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

[AgeofAquaruis]

I don't find that surprising at all. Secrecy and child abuse have been a part of many institutions that "took care of children" across the world. I hope we can someday find more answers.

Me too. Time to stop protecting,hiding,and covering up this kind of thing. MOO

 

[imstilla.grandma]

Using DNA for identification, though, only works when there is something to compare it to.

That is where databases — containing DNA submitted by people to genealogy tracing companies — can come in handy.

However, that DNA is limited. One study found about 75% of the available DNA in those databases comes from people of northern European descent.

"Children of color, families of color, have a smaller footprint in the DNA databases," Bischoff said.

That can limit major breakthroughs in cold cases — like the recent identification of Joseph Zarelli, the so-called "Boy in the Box" — whose body was found in Philadelphia in the 1950s.

The turning point in the case came from DNA submitted to a genealogy website by a relative, which allowed investigators to piece together a family tree and figure out who he was.

"As we saw with the 'Boy in the Box,' I remember watching that on 'Unsolved Mysteries' as a child and thinking, 'There's no way you can have a little kid who was found dead in a box and nobody can figure out who this child belonged to,'" said Erika Marie Rivers, founder of Our Black Girls.

The organization focuses on bringing attention to cases of missing Black girls, including Black "Jane Does" who remain unidentified.

DNA not a simple solution for solving cases of unidentified children

DNA from genealogy databases could help give a name to unidentified missing children, but trust and privacy concerns remain a challenge.

www.denver7.com

 

[GumShoelace]

The organization focuses on bringing attention to cases of missing Black girls, including Black "Jane Does" who remain unidentified.

DNA not a simple solution for solving cases of unidentified children

DNA from genealogy databases could help give a name to unidentified missing children, but trust and privacy concerns remain a challenge.

www.denver7.com

Also seems apropos of the disparities in identifying Philly's 1962 "Girl in the Box," a Black girl about the same age as Joseph Zarelli. She was found dead about five years after Joseph. She would certainly have been difficult to ID no matter what, due to the condition of her body (she was missing her head.) But as this December 2022 Philadelphia Inquirer article points out, the case itself also received much less attention than Joseph's. The article quotes a La Salle professor who says that research shows that cases of missing Black/Latino children typically receive less attention than their white counterparts. <modsnip: not an approved source>

There's also a sad punctuation to the Girl in the Box story. She was buried in the same potter's field where Joseph was originally interred, and in 2018, researchers tried to exhume her body in order to extract DNA in hopes of finally identifying her. But they were unable to find her grave; she is presumably lost among many others in the potter's field.

 

[iamshadow21]

Also seems apropos of the disparities in identifying Philly's 1962 "Girl in the Box," a Black girl about the same age as Joseph Zarelli. She was found dead about five years after Joseph. She would certainly have been difficult to ID no matter what, due to the condition of her body (she was missing her head.) But as this December 2022 Philadelphia Inquirer article points out, the case itself also received much less attention than Joseph's. The article quotes a La Salle professor who says that research shows that cases of missing Black/Latino children typically receive less attention than their white counterparts. <modsnip: not an approved source>

There's also a sad punctuation to the Girl in the Box story. She was buried in the same potter's field where Joseph was originally interred, and in 2018, researchers tried to exhume her body in order to extract DNA in hopes of finally identifying her. But they were unable to find her grave; she is presumably lost among many others in the potter's field.

I would hope they would try again; there have been cases before where it took several attempts to find remains in unmarked plots.

 

[CCJD]

There's also a sad punctuation to the Girl in the Box story. She was buried in the same potter's field where Joseph was originally interred, and in 2018, researchers tried to exhume her body in order to extract DNA in hopes of finally identifying her. But they were unable to find her grave; she is presumably lost among many others in the potter's field.

RSBM

The Girl in the Box's thread: PA - PA - Philadelphia, BlkFem 4-6, UP16611, Amputated Finger, Wht apron, in milk crate, May'62

 

[scruffydog]

They were not aware of half siblings. It was all kept hush hush by MA, which i guess was standard back in the day.

