Identified! PA - Philadelphia, 'Boy in the Box', WhtMale 4-6, 4UMPA, Feb'57 #2 - Joseph Augustus Zarelli

[digiskunk]

Or he had some kind of mental disability and so he was hidden from people like a shameful secret, then shipped to some institution, or locked somewhere away.

Unfortunately, I think this is very possible as it wasn't too uncommon back then. (For example, think Rosemary Kennedy)

 

[digiskunk]

This is totally unrelated, but the Boy in the Box's resting place is in the same cemetery as the boxer Joe Frazier. Just wanted to share an interesting little fact.

 

[elmomom]

I believe the woman, M, that came forward and said the boy was bought or illegally adopted by her mother and father and then abused. She knew aspects of the case (the baked beans, the water soaked fingers and the cut hair) I do know her identity after doing a little sleuthing. She passed away in 2020. I do not know if she is biologically related or not, there was some speculation that her uncle could have been the boy’s father.

 

[strawberry]

I just saw this and I live in the suburbs! I was thinking about this case recently because it had been a whil since they started the dna search! So happy

 

[spacedcurls]

I'm so glad he has finally been identified! I'm in Delaware County, and I'm very curious to find out who he was, especially considering he's apparently from a prominent family. So many names are coming to mind. I'm also feeling that he was a child born out of wedlock or he had a disability of some sort, either of which could cause the family to hide his existence back then. My heart has always hurt for this poor boy, and I'm thankful there will finally be some closure.

 

[Ontario Mom]

I believe the woman, M, that came forward and said the boy was bought or illegally adopted by her mother and father and then abused. She knew aspects of the case (the baked beans, the water soaked fingers and the cut hair) I do know her identity after doing a little sleuthing. She passed away in 2020. I do not know if she is biologically related or not, there was some speculation that her uncle could have been the boy’s father.

I've read about this case off and on over the years (I'm guessing every true crime follower has) and I only recently learned about the baked beans story she told. There's just know way she could have known that, unless she was there when he was eating baked beans. Even if it was an extremely common dinner staple at the time (there I go, down the google rabbit hole, lol), I'm sure the stats on it being an incredibly good guess, are likely off the charts.

jmo

 

[iamshadow21]

I put in a wishlist for Christmas on another thread, cases I wanted resolved, Does I wanted identified. I asked for Quinton found, he's found. I asked for an ID on the the Boy in the Box, and we're going to get an ID.

I'm not a superstitious person, but I am crying with happiness here, and I'm shooting for a hat trick! I want another case solved, another Doe to go home! Universe, make it happen!

As for the believing/not believing M, I've always been a believer. I suspected her mental illness was related to the abuse she endured. I wondered if the memories of the boy came out in therapy, and the hostile reaction to accounts of memory that was repressed or dissociated has often been awful, especially in the legal system. You just have to watch The Keepers and see how Jean was treated to know what I mean.

But, whatever they tell us, whoever he turns out to be, I'm so, so happy the boy is getting his name back. He'd be seventy, now, likely. A whole life he could have lived. A whole life he should have had a chance to live. It's so sad he had to die to become so loved by so many. He deserved that in life. Instead, generations of LE and civilians all over the world have been waiting for the day he's no longer buried under a stone reading 'unknown'. I look forward to it.

 

[musicaljoke]

I put in a wishlist for Christmas on another thread, cases I wanted resolved, Does I wanted identified. I asked for Quinton found, he's found. I asked for an ID on the the Boy in the Box, and we're going to get an ID.

I'm not a superstitious person, but I am crying with happiness here, and I'm shooting for a hat trick! I want another case solved, another Doe to go home! Universe, make it happen!

As for the believing/not believing M, I've always been a believer. I suspected her mental illness was related to the abuse she endured. I wondered if the memories of the boy came out in therapy, and the hostile reaction to accounts of memory that was repressed or dissociated has often been awful, especially in the legal system. You just have to watch The Keepers and see how Jean was treated to know what I mean.

But, whatever they tell us, whoever he turns out to be, I'm so, so happy the boy is getting his name back. He'd be seventy, now, likely. A whole life he could have lived. A whole life he should have had a chance to live. It's so sad he had to die to become so loved by so many. He deserved that in life. Instead, generations of LE and civilians all over the world have been waiting for the day he's no longer buried under a stone reading 'unknown'. I look forward to it.

Nicely written post. Thank you for sharing your thoughts.

 

[alexina]

Was it @othram ??

According to what I've read - no. Colleen Fitzpatrick and her group Identifinders are mentioned as solvers of this boy's identity. She helped in solving the identity of Somerton man.

 

[Chelly]

Wonderful news! This identification provides hope for so many unsolved cases.

 

[Erutan]

Following.
Exciting and sad news all at once !

I've listened to podcasts and YT vids about the theories of this poor little boy's fate.
One of them was pretty compelling, but it sounded like his captor (a woman ?) had either adopted him or was given by the bio family ?
From the condition of his body, homicide was a likely theory ?
Imo.

 

[Erutan]

I still believe M's story, I guess her mother "bought" him from a prominent family? Crazy stuff. I cannot wait for the press release!

