mother's maiden name because they weren't married.

One other thing in PA, back then, is that the father must sign the birth certificate. So if he’s listed he had to have signed it.

 

[archenemy toenail]

This is where my mind went with respect to law enforcement mentioning something about "inaccuracies" on Joseph's birth certficiate. I figured it might have to do with the incorrect spelling of a parent's surname.

Or a shortened version of a first name. Like “Bob,” instead of “Robert.”

 

[GameChanger42]

What about the dye found in one eye from possible eye treament? Obviously he was medically treated somewhere in four years....was it some cover up to the point they had in house medical care?! Hard to wrap my head around the lack of medical records some kind of paper trail at least. Seems he had at least three medical conditions requiring treatment during his short life.

Had my youngest in 2020 and they asked if I wanted to write dad's name into the forms no verification or father being there necessary. I chose to leave it blank. In Vermont it can be added later if you choose.

 

[Zak]

I agree, in the excerpt I posted, it doesn’t say the father’s name is Zarelli, just says, the name of the father is listed on birth certificate, both parents are now identified to authorities but only one name is given to the public, the child’s given name. This means Zarelli could be the birth mother’s name.

This is very confusing though, doesn’t the father have to give consent for his name to appear on the birth certificate if they weren’t married? If so, wouldn’t he then give his name to the child, even if he were put up for adoption?

sorry for the rambling, this isn’t as cut and dry as some make out. At least, this little boy is identified and there’s more news to come.

Yes. Not sure how it is now, but back then the listed father had to sign the birth certificate. Another interesting fact about PA is that because we are a Commonwealth we have archaic laws still. If a man believes he’s the father of a baby and signs the BC then he is legally the father. Even if DNA proves later down the road he’s not the biological father, the law says he is for child support.

 

[steff13]

What about the dye found in one eye from possible eye treament? Obviously he was medially treated somewhere in four years....was it some cover up to the point they had in house medical care?! Hard to wrap my head around the lack of medical records some kind of paper trail at least. Seems he had at least three medical conditions requiring treatment during his short life.

The dye and surgery scars speak to someone outside the family knowing that this boy existed.

 

[RaspberryMama]

<modsnip: Quoted post was removed>

Why is everyone speculating that the father was not a Zarelli? They said during the press conference that the father was listed on the birth certificate.

But they did not give the father's name. They only said that the correct person is named as father. We haven't seen the BC and therefore do not know the father's name. We only know that Joseph's last name is Zarelli.

Then is the name they gave, his (likely misspelled) birth certificate name, or his name ascertained via DNA?

They didn't give the father's name at all, only the child's name. I believe it was the father's name that had some sort of spelling difference... So we ONLY KNOW for a fact that our boy is Joseph Augustus Zerelli.

 

[Friday Fan]

What about the dye found in one eye from possible eye treament? Obviously he was medically treated somewhere in four years....was it some cover up to the point they had in house medical care?! Hard to wrap my head around the lack of medical records some kind of paper trail at least. Seems he had at least three medical conditions requiring treatment during his short life.

Had my youngest in 2020 and they asked if I wanted to write dad's name into the forms no verification or father being there necessary. I chose to leave it blank. In Vermont it can be added later if you choose.

Medical records were only kept for seven years. Lots of paper, lots of rooms, not enough room, purge the records

 

[Alleykins]

Or a shortened version of a first name. Like “Bob,” instead of “Robert.”

That's exactly what I was thinking, too, that it might not be the last name that wasn't exact, but the first name, as in Bob, instead of Robert, or Bill, instead of William.