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

[RoseTree]

Not saying M's story is true or false, but neighbors absolutely don't always know what goes on behind closed doors. It is absolutely not implausible that neighbors wouldn't know about an abused child confined to a basement. IMO.

Neighbors also were interviewed years later.

 

[nhmemorymaker]

Not saying M's story is true or false, but neighbors absolutely don't always know what goes on behind closed doors. It is absolutely not implausible that neighbors wouldn't know about an abused child confined to a basement. IMO.

I found it hard to dismiss M's accounts--Partially because M seemed to be quite a credible person.
But I do, personally, have a close relative who have had 'memory therapy' in the same period, and those memories were truly deemed to be totally false.
But I still find many of her details to be so credible. So complex.

 

[KAYTOM]

The dichotomy in care screams to me that he was under the care of different people at various points in his life.
Also if he only received medical care when he was sick or injured he may not have been vaccinated. I can’t speak to the 50’s but in my lifetime it’s been common place not to vaccinate while sick. It’s usually recommended at follow up.

Under the care of different people, or someone abusive enters the picture halfway through the poor kid's life. There was a case like that near philadelphia around 2013. Bio dad ran off and mom with an abusive boyfriend and his boyfriend.

 

[RaspberryMama]

The Philadelphia Inquirer 28 Feb 1957, page Page 1 - Newspapers.com

View the digital scanned newspaper from The Philadelphia Inquirer dated 28 Feb 1957, page Page 1.

www.newspapers.com

This article states that the man who saw a woman and boy along the side of the road where Joseph was left had an "admirably complete" description of both people and of the car.

Yet the description of the car was never released as far as I know. I wonder if LE still has that description. That seems like it would be a huge lead.

This isn't to imply anything regarding M's statement. This man saw something and I wish we knew the details.

 

[csa29]

i agree if they still have the descriptions they should release it. Probably should have back then too?

 

[RaspberryMama]

i agree if they still have the descriptions they should release it. Probably should have back then too?

Yeah - what could have been their reasoning?

The article does say the woman and boy were seen about 200 yards from where Joseph was found, which is quite a large distance imo, and they found a pile of women's and children's clothing near where they were. Maybe they decided they had nothing to do with it? Seems like something that should have been pursued a bit more.

 

[Friday Fan]

There is a good chance that the vehicle wasn't related to JAZ. It was still light out when he saw the vehicle, which was between 5 and 5:30 pm.

The sun set at 5:46 pm on Feb 24th but civil twilight ended at 6:14 pm. It stays light for another 15 minutes after sunset, with city lights usually turning on around 10 minutes after sunset.


If I was gonna dispose of a body, I would do it at night.

Also, they may not have been concealing the plate if they were reaching in the trunk.

Sure, it's a tip and it's important to call it in and follow up on it. However, they probably only seemed suspicious to the GS in hindsight.

I am surprised that they did not give details about the make and model of the vehicle.

It seemed like the press was really good about following up on leads, and I don't know if this lead was followed up in the press or not.

The Boy in the Box website doesn't have a follow up article.

 

[jetlagsa]

I am counting on that. When the captain said that they had theories, that gave me hope.

precious child. my heart breeaks.

 

[Daphne1972]

There is a good chance that the vehicle wasn't related to JAZ. It was still light out when he saw the vehicle, which was between 5 and 5:30 pm.

The sun set at 5:46 pm on Feb 24th but civil twilight ended at 6:14 pm. It stays light for another 15 minutes after sunset, with city lights usually turning on around 10 minutes after sunset.


If I was gonna dispose of a body, I would do it at night.

Also, they may not have been concealing the plate if they were reaching in the trunk.

Sure, it's a tip and it's important to call it in and follow up on it. However, they probably only seemed suspicious to the GS in hindsight.

I am surprised that they did not give details about the make and model of the vehicle.

It seemed like the press was really good about following up on leads, and I don't know if this lead was followed up in the press or not.

The Boy in the Box website doesn't have a follow up article.