Agreed, I'd listened to a theory on YT that a lady held him captive and mistreated him ?
Guess we'll find out next week.
I would imagine that most of the people involved are deceased ?
It'll be great to have answers and lay this boy to respectful rest, as in putting up a proper tombstone !

 

[Erutan]

He had a small well healed scar under his chin and two small scars on his
groin and left ankle that might have been from a prior medical procedure. The image above is a facial reconstruction created by a NCMEC forensic artist and depicts what this child may have looked like in life.

• Philadelphia Police Department (Pennsylvania) 1-215-686-3334 and Philadelphia Medical Examiner’s Office (Pennsylvania) 1-215-685-7445

LINK:

Have you seen this child? JOHN DOE1957

Snipped and bbm.
A doctor would have known if they'd treated him prior to his death, though ?
Would have been an important clue.
LE could have taken his photo around various hospitals in that state and inquired about him ?
I'm surprised it's taken this long to figure out who he was.

 

[Erutan]

I believe the woman, M, that came forward and said the boy was bought or illegally adopted by her mother and father and then abused. She knew aspects of the case (the baked beans, the water soaked fingers and the cut hair) I do know her identity after doing a little sleuthing. She passed away in 2020. I do not know if she is biologically related or not, there was some speculation that her uncle could have been the boy’s father.

Agreed, and from documentaries on this case it sounded like the allegedly abusive mother of "M" would keep him hidden and gagged when people came over, and that's why the other family members and friend's didn't know there was a small boy in the basement ?
Sad, horrible life for him ... and for "M" , if this was the case ?

 

[thelesis]

Too bad we don't have anyone leaking the info like we did with Richard Allen's arrest.

Honestly though, I just want to know if he was the boy M spoke of.

 

[elmomom]

Too bad we don't have anyone leaking the info like we did with Richard Allen's arrest.

Honestly though, I just want to know if he was the boy M spoke of.

I am worried that if he was not biologically related to M, we might never know since they will track him to his bio family, and then presumably the trail will go cold.
though I guess it’s possible they will be able to show his bio family was somehow involved with M family?

 

[spacedcurls]

Snipped and bbm.
A doctor would have known if they'd treated him prior to his death, though ?
Would have been an important clue.
LE could have taken his photo around various hospitals in that state and inquired about him ?
I'm surprised it's taken this long to figure out who he was.

This is all purely speculation, but it's possible that the procedures could have been performed when he was still with his prominent biological family, and they could have very well paid a doctor off to keep it secretive, or something like that. There is also a very prominent family in the area that founded a children's hospital and had family members living in Delaware County, and if he's possibly a child from that family, the family could have had some pull at the hospital to keep things very quiet. It's also been said that his hair was very crudely and unprofessionally cut, so if he'd had longer hair before it might have been harder for doctor's to remember having him as a patient.

And the scars only might have been from a procedure.

Again, this is all speculation from me, and I'm in no way stating that this boy was from the family that founded the hospital (anyone local will know exactly what family I'm talking about), but just giving a potential scenario that could explain why no doctor ever said they performed procedures on the boy.

 

[elmomom]

This is all purely speculation, but it's possible that the procedures could have been performed when he was still with his prominent biological family, and they could have very well paid a doctor off to keep it secretive, or something like that. There is also a very prominent family in the area that founded a children's hospital and had family members living in Delaware County, and if he's possibly a child from that family, the family could have had some pull at the hospital to keep things very quiet. It's also been said that his hair was very crudely and unprofessionally cut, so if he'd had longer hair before it might have been harder for doctor's to remember having him as a patient.

And the scars only might have been from a procedure.

Again, this is all speculation from me, and I'm in no way stating that this boy was from the family that founded the hospital (anyone local will know exactly what family I'm talking about), but just giving a potential scenario that could explain why no doctor ever said they performed procedures on the boy.

Believe me I know of the family of which you speak, but I truly think calling it a “Delaware county” family would not be the way the Philly LE would describe it, even if the branch from which he was came lived in Delaware county, PA

 

[Erutan]

I am worried that if he was not biologically related to M, we might never know since they will track him to his bio family, and then presumably the trail will go cold.
though I guess it’s possible they will be able to show his bio family was somehow involved with M family?

bolding mine.
Thar's a strong possibility, imo.
What are the chances his bio family would choose someone who might 'talk' ?

Also wondering if he was a result of an affair and they "had to get rid of him" ?

We don't know the exact circumstances, but it makes me angry if he was essentially discarded to an unsafe environment, out of the convenience of whomever ?

Although in that case, wouldn't the bio mom have chosen abortion or immediate adoption ?
Again, if that was the scenario -- maybe the bio dad didn't know for a while, and then found out when he was around the age the other family illegally adopted or 'bought' him ?
Ugh.
M00.

 

[elmomom]

Snipped and bbm.
A doctor would have known if they'd treated him prior to his death, though ?
Would have been an important clue.
LE could have taken his photo around various hospitals in that state and inquired about him ?
I'm surprised it's taken this long to figure out who he was.

It is very possible that he had different procedures by different Drs performed, and since he was presumably born into a “prominent” family, it wasn’t obvious to anyone who treated him. He may have had medical procedures done outside of the Philly region, such as in NY.