Identified! PA - Philadelphia, 'Boy in the Box', WhtMale 4-6, 4UMPA, Feb'57

[Nece]

So I had a thought.. I have been searching through people searching for adoptees in the Pa data base..

I wonder if the child was put into a group home for adoption by a single mother hoping to give him a better life and then was abused and killed in home.

It makes sense to me with how he was found and condition. If he was in a home they would most likely have cribs and cradles and may have a box for one that was bought or donated..

Still searching through but some are looking for children given up as far back as 1932..

I think this is the most reasonable idea. I still follow the foster home idea. If he was in foster care because parents couldn't care for him and the system would cover the operations he seemed to need. The biggest thing that sticks in my mind is the haphazard hair cutting. How does this figure in the case? It couldn't be shock treatments because he was too young. Why did they cut his hair?

 

[ScarlettScarpetta]

I don't think he was adopted out. I think people who know who he was if he was. I think that he could have been in a home or orphanage the whole time. There are so many babies at that time that just went to Catholic Charities.

I have been looking for birth mothers looking for a child of that age. There are more than I thought there would be.
If you think about it this information was never available back then. IT was all confidential now people are foregoing that for contact. It is worth a shot.

 

[ScarlettScarpetta]

I think this is the most reasonable idea. I still follow the foster home idea. If he was in foster care because parents couldn't care for him and the system would cover the operations he seemed to need. The biggest thing that sticks in my mind is the haphazard hair cutting. How does this figure in the case? It couldn't be shock treatments because he was too young. Why did they cut his hair?

I think the help him not be recognized.. Or because they just cut the hair of the orphanage kids horribly short. Seeing the hand prints on his head, I think he could have just gotten a haircut fought them and then was just abused to death.

 

[Ms Suzanne]

I think this is the most reasonable idea. I still follow the foster home idea. If he was in foster care because parents couldn't care for him and the system would cover the operations he seemed to need. The biggest thing that sticks in my mind is the haphazard hair cutting. How does this figure in the case? It couldn't be shock treatments because he was too young. Why did they cut his hair?

I think he was just getting into a foster home,Orphanage,Hospital or Institution of some kind.But maybe getting ready to adopt out too.I personally feel he died in the middle of getting his hair cut and the hair cut is the cause of his death.I said this before.I feel the more he fought getting a hair cut,the more abusive someone got with him to make him and force him to get his hair cut.

 

[Nece]

I think he was just getting into a foster home,Orphanage,Hospital or Institution of some kind.But maybe getting ready to adopt out too.I personally feel he died in the middle of getting his hair cut and the hair cut is the cause of his death.I said this before.I feel the more he fought getting a hair cut,the more abusive someone got with him to make him and force him to get his hair cut.

Does anyone know if the foster home (the one with dad marrying stepdaughter) was checked for new admits? Probably no record right?

 

[Ms Suzanne]

Does anyone know if the foster home (the one with dad marrying stepdaughter) was checked for new admits? Probably no record right?

They said they checked all that.The foster home people were ruled out a few times.Remington Bristow the medical examiner is the one one who kept pursuing that lead.I do respect him very much.

 

[Ms Suzanne]

I would believe it had something to do with that foster home.But Detective Tom Augustine said in a video I can't find now (It was removed)on 48 hours that the haircuts did not match.The foster home did not give haircuts like that.So I have not looked any further into the foster home.It looks like an institution,orphanage type hair cut.St Johns Orphanage had their hair cuts like that.Maybe St Vincent's Tacony did to.It looks like a catholic or institution type haircut to me.

 

[Ms Suzanne]

There was also dye in his eye.I feel possibly checking into a Orphanage,institution or foster home type place.Possibly checking his eye for a ailment?

 

[Nece]

There was also dye in his eye.I feel possibly checking into a Orphanage,institution or foster home type place.Possibly checking his eye for a ailment?

what kind of dye in his eye? did not know about this part. I'm new to this case

 

[Ms Suzanne]

what kind of dye in his eye? did not know about this part. I'm new to this case

In David Stouts book.The Unsolved Case of America's Unknown Child on page 24.It says Dr Spelman was startled to see that the boys left eye shone lemon-yellow when an ultraviolet light was trained on it.He suspected that a special diagnostic dye had been applied,perhaps to treat a chronic eye disease.

