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

[CandyKiss]

I agree. "M" told law enforcement that the alleged child's named was "Jonathan", which could easily be confused with "Joseph" (at least if you ask me). It's also worth noting that she provided the name in 2002—plenty of time for your brain to mix similar names up.

I think "M" was traumatized from watching the abuse of Joseph, his death and assisting her mother dispose of the body.

 

[edezx2192195]

Someone on the previous thread mentioned he was nonverbal, how would anyone have known that?

 

[bears10]

I don't have an ancestry account, but family search is a free site operated by the LDS church that has genealogical records. It's not as good as ancestry, but it can definitely be helpful sometimes, especially if you're patient and have time to wade through their records.

That being said, I think it's interesting that some Zarelli records were updated on October 29. I'm not being cryptic, I genuinely think genealogy is interesting and impressed with how on top of things some people are.

 

[Samk2]

Does anyone know if m had other siblings? They said the two maternal siblings were “previously known.” Does that mean it’s m’s family, which was questioned at one point in the investigation? Maybe m’s mom didn’t actually buy/adopt him, she herself could have also possibly had mental health issues. JMO

 

[PeregrineFalcon]

I wish a reporter had asked if any of the past leads and investigations came close to anyone involved over the 60 years. Was a parent mentioned years ago, was a family mentioned years ago, etc. that now turns out to be related to the situation.

 

[Richard]

 

[spacedcurls]

I wish a reporter had asked if any of the past leads and investigations came close to anyone involved over the 60 years. Was a parent mentioned years ago, was a family mentioned years ago, etc. that now turns out to be related to the situation.

They could have asked so many great questions, and instead asked if they thought he was murdered… So ridiculous.

 

[e8906]

So I'm confused...I don't have an Ancestry account and I am NOT asking anyone to post documents here. But has someone seen Joseph's birth certificate online? Does it show his parents' names?

You wouldn't be able to view his birth certificate without ordering a copy, and not through Ancestry. I believe only relatives are allowed to do this.

 

[CandyKiss]

Does anyone know if m had other siblings? They said the two maternal siblings were “previously known.” Does that mean it’s m’s family, which was questioned at one point in the investigation? Maybe m’s mom didn’t actually buy/adopt him, she herself could have also possibly had mental health issues. JMO

No mention if "M" had other siblings; neighbors denied a male child lived at the address when LE interviewed them in 2002. "

 

[SolVic]

Are there any photos of Joseph when he was alive?

 

[J. J. in Phila]

Does anyone have the exact location of where the body was found?

 

[Samk2]

No mention if "M" had other siblings; neighbors denied a male child lived at the address when LE interviewed them in 2002. "

If he was continuously abused she may of hid him well, and since his hair was cut, it could have possibly been very long resembling a girl. There is some reason behind someone cutting the hair. Either way it’s strange they said at the pc that they were “previously known in the investigation.” Which in my opinion means it’s a family they speculated about at some point.

 

[cuecard]

I have nothing new to add other than rest in love, Joseph. I am glad you have your name back.

 

[bears10]

Does anyone have the exact location of where the body was found?

Case Summary

In 1957, Susquehanna Road was a narrow country lane in the sparsely settled Fox Chase section of northeast Philadelphia. It was approximately a half-mile in length, linking Pine Road on the west with Verree Road on the east. The southern side of Susquehanna Road was wooded at that time, but the tree cover did not extend beyond a few yards from the road in most places. It quickly gave way to extensive stretches of open field and scrub growth. This provided a perfect habitat for rabbits, muskrats, and other small game. There were no houses on Susquehanna Road itself, but the compound of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd, a religious order which operated a school for "wayward girls", adjoined the road on the north. A driveway providing access to this large, multiple building facility was located about 500 yards west of the intersection of Susquehanna and Verree roads. Almost directly across the street from the entrance to the Good Shepherd School was a wooded area choked with thick underbrush that was often used by local residents as a place to dump refuse. It was here, at the junction of two well-worn footpaths, that the victim's body was twice discovered during the final week of February 1957.

 

[CandyKiss]

Does anyone have the exact location of where the body was found?

(from the Philly Police report toady) .....On February 26, 1957, at 10:40 am., the remains of a white male, estimated to be 4-6 years of age, were located in a wooded area with dense underbrush along Susquehanna Road between Verree and Pine Roads in the city and county of Philadelphia.

 

[AgnesTurnip]

They IDed him through dna though, not jsut records.

DNA is one thing, it tells you biological it's a match. But people can just put any old thing down on paper.

And like others are saying: we don't know if his surname is his mother's, father's, or neither.

You can prove I'm related to my grandma and grandpa, Jean and John Smith, biologically, But if my mother, Jane Smith got pregnant from a man named Jack Doe then had me somewhere where records weren't kept well or had money, or no one knew her, or maybe she even put me up for adoption and got to name me but I'd get my adoptive family's surname! She e could have said my name was Humphreitta Bogart and no one would know anything different. My birth certificate is not going to have the name Smith anywhere or Doe anywhere on it, but I'll still be related to them. Same applies here.

Just cause a piece of paper says your name is one thing, doesn't mean that's who you're related to.

 

[spacedcurls]

Does anyone have the exact location of where the body was found?

I’ve approximated the location (red pin) based on the drawn map that I’ve seen floating around. The House of Good Shepherd was the school for “Wayward Girls” that I’ve seen mentioned before, and is now known as CORA Good Shepherd Mediation. Of course, back then the area was much more wooded and rural.

 

[kaen]

I am glad we now know this child's name but sad that we don't know his story other than his violent and tragic death.

I would love to caution people as they start to throw out theories that appear to state cavalierly theories about adoption and fostering. For people who are adopted or have been fostered, it can be insulting and demeaning to speak about being sold or discarded. (And, I know that trafficking exists and people do unspeakable things to their kids.) This boy has siblings and probably any number of them are in shock and confused in how they lived in lies or deception.

I love to sleuth like everyone. I also try to be respectful and think about what I would feel if someone spoke of me in this way.

It is certainly possible that many of the scenarios suggested in our forum could be what happened to this boy. The tragedy never lessens as he sat unnamed and unclaimed while those who care for his grave were the ones who gave him love.

 

[bears10]

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.

 

[bears10]

DNA is one thing, it tells you biological it's a match. But people can just put any old thing down on paper.

And like others are saying: we don't know if his surname is his mother's, father's, or neither.

You can prove I'm related to my grandma and grandpa, Jean and John Smith, biologically, But if my mother, Jane Smith got pregnant from a man named Jack Doe then had me somewhere where records weren't kept well or had money, or no one knew her, or maybe she even put me up for adoption and got to name me but I'd get my adoptive family's surname! She e could have said my name was Humphreitta Bogart and no one would know anything different. My birth certificate is not going to have the name Smith anywhere or Doe anywhere on it, but I'll still be related to them. Same applies here.

Just cause a piece of paper says your name is one thing, doesn't mean that's who you're related to.

They said the father listed on the birth certificate is his father. They matched the dna. I'm just confused why it's being questioned when it seemed clear to me from the presser that the father on the BC was in fact his actual biological father.