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

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Ugh, the suspense is killing me. Ever since the announcement I've been constantly searching for updates—primarily the announcement of the date of the press conference... I was hoping today was going to be the day, but alas, it's not. Hm. Maybe tomorrow!
 
Unfortunately, abusers very much like children who cannot easily communicate about what is happening to them.
Oh, I understand that, I just mean it would have been an unconventional arrangement if the second family actually paid to take him. These unofficial fostering and adoption arrangements have gone on for hundreds of years, and generally, it's the birth family who pays. Unfortunately, the family who takes the babies or children can often be abusive, that's why baby farmers historically have such a bad rep as serial killers of infants.

MOO
 
Why did police make this announcement only to have them not be ready to reveal anything? They shouldn’t have said anything until everything was in order.
Which police agency was it, specifically? It's hard to trace where the information came from in the media, I'm only seeing the media reports themselves and they don't reference any specific person or agency. That information may be geoblocked for me.
 
The question mark I think hangs over the 'sold him' angle, is that who is going to buy a disabled child? Especially in the 1950s, when you could be arrested for being visibly disabled in public. (The last of the 'Ugly' Laws wasn't repealed until 1974 in Chicago! Disability Rights Timeline ) I can see a childless family buying a child born out of wedlock to have their own family, but for many children born in this way, disabled or just illegitimate, you paid the family or baby farmer to take them, they didn't pay you.

The only way I can see money going to the 'birth' family is if he was perfect and desirable as a potential son. And if he was clearly disabled and that was the reason for the 'birth' family's rejection, he wouldn't be perfect. They'd be paying for his maintenance, or paying a one-off sum for him to be taken away. It's the only attraction for the family taking him - much like families today who foster for the cheques, not for the welfare of the kids they take on.

MOO

Not all disabilities are apparent at birth.
 
The Philadelphia PD has never officially announced that there has been an identification. A reporter for a Philadelphia television station got a police captain to say that there have been rapid developments in the case. After that it’s all “sources who said”.
 
Why did police make this announcement only to have them not be ready to reveal anything? They shouldn’t have said anything until everything was in order.
I'm thinking maybe ... (1) the communication was made in error, and once it occurred they had to act on it given the high profile nature of his case, (2) letting everyone know, including those who know more, which may provide additional opportunities to glean information around his case essentially out of the imminent inevitability of the announcement, (3) perhaps there are multiple parties/families involved - born to one family, raised by another, or perhaps even abducted, (4) perhaps there is some party or even an institution that could be held liable in some way even given the poor baby has been deceased for 65 years. Hard to know. I'm thinking if they are waiting, there is a reason and am trusting and hopeful it is more about preserving this child, his memory, and the investigation instead of from some crazy media angle. I hate to even think or say that, but I have seen it before :( Peace little one <3
 
The Philadelphia PD has never officially announced that there has been an identification. A reporter for a Philadelphia television station got a police captain to say that there have been rapid developments in the case. After that it’s all “sources who said”.
You're right. The quotes are "sources say"...not Philly P.D. Might be someone rushed to get "the scoop" before Philly was ready to schedule anything. Guess we'll see.

Amateur opinion and speculation
 
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