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

[fridaybaker]

I completely disagree about the public's "right" to know anything, trumping the family's privacy. While this case has been public knowledge for decades, and while yes, we all want to see justice served, LE handling this case know a heck of a lot more than the public does, and if THEY made the choice to not identify them to the public, they have a good reason for that I will respect it. And, respect the family's right not to have their names tossed around on a public forum.

jmo

A big piece of this puzzle is that researching these family members doesn't tell us who abused and murdered this boy. Now, if LE ever gets enough information to get a case to trial, then we will have the right to know who is involved.... in that.

It still doesn't give LE the right to give out information on the boy's genetic relatives if he had been adopted and that abuse and murder came after the adoption. The right to "know" on the part of the public is only related to a criminal charge.

 

[amybman1]

Surgical records are probably gone, unless there was something particularly notable about his case and they were retained for educational purposes. I’m not an expert in 1950s record retention policies though. The extent of my experience is with 1970s-early 1980s adult medical records at Philadelphia hospitals (many gone). Jefferson or the Mutter Museum probably have a librarian familiar with what hospitals were in operation when and what happened to records as hospitals merged/closed. (To be EXTREMELY clear: I’m not suggesting that this child has ANY relation to the Mutter - just mentioning it as a historical institution).

I’d have to dig to find my sources so JMO for now: more than 50% of 1950s births were in hospitals. I think it was closer to 80%, but certainly over 50.

Unlikely given the surname, but circumcision can be performed as a religious rite in a home or at a synagogue.

Case Summary Here they state that they did track down the doctor, but he had passed and his wife had destroyed the medical records from his practice by then.

 

[alucardsdream]

I did want to post this. It is the obituary of Dective Augustine, who spent a career on this case. Thomas J. Augustine Obituary

His middle name was Joseph! I'm so sad that he died before the case broke open...he invested so much time and energy into it.

 

[cvaldez1975]

I had the same experience. My parents didn't get married until I was 4, and by that age, they already had 3 kids together and another on the way. My father's name is on every birth certificate, even the out of state one, and we all had his last name. I think it varied by state. Plus, I don't think there really was a way to verify if they were married or not, so my parents could have simply said they were married when they filled out the birth certificate, lying about it. I will have to dig mine out and see if it states whether or not they were married. I can't remember.

yes and also, idk if it varies, but ca birth certs list moms maiden name regardless of marital status. in fact my mom had to revise my birth cert later because it listed her surname as her first husbands last name.

 

[RaspberryMama]

I did want to post this. It is the obituary of Dective Augustine, who spent a career on this case. Thomas J. Augustine Obituary

I hope he knew Joseph's identity before he passed! RIP, detective!

 

[Friday Fan]

There is a lot of clarification here: Case Summary

The IV treatment resulted in scares as they inserted tubes that required stitches. They did try to find the records but it was too late-- the doctor was deceased and his wife had destroyed his patient records about 5 years before.

In 1988, after going through old police reports, Bristow realized that a doctor who had treated the children at the foster home had never been interviewed. Bristow hoped that the unknown boy's medical records would be among the doctor's files. He located the doctor's wife, who told him that she'd destroyed the records about five years earler, after her husband died. http://americasunknownchild.net/summary.htm


We don't know at all if this was JAZ's doctor! The doctor who treated children at the foster home was not located until 1988. It appears he passed away some years prior. (I'm guessing it could have been 1970-1983). We have no idea if JAZ was at the foster home.

 

[RaspberryMama]

His middle name was Joseph! I'm so sad that he died before the case broke open...he invested so much time and energy into it.

It's possible he did know. There were rumors about this case being close to solved a year ago. He died this past October. If they knew by then I hope someone thought to give him a call and let him know.

 

[amybman1]

Isn't this a moot issue since they did identify him using dna?

I believe it was stated that the DNA was badly degraded, requiring them to use mitochondrial DNA, which produces matches for the mother's lineage. Potentially, they found a maternal match through his tooth DNA and were able to test his maternal side and then when that was confirmed, pulled the birth certificates that she was listed as the mother to find the father. That's how I'm understanding it anyway, and that's the only way I see that they are able to deny paternity.

 

[citizen_sleuth]

I believe it was stated that the DNA was badly degraded, requiring them to use mitochondrial DNA, which produces matches for the mother's lineage. Potentially, they found a maternal match through his tooth DNA and were able to test his maternal side and then when that was confirmed, pulled the birth certificates that she was listed as the mother to find the father. That's how I'm understanding it anyway, and that's the only way I see that they are able to deny paternity.

When asked about paternity during the press conference, they said it was confirmed by DNA and not in dispute.

 

[amybman1]

On family search, the last name Zoulli seems to be what the Zarelli family originally went by, probably when they first came to the US or something. I wonder if that's why in the press conference they stated the fathers last name was listed differently on the birth certificate. Maybe it was listed as Zoulli.

The potential family (or at least who I think we are discussing) stated Zarelli (one instance of Zarella) on their Naturalization paperwork when I pull that up, so it would seem it's been the same since their arrival from Italy.