Unless you were in a hurry.

 

[DBinMA]

Under the care of different people, or someone abusive enters the picture halfway through the poor kid's life. There was a case like that near philadelphia around 2013. Bio dad ran off and mom with an abusive boyfriend and his boyfriend.

Yes the “new husband” scenario definitely fits. As does moving in with other relatives. Multi generational households were much more common at that time.

 

[Alleykins]

Under the care of different people, or someone abusive enters the picture halfway through the poor kid's life. There was a case like that near philadelphia around 2013. Bio dad ran off and mom with an abusive boyfriend and his boyfriend.

RBBM for focus.

This is nearly exactly what happened to my recently discovered older half brother. His mother was a drug addict. As a newborn, he ended up in the care of family members, either his maternal grandparents or maternal great aunt and uncle, sorry I can't remember which. They doted on him & took excellent care of him. When he was two, his mother reclaimed him. He went from being the center of attention, being fawned over, bathed, fed, and nurtured, to a life of sheer neglect, poverty, and abuse, at the hands of his mother and her long string of boyfriends, and then a stepfather.

 

[RaspberryMama]

I do think Joseph was cared for at the beginning of his life and then something changed at some point. Maybe his first guardian - bio parent or otherwise - had an emergency of some sort and left him with someone who gave him to someone else. That's hypothetical of course, but really anything could have happened in the 4 years of his life.

LE doesn't know how long he was in the Market / 61st street area. I assume (but maybe shouldn't) that's where they're starting because that was the address on the bc.

I've been reading old articles about the baby black market in Philadelphia. It seems to have hit its heyday in the late 40's / early 50's. Search "baby black market" in old newspapers of the area and it seems like a crazy amount of this was going on. I think something similar may have happened to Joseph.

Jun 25, 1952, page 25 - The Philadelphia Inquirer at Newspapers.com - Newspapers.com

View the digital scanned newspaper from The Philadelphia Inquirer dated Jun 25, 1952, page 25.

www.newspapers.com

Btw,I have never gotten a clear answer on exactly WHY some people thought he may have been special needs. I just can't find anything to substantiate that. Was it just an idea that eventually took on a life of its own, or was there something about his body that caused this theory?

 

[osadelnorte]

I do think Joseph was cared for at the beginning of his life and then something changed at some point. Maybe his first guardian - bio parent or otherwise - had an emergency of some sort and left him with someone who gave him to someone else. That's hypothetical of course, but really anything could have happened in the 4 years of his life.

LE doesn't know how long he was in the Market / 61st street area. I assume (but maybe shouldn't) that's where they're starting because that was the address on the bc.

I've been reading old articles about the baby black market in Philadelphia. It seems to have hit its heyday in the late 40's / early 50's. Search "baby black market" in old newspapers of the area and it seems like a crazy amount of this was going on. I think something similar may have happened to Joseph.

Jun 25, 1952, page 25 - The Philadelphia Inquirer at Newspapers.com - Newspapers.com

View the digital scanned newspaper from The Philadelphia Inquirer dated Jun 25, 1952, page 25.

www.newspapers.com

Btw,I have never gotten a clear answer on exactly WHY some people thought he may have been special needs. I just can't find anything to substantiate that. Was it just an idea that eventually took on a life of its own, or was there something about his body that caused this theory?

I have speculated about him having some sort of special needs or delays. To me, the combination of his neglected state and the fact that nobody reported a missing child in the area where they now think he lived have made me wonder whether he was being hidden by his family, or if he was special needs, maybe he didn't have the skills to make himself known to neighbors, etc. I know that my own children at four years old were very vocal and social, always wanting to be outside in the yard, waving and chatting to neighbors, helping with small tasks when we worked outside. Even my child who had speech delays made himself well-known to everybody around us. So it's only speculation after having my own kids that age, but Joseph's absence from local life makes me wonder if there was something about his development. But it's only MOO of course.