 

[Ms Suzanne]

This is a very very good website on him.It says a lot. David Stouts book.The Boy in the box -The Unsolved Case of America's Unknown Child has all the updates.

http://americasunknownchild.net/


http://www.amazon.com/Boy-Box-Unsolved-Americas-Unknown/dp/1599212692

 

[Ms Suzanne]

I think he had this test done or something similar on him.He probably would have seen a Ophthalmologist for his eye.The effects of the dye was still in his system and shown in his left eye.This is what makes me think he was just getting into a Orphanage,foster home,hospital or institution or about ready to be adopted out.I still think this little boy may be in the system somewhere.DHS Child Welfare or Children's Bureau ect...I do think there are records somewhere in a few different places especially if it went through the courts and through a judge and the child was a ward of the state.Possibly falsified records.The court records would not be falsified.

http://www.healthline.com/health/fluorescein-angiography#Overview1

 

[DBinMA]

Fluorescein stain is kept on hand by most doctors and veterinarians (I assume this is the dye as it's so common). He wouldn't have needed to see an ophthalmologist or even an optometrist to have it in his eye. I wouldn't be surprised if back in the day most orphanages had it on hand. Its used for a number of things but most commonly for looking for scratched and punctures in the eye.

 

[Ms Suzanne]

Fluorescein stain is kept on hand by most doctors and veterinarians (I assume this is the dye as it's so common). He wouldn't have needed to see an ophthalmologist or even an optometrist to have it in his eye. I wouldn't be surprised if back in the day most orphanages had it on hand. Its used for a number of things but most commonly for looking for scratched and punctures in the eye.

Yes,I'm interested in any Orphanages,institutions that had their own infirmary that could have checked his eye.I do kind of think he might have went to a Dr though.

Did St Vincent's Tacony,St Johns Orphanage or Lutheran Home for children and aged have an infirmary.I think the Lutheran home on German Town Ave did.They( The Lutheran Orphanage) were also the only Orphanage I could find that took in babies and Children.St John's Orphanage did not take in babies.I'm confused if St Vincent's Tacony did or not.

Assuming the bassinet box was taken with the boy and put with him.

 

[Skeeter]

I stop here once in awhile hoping someone in this world has spoken up for him. Reading about the way he was treated just turns my stomach. How, after all these years, can someone live with themselves knowing something so horrific! I just wanted to stop by and send a prayer that the person(s) who do know something, can find the strength to come forward.

 

[sam spade]

I was wondering, do they have DNA on this child? And were there no bar codes on boxes back then? Could they not trace where the bar code on the box came from and the purchase therein? Just wondering....

This case makes me cry.

 

[delirious1]

I was just thinking about his possible DNA as well. I have always believed this boy to be one of the dudley children. I know they were able to find exactly where the bassinet was purchased. After so many years this is still so sad.

 

[Ms Suzanne]

I was wondering, do they have DNA on this child? And were there no bar codes on boxes back then? Could they not trace where the bar code on the box came from and the purchase therein? Just wondering....

This case makes me cry.

There is only MTdna (on his mothers side) on him for a possible match to someone.I personally feel it is weak and not in CODIS.But I do not know this.I hope and pray they are redoing his DNA again for better results.Maybe someone can call and see if they are doing this for him.

 

[alliemay]

I was wondering, do they have DNA on this child? And were there no bar codes on boxes back then? Could they not trace where the bar code on the box came from and the purchase therein? Just wondering....

This case makes me cry.

I think they were able to trace all but a few, I can't remember now, not sure how back then they tracked sales. Was there eleven sold and they found nine, I can't remember.

 

[Ms Suzanne]

I think they were able to trace all but a few, I can't remember now, not sure how back then they tracked sales. Was there eleven sold and they found nine, I can't remember.

I have heard different things too.In Jim Hoffmann's book he says William H. Kelly assured me that “eleven were sold and nine boxes were accounted for.