No, they say they weren't aware, none of us know the truth but them. I never saw it stated that she was estranged from her family, so hard for me to believe that no-one in her family knew she was pregnant. Also, it was stated that there was no adoption on record for Joseph. If she gave up her other child, in a recorded adoption, I would assume she wouldn't employ any hush hush method of adopting out this child. Furthermore, if I ever personally gave up a child for adoption, and a small child was later found murdered, you can bet I'd do everything I could to make sure it wasn't my child!!

 

[Susikatze]

No, they say they weren't aware, none of us know the truth but them. I never saw it stated that she was estranged from her family, so hard for me to believe that no-one in her family knew she was pregnant. Also, it was stated that there was no adoption on record for Joseph. If she gave up her other child, in a recorded adoption, I would assume she wouldn't employ any hush hush method of adopting out this child. Furthermore, if I ever personally gave up a child for adoption, and a small child was later found murdered, you can bet I'd do everything I could to make sure it wasn't my child!!

She may not even have known about the murdered child. News did not spread very far before social media.
And probably her siblings and parents may have known about her pregnancies but those are gone and probably never talked to her younger kids about it.

This is all if we assume JAZ did not stay with her but was indeed fostered or adopted.

 

[Susikatze]

We just had the case of Amore Wiggins, Opelika JD. Her mom (not voluntarily) had to give custody up to the father of the child, who murdered her. Yes this was recent, 11 years ago, when Amores body was found. Still, her mother did not connect the dots or even hear of that case until genealogy solved it just now.

Much more so in the early 50s.

I am not saying MA is innocent, we have no idea who JAZ actually stayed with. But just pointing out that even if the child you gave away is found murdered basically next door, it does not mean you necessarily know.

I am sure some people back in the day knew where JAZ stayed with. But theyre all likely gone.

 

[Erutan]

So we still don't know how JAZ ended up in the abusive home ?
We know the identities of his biological family, but not the person/people who were responsible for his early demise ?

Imo.

 

[Susikatze]

So we still don't know how JAZ ended up in the abusive home ?
We know the identities of his biological family, but not the person/people who were responsible for his early demise ?

Imo.

Sadly, no.

There may be some active investigation going on, but with everyome involved likely gone, it is hard.

 

[Cubby]

No, they say they weren't aware, none of us know the truth but them. I never saw it stated that she was estranged from her family, so hard for me to believe that no-one in her family knew she was pregnant. Also, it was stated that there was no adoption on record for Joseph. If she gave up her other child, in a recorded adoption, I would assume she wouldn't employ any hush hush method of adopting out this child. Furthermore, if I ever personally gave up a child for adoption, and a small child was later found murdered, you can bet I'd do everything I could to make sure it wasn't my child!!

Thank you. I have trouble with the adoption or foster theories considering all the professionals/experts who worked so diligently to identify Joseph. Statistically speaking the odds of all the experts being incorrect and the odds of one of a dozen or so JC Penney bassinets being purchased in the same vicinity and time of Joseph's death and siblings birth, not pointing the MA's home seems incredibly unlikely. I'd love a statistics expert to give us the stats.
Add to that a cab driver who likely had access to and knowledge of an area to dump little Joseph.

 

[Jerri Blank]

No, they say they weren't aware, none of us know the truth but them. I never saw it stated that she was estranged from her family, so hard for me to believe that no-one in her family knew she was pregnant. Also, it was stated that there was no adoption on record for Joseph. If she gave up her other child, in a recorded adoption, I would assume she wouldn't employ any hush hush method of adopting out this child. Furthermore, if I ever personally gave up a child for adoption, and a small child was later found murdered, you can bet I'd do everything I could to make sure it wasn't my child!!

Interesting, because i think the opposite about everything you said. I believe I read that you couldnt even say "pregnant" on TV in the 50s, so i wouldn't be surprised that this wasnt an open discussion.

and i can absolutely see everyone in her family looking the other way on an unplanned pregnancy, especially if they'd already dealt with the scandal/shame of a previous unwed pregnancy. she could have felt embarrassed to be "in trouble" again and hidden it as west she could, and they could have abidded by a don't ask, don't tell policy.

that guilt, shame and lack of support would have made it more likely that she would seek out a more clandestine avenue to adopt out a subsequent unplanned baby. and that guilt could have made her live in denial about JAZ being her child if she even did hear about his case.

