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

[DeeMarie]

I don't believe his biological parents are responsible for his death. It was likely his adoptive/foster parents.

Again, please do not harass anyone mentioned in this thread.

but this was such a big story at the time - why would'nt the parents step forward after hearing about this? They must of heard about it - they lived in the area where their son joseph augustus zarelli was found! It was all over the news!

 

[FormerDoeAdmin]

That is how it was in 2012 when I had my first child. I am in the US. I did marry her dad a year later and had another baby with him, but he was present at the birth and assumed all responsibility and signed the BC. Otherwise they wouldn’t have put him on it. With my son it wouldn’t have mattered bc we were married then. And now we’re not ha.

Maybe it’s different by state? I’m in NJ and my current husband and I were not married when our child was born in 2016. I could have written anything I wanted on it, however HE was not allowed to write on it or sign it, because we were not married. Only me.

 

[mls128]

I can't catch up.

How do we know that the Zarelli wasn't the mother? And IF the baby were born out of wedlock, HER maiden name is put on the birth certificate as the baby's last name. Father's name is on the borth certificate too, but was not given to the baby. To me it seems to be a more modern thing to put the baby's last name as the unwed father's, but back then it wasn't.

Was thinking the same thing. Maybe the mother was unwed and her last name was Zarelli. And she named the baby after her brother who everyone is finding the obituary for.

 

[steff13]

Re; the adoption issue, if his parents were unmarried when he was born, isn't it likely he was put up for adoption, or raised by a relative? That was pretty scandalous back in the day.

 

[18thcenturylady]

Just to be clear, there is some over-enthusiastic sleuthing on this thread (guilty as charged!), but absolutely no one is harassing the family, or suggesting doing so.

Yes, true! Everyone is giving their opinion. I see no one attempting to or suggesting harassing the family and I don't think anyone here would ever do that.

 

[Erutan]

Rest in gentle peace, Joseph !
At last we have a name for this little one.

 

[typical_vacation]

I’m so glad you got your name back, Joey.

 

[fred&edna]

A little boy - abused and murdered - left in a cardboard box in the cold winter - a little boy who was never acknowledge by any biological nor adoptive family for 65 years now has an name. I am appreciative of all the dedication and hard work for soooo long by soooo many. Little Joey needed no more anger in his brief life, and he doesn't need it in death. I'm celebrating the long-awaited answer and will opt not to argue about the (new and lingering) questions today.

jmo

 

[worldwatcher]

"Police said during a Thursday morning press conference that they will not be identifying the boy's parents at this time out of respect for Zarelli's siblings, some of whom are still alive."

Totally understandable,imo



'Boy in the Box' Joseph Augustus Zarelli has living siblings 60 years later

 

[MeadowMuffin]

Was thinking the same thing. Maybe the mother was unwed and her last name was Zarelli. And she named the baby after her brother who everyone is finding the obituary for.

Bingo! And babe was put up for adoption perhaps.

 

[ferretnurse]

I can't catch up.

How do we know that the Zarelli wasn't the mother? And IF the baby were born out of wedlock, HER maiden name is put on the birth certificate as the baby's last name. Father's name is on the borth certificate too, but was not given to the baby. To me it seems to be a more modern thing to put the baby's last name as the unwed father's, but back then it wasn't.

Is this standard? I'm just curious, is there information about this? I've mostly seen fathers last name on the bc, unless the father is unknown or the mother specifically wants to use her own name.

 

[Delphine1981]

Maybe it’s different by state? I’m in NJ and my current husband and I were not married when our child was born in 2016. I could have written anything I wanted on it, however HE was not allowed to write on it or sign it, because we were not married. Only me.

That’s definitely possible! I didn’t think of that. I’m in IL.

 

[Nell91]

My head is mashed. I really can't theorise anything atm that makes any real sense.

 

[txsleuth70]

That’s definitely possible! I didn’t think of that. I’m in IL.

JAZ was identified by DNA not a name.

 

[Alleykins]

I'm new hear and just like to talk about theories. do people actually take it upon themselves to contact people discussed on this forum?! that is too scary. I don't' want to encourage anyone to harass people or pretend like they are detectives themselves. Can you imagine the horror of finding out you are related to this tragedy and then on top of that dealing with psychopaths' from the internet. no thanks.

I don't think anyone on WS would contact family members of newly ID'd people and give them grief, unless they go rogue, as it is against TOS to reach out to family for any reason unless asked by the family members for help.

However great forensic genetic genealogy is, it also opened up a whole new can of worms of people in the general public calling out and harassing family members. With the identification of the first ever unidentified remains using genetic genealogy, Marcia King, people (not anyone here, as far as I know) started harassing her poor mum, who is still alive, last I knew. I was appalled when I heard this. So when the next case was solved, the family decided not to release the person's name, possibly as a result of this harassment, and I don't blame them. Marcia's mum has been nothing but gracious and grateful to everyone who tried to identify Marcia over the years, in spite of the few who condemned her and her family.

 

[EllaMinnowP]

Question: If Joseph was adopted, why only release his biological name? Unless he kept his biological name after being adopted, I would think using the last name of his biological father rather than his adoptive last name might make it less likely to jog the memory of any surviving neighbors or friends?

JMO, but I’m not sure they know anything much about his life, including possible adoption. From the press conference, I gathered that they found dna match relatives using several tools and databases, then later found a birth certificate with mother and father’s name listed with dna tests on living relatives if the named father confirming the relationship.
So, imo, they didn’t get elude to whose care(lack of) our JAZ was under.
They said they wouldn’t even comment on any reaction from the living relatives because it’s part of the ongoing investigation.

 

[Buzzaround]

Does anybody know anything about old birth certificate laws? Here in the UK, a father cannot legally be put onto a birth certificate unless the parents were married, if unmarried, the father must have been present at the point of registering the birth.

I've wondered this too, but your post addressed it more succinctly than I could've. Thanks!

 

[Nell91]

Agree Springrain, we don't want a thread closure like we did with Sherri Jarvis.

 

[MuddyTires]

There’s been reference made to a birth certificate — is there an image or link to it that someone can post? If in a prior post, who posted and what page of the thread is it on?

 

[philippa26]

Back onto what we do know -

Did they say anything about his headstone? I missed the last half of the presser. I hope soon his name is there, he deserves that <3