 

[txsleuth70]

I believe it was stated that the DNA was badly degraded, requiring them to use mitochondrial DNA, which produces matches for the mother's lineage. Potentially, they found a maternal match through his tooth DNA and were able to test his maternal side and then when that was confirmed, pulled the birth certificates that she was listed as the mother to find the father. That's how I'm understanding it anyway, and that's the only way I see that they are able to deny

Joseph was born only 13 days into 1953 so there is basically 4 whole years (1953, 1954, 1955, 1956) to recover from Joseph's birth, and to bear two other children, which is entirely possible. There are many women who have 3 children under 4, and there's also a possibility the two other children could be twins.

I know of a now deceased woman who had children in 1943, 1944, and 1946 and placed all for adoption upon birth, so it's definitely possible.

 

[amybman1]

When asked about paternity during the press conference, they said it was confirmed by DNA and not in dispute.

I heard that as well, so I'm not sure what all methods they are using along with the mitochondrial DNA matching. I know they didn't have time to go into all that, but personally I would have been very interested in the new techniques they've put into play.

 

[Mama-dukes]

Near 61st and Market. From what I can tell, it was about 2,600 feet of that.

Ok they said from what I heard a IV line anyone else now if he did I wonder if the Parents was some kind of doctor or nurse ok and they had him at home nobody knew anything about him and they did whatever and was putting some kind of drugs in in what the IV and or however that would go down now if I didn’t hear IV then I don’t know lol

 

[Friday Fan]

yes and also, idk if it varies, but ca birth certs list moms maiden name regardless of marital status. in fact my mom had to revise my birth cert later because it listed her surname as her first husbands last name.

I was born in PA in 1956. I pulled out my old faded, microfiche birth certificate.

There is a small checkmark in the bottom from the attending physician, whether I was legitimate (yes or no)

My parents paid $1.00 for the certificate on March 15, 1957. This is a true copy of the original record which was is on file in the Pennsylvania Department of Health - in accordance with Act 304, approved by the General Assembly, June 29, 1953


Usual Residence of the Mother - My parents' address
This Child My name, sex, DOB
Father of Child -Father's full name, age, race, birthplace, usual occupation, kind of business of industry
Mother of Child - Full maiden name, race, race, birthplace, information, # of children, informant (it says mother)

The rest of the form is info from the attending physician
Legitimate (yes or no)



My parents were married.

 

[WildhorseC]

What I get from this is the bassinet most likely was purchased for a newborn who was due/born around the purchase dates, give or take a month or two. J would have been too big for a bassinet at that point, so it wasn't purchased for him.

I'm blown they could narrow down the purchase date and how many, and who bought 11 of them, etc, given it would have all been on paper, with cash, not electronic records.

It also could have been thrown out by someone and whoever killed him picked it up at some point for whatever reason and used it to dump his body.

 

[txsleuth70]

The potential family (or at least who I think we are discussing) stated Zarelli (one instance of Zarella) on their Naturalization paperwork when I pull that up, so it would seem it's been the same since their arrival from Italy.

It is very common to see name changes and different spelling variations in the censuses - even amongst same sibling groups!

I know an immigrant family that arrived as "Risbon" and within 20 years one brother had changed the spelling to "Risbin" and another to "Rispen". Each of their offspring continued with the changed names. Makes it very tricky to trace trees. Not even to mention incorrect names and misspellings on documents.

 

[amybman1]

I was born in PA in 1956.

My parents paid $1.00 for the certificate on March 15, 1957. This is a true copy of the original record which was is on file in the Pennsylvania Department of Health - in accordance with Act 304, approved by the General Assembly, June 29, 1953


Usual Residence of the Mother - My parents' address
This Child My name, sex, DOB
Father of Child -Father's full name, age, race, birthplace, usual occupation, kind of business of industry
Mother of Child - Full maiden name, race, race, birthplace, information, # of children, informant (it says mother)

The rest of the form is info from the attending physician etc

There is nothing about whether they were married or anything. (No field) There is nothing about whether this is a legitimate birth etc. Their signatures are not on the certificate.

My parents were married.

I don't know what year they revised the birth certificate form, but at one point the PA form had a box to fill out that said "Legitimate: Yes or No"

 

[MarziPanda]

I heard that as well, so I'm not sure what all methods they are using along with the mitochondrial DNA matching. I know they didn't have time to go into all that, but personally I would have been very interested in the new techniques they've put into play.

It will likely have been a direct autosomal DNA match to a paternal half sibling or paternal cousin. Pretty sure they used autosomal genetic genealogy to identify Joseph's mother, not mitochondrial DNA.

 

[Friday Fan]

I don't know what year they revised the birth certificate form, but at one point the PA form had a box to fill out that said "Legitimate: Yes or No"

Ooops..found a checkmark at the bottom...Legitimate...(yes or no)
It was from the attending physician info!


This particular form was published after JAZ was born.
Don't know what the form looked like in Jan 1953.

 

[amybman1]

It is very common to see name changes and different spelling variations in the censuses - even amongst same sibling groups!

I know an immigrant family that arrived as "Risbon" and within 20 years one brother had changed the spelling to "Risbin" and another to "Rispen". Each of their offspring continued with the changed names. Makes it very tricky to trace trees. Not even to mention incorrect names and misspellings on documents.

Exactly-- the census was filled out by the English-speaking census worker I believe and errors abound! When it comes to naturalization paperwork, whatever they listed became his/her legal name even though they often went throughout their lives using whatever variations they pleased as record-keeping was not such a big deal then. In this Zarelli family's case, they have stuck with the initial spelling of their name even though there are typos here and there. The names listed in the obituaries etc are consistent.