IMO

 

[Toots1]

Thank you. I have trouble with the adoption or foster theories considering all the professionals/experts who worked so diligently to identify Joseph. Statistically speaking the odds of all the experts being incorrect and the odds of one of a dozen or so JC Penney bassinets being purchased in the same vicinity and time of Joseph's death and siblings birth, not pointing the MA's home seems incredibly unlikely. I'd love a statistics expert to give us the stats.
Add to that a cab driver who likely had access to and knowledge of an area to dump little Joseph.

Cab driver? What are you talking about?

 

[scruffydog]

Interesting, because i think the opposite about everything you said. I believe I read that you couldnt even say "pregnant" on TV in the 50s, so i wouldn't be surprised that this wasnt an open discussion.

and i can absolutely see everyone in her family looking the other way on an unplanned pregnancy, especially if they'd already dealt with the scandal/shame of a previous unwed pregnancy. she could have felt embarrassed to be "in trouble" again and hidden it as west she could, and they could have abidded by a don't ask, don't tell policy.

that guilt, shame and lack of support would have made it more likely that she would seek out a more clandestine avenue to adopt out a subsequent unplanned baby. and that guilt could have made her live in denial about JAZ being her child if she even did hear about his case.

IMO

I disagree

 

[barbel]

that guilt, shame and lack of support would have made it more likely that she would seek out a more clandestine avenue to adopt out a subsequent unplanned baby. and that guilt could have made her live in denial about JAZ being her child if she even did hear about his case.

I agree with the denial theory.

It must have been pretty hard for her if she did put her child up for adoption or unofficially into other people's care. The fact that he was not well cared for may have been too much for her - it's not unheard of.

 

[Susikatze]

Interesting, because i think the opposite about everything you said. I believe I read that you couldnt even say "pregnant" on TV in the 50s, so i wouldn't be surprised that this wasnt an open discussion.

and i can absolutely see everyone in her family looking the other way on an unplanned pregnancy, especially if they'd already dealt with the scandal/shame of a previous unwed pregnancy. she could have felt embarrassed to be "in trouble" again and hidden it as west she could, and they could have abidded by a don't ask, don't tell policy.

that guilt, shame and lack of support would have made it more likely that she would seek out a more clandestine avenue to adopt out a subsequent unplanned baby. and that guilt could have made her live in denial about JAZ being her child if she even did hear about his case.

IMO

I believe so. She did never tell her other kids that they have two older half siblings that were given away because she was unwed and couldnt care for them. It was never mentioned by MA to the family, not even at a time when her younger kids were adults who would certainly at that point have been interested in finding the half siblings.

As for her sisters, not sure if any are still alive, but it seems they didnt know, either or at least kept everything very quiet

 

[DBinMA]

My mother gave up a child long before I was born. We found out by accident but were absolutely forbidden to talk about it. My brother found us, all of the siblings met and we were STILL forbidden to discuss it. My mom has been gone for many years and my aunts and uncles still will not discuss it with me. Do not underestimate the fierce loyalty of that generation.

 

[Ms Suzanne]

I hope and pray they are still looking for answers of what happened to little Joseph. Does anyone know what the one lead was? What is everyone hearing of what they are finding out now what happened to him? Only 1 Tip Since Joseph Zarelli ID'd but a Suspect Search Continues

 

[Toots1]

I provided the lead. Was then invited to a Vidocq meeting. The timeline of my leads' (the child) birth and death don't match up to JAZ, but measurements of JAZ and my Phila lead in 1957 are very similar. Anyone that needed to cover up this death, could have altered the dates. I don't know of any details of the current investigation.

 

[Melt71]

I provided the lead. Was then invited to a Vidocq meeting. The timeline of my leads' (the child) birth and death don't match up to JAZ, but measurements of JAZ and my Phila lead in 1957 are very similar. Anyone that needed to cover up this death, could have altered the dates. I don't know of any details of the current investigation.

Well done Toots. Little JAZ deserves the best efforts.