 

[spacedcurls]

Btw,I have never gotten a clear answer on exactly WHY some people thought he may have been special needs. I just can't find anything to substantiate that. Was it just an idea that eventually took on a life of its own, or was there something about his body that caused this theory?

I don't think it has ever been proven or suggested by LE -- early on in the investigation, they received an anonymous phone call from a woman asking if the boy appeared to have any developmental delays before going on a rant about how frustrating it is to care for someone with such delays, and that someone might have snapped and killed him, but LE had no way to tell based on Joseph's appearance alone.

In M's account, she does claim that he was special needs and that he didn't speak, so it's possible that people have run with that theory as well.

Or it could just be speculation based on how people with special needs were often (but not always) treated back then.

 

[Friday Fan]

RBBM for focus.

This is nearly exactly what happened to my recently discovered older half brother. His mother was a drug addict. As a newborn, he ended up in the care of family members, either his maternal grandparents or maternal great aunt and uncle, sorry I can't remember which. They doted on him & took excellent care of him. When he was two, his mother reclaimed him. He went from being the center of attention, being fawned over, bathed, fed, and nurtured, to a life of sheer neglect, poverty, and abuse, at the hands of his mother and her long string of boyfriends, and then a stepfather.

Sadly, this is entirely possible.

Also this was the 1950's....

There just weren't support resources for single parents.

Heck, almost all of my pregnant acquaintances and friends I know in the early 70's "got married". (Most of those ended in the divorce)

Usually if the father of the child wouldn't get involved, a marriage to someone else usually occurred shortly afterward. (The mom would find someone)

Very rarely would family members help a single mom.

There was tremendous pressure to "get married" or "give up your child for adoption". However, the adoptions that I knew of were all legit. However, "getting married" was by far the number one option. Adoption was not as common and it was more common among younger teens who were not of marrying age. Adoption always involved "going away to a home".

Someone I knew had a child out of wedlock and the guy dumped her while she was pregnant. While she was pregnant, she found someone else. When the baby was a few months old, they got married. He ended up abusing the child.

However, this was when I was in high school 70-74. I can't imagine the 50's.

ETA: I think the JAZ's mom was likely on the "older side"...in OTW at least 21 MOO (just based on my ramblings and remembering how it was)

Wish the front page from this article was available

"Black Market in Babies Bared by D.A.'s Office," pt. 2

Clipping found in The Philadelphia Inquirer published in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on 6/25/1952. "Black Market in Babies Bared by D.A.'s Office," pt. 2

www.newspapers.com

 

[Laughing]

I do think Joseph was cared for at the beginning of his life and then something changed at some point. Maybe his first guardian - bio parent or otherwise - had an emergency of some sort and left him with someone who gave him to someone else. That's hypothetical of course, but really anything could have happened in the 4 years of his life.

LE doesn't know how long he was in the Market / 61st street area. I assume (but maybe shouldn't) that's where they're starting because that was the address on the bc.

I've been reading old articles about the baby black market in Philadelphia. It seems to have hit its heyday in the late 40's / early 50's. Search "baby black market" in old newspapers of the area and it seems like a crazy amount of this was going on. I think something similar may have happened to Joseph.

Jun 25, 1952, page 25 - The Philadelphia Inquirer at Newspapers.com - Newspapers.com

View the digital scanned newspaper from The Philadelphia Inquirer dated Jun 25, 1952, page 25.

www.newspapers.com

Btw,I have never gotten a clear answer on exactly WHY some people thought he may have been special needs. I just can't find anything to substantiate that. Was it just an idea that eventually took on a life of its own, or was there something about his body that caused this theory?

Remember that during the genetic genealogy search, LE obtained a warrant for all births by one woman from 1944 to 1956.

I don't know why they stopped at 1956 -- but LE knows.

Did the birth mother provide good care for the child and then became incapacitated, died, incarcerated?

Married, accepted to professional school?

Something told LE to stop looking -- and within weeks JAZ was deceased.

Indeed looks like someone took over -- but did not provide even adequate care.

 

[CCJD]

Wish the front page from this article was available

"Black Market in Babies Bared by D.A.'s Office," pt. 2

Clipping found in The Philadelphia Inquirer published in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on 6/25/1952. "Black Market in Babies Bared by D.A.'s Office," pt. 2

www.newspapers.com

RSBM

The Philadelphia Inquirer 25 Jun 1952, page Page 1 - Newspapers.com

View the digital scanned newspaper from The Philadelphia Inquirer dated 25 Jun 1952, page Page 1.

www.newspapers.com

 

[RaspberryMama]

Sadly, this is entirely possible.

Also this was the 1950's....

There just weren't support resources for single parents.

Heck, almost all of my pregnant acquaintances and friends I know in the early 70's "got married". (Most of those ended in the divorce)

Usually if the father of the child wouldn't get involved, a marriage to someone else usually occurred shortly afterward. (The mom would find someone)

Very rarely would family members help a single mom.

There was tremendous pressure to "get married" or "give up your child for adoption". However, the adoptions that I knew of were all legit. However, "getting married" was by far the number one option. Adoption was not as common and it was more common among younger teens who were not of marrying age. Adoption always involved "going away to a home".

Someone I knew had a child out of wedlock and the guy dumped her while she was pregnant. While she was pregnant, she found someone else. When the baby was a few months old, they got married. He ended up abusing the child.

However, this was when I was in high school 70-74. I can't imagine the 50's.

ETA: I think the JAZ's mom was likely on the "older side"...in OTW at least 21 MOO (just based on my ramblings and remembering how it was)

Wish the front page from this article was available

"Black Market in Babies Bared by D.A.'s Office," pt. 2

Clipping found in The Philadelphia Inquirer published in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on 6/25/1952. "Black Market in Babies Bared by D.A.'s Office," pt. 2

www.newspapers.com

I have it, but I don't think we are supposed to do screenshots of articles behind a paywall.

 

[RaspberryMama]

Remember that during the genetic genealogy search, LE obtained a warrant for all births by one woman from 1944 to 1956.

I don't know why they stopped at 1956 -- but LE knows.

Did the birth mother provide good care for the child and then became incapacitated, died, incarcerated?

Married, accepted to professional school?

Something told LE to stop looking -- and within weeks JAZ was deceased.

Indeed looks like someone took over -- but did not provide even adequate care.

Remember, they had to get a court order to obtain any birth certificate. And in the process of doing that they had to be clear with the court what their purpose was - to find the birth certificate of the unknown boy. Well, he was dead in 1957 and obviously older than one year. However, he was malnourished and possibly older than he appeared. They went back farther than necessary to be sure to get all possible birth dates in there, but no judge is going to approve a search for a birth certificate with a date of a year or two after a child's death. I don't think 1956 had anything to do with the mother. It's just how the vital records office and the court works. Imo.

 

[DBinMA]

Remember that during the genetic genealogy search, LE obtained a warrant for all births by one woman from 1944 to 1956.

I don't know why they stopped at 1956 -- but LE knows.

Did the birth mother provide good care for the child and then became incapacitated, died, incarcerated?

Married, accepted to professional school?

Something told LE to stop looking -- and within weeks JAZ was deceased.

Indeed looks like someone took over -- but did not provide even adequate care.

Remember that during the genetic genealogy search, LE obtained a warrant for all births by one woman from 1944 to 1956.

I don't know why they stopped at 1956 -- but LE knows.

Did the birth mother provide good care for the child and then became incapacitated, died, incarcerated?

Married, accepted to professional school?

Something told LE to stop looking -- and within weeks JAZ was deceased.

Indeed looks like someone took over -- but did not provide even adequate care.

I had this thought too. I was initially wondering if she had passed or became otherwise incapacitated but then there was the mention of additional siblings.
Now I suspect that was when she married, maybe into a higher profile family since they mentioned “prominent family”.
It could be that she “jumped to the other side of the tracks”.