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

[Susikatze]

I dont do True Crime or most journalism or fiction on cases.

But from a very objective angle, the Martha theory does make the most sense to me, too. She had lots of insider information that was not communicated to the public. Just the "purchase on black market" sounds a bit odd to me. Certainly, a desperate mother would hand her child to an informal foster home for free or for paying a small fee. That has happened plenty of times.
But selling ones toddler aged child (for what purpose? Certainly not for work. And even the most desperate mother would not sell their child for the purpose of abuse and torture) sounds odd, maybe Martha did not remember the details, as she was a small child herself.

 

[Vern]

I dont do True Crime or most journalism or fiction on cases.

But from a very objective angle, the Martha theory does make the most sense to me, too. She had lots of insider information that was not communicated to the public. Just the "purchase on black market" sounds a bit odd to me. Certainly, a desperate mother would hand her child to an informal foster home for free or for paying a small fee. That has happened plenty of times.
But selling ones toddler aged child (for what purpose? Certainly not for work. And even the most desperate mother would not sell their child for the purpose of abuse and torture) sounds odd, maybe Martha did not remember the details, as she was a small child herself.

Brings to mind the infamous Georgia Tann who died in 1950 but whose Home and crew reamined in palce until the late 50s sending kids out accross the country. She's just one of the worst, but far from alone in the genre of sketchy adoptions/kidnappings/sexual abuse of girls & boys she'd managed to "acquire"/murders of kidnapped kids who had 'defects' etc.
How a Woman Stole 5,000 Babies and Made Money Off Their Adoptions (insider.com)

Googled "kids for sale" and am creeped by the depression era photo popping up in images.

Just confirms for me that desperate people do desperate things, so "black market" babies doesn't surprise me as being factual. Tann's babies were certainly not legal adoptions having been kidnapped children.

 

[PrivateInspector007]

Interesting spin regarding Arthur Nicoletti who fostered many children. He also married his step-daughter. Here is a few links that go into more detail about the theory:

The Boy in the Box: Philadelphia’s Decades-Long Child Murder Mystery
Who Is the Boy in the Box? Who Is America's Unknown Child?
The Boy in the Box: America’s Unknown Child Crime Magazine

 

[AGettler]

The murder room

This is the book I was thinking of:

https://smile.amazon.com/Susquehann...qid=1547363201&sr=8-6&keywords=vidocq+society

 

[Susikatze]

The Nicoletti theory is the second good lead in this case. He married his mentally impaired stepdaughter and had several children with her, some of them also suffered disabilities. I think it actually is the oldest lead on the case, the foster home was searched by police (and a psychic, haha)and they found a bassinet that matched the box found with the boy and also the same type of blanket/sheet the boy was wrapped in.
But since there was no other evidence and nobody knew of a missing child, the family was cleared.

And the Nicoletti foster home supposedly was a decent one, according to various accounts of former foster children. No violence and decent care for the children.

But that is no guarantee that a biological child of the owner, maybe one of the disabled children with his stepdaughter, was not tortured and abused.

I wish they could compare DNA of a Nicoletti descendant to the Boy. We would have our answer and ID if it was a match.

Interesting spin regarding Arthur Nicoletti who fostered many children. He also married his step-daughter. Here is a few links that go into more detail about the theory:

The Boy in the Box: Philadelphia’s Decades-Long Child Murder Mystery
Who Is the Boy in the Box? Who Is America's Unknown Child?
The Boy in the Box: America’s Unknown Child Crime Magazine

 

[ChatteringBirds]

If there was a foster home in which an adult married his mentally-impaired stepdaughter (did I get that right?), it could not have been a "decent" foster home, and severe child abuse would be unsurprising. All IMO.
And same type of blanket/sheet and a matching bassinet? Wow!
I need to read the linked article.

 

[Gypsysoul25]

I thought the DNA results proved Arthur nor Anne were the bio parents so a different DNA test would not disprove otherwise

Arthur was born in Costanza in Calabria according to a old obituary from '98.outside of the mafia scene,many average Sicilian folks kept to themselves,were suspicious of outsiders and were tribalistic in character.I wonder if the same applies to calabrians dueto the close geographical and cultural proximity so maybe omerta plays a role in this case.after all John Gotti is the son of immigrants from Naples not Sicily but many of his associates were Sicilian

 

[Gypsysoul25]

Anna Marie Kilmartin Nicoletti (1919-2010) - Find...

Arthur Baptist Nicoletti (1912-1998) - Find A...

Catherine Veronica McGuire Nicoletti (1899-1994)...

 

[Gypsysoul25]

Clipping from News Herald - Newspapers.com

 

[Susikatze]

I thought the DNA results proved Arthur nor Anne were the bio parents so a different DNA test would not disprove otherwise

Arthur was born in Costanza in Calabria according to a old obituary from '98.outside of the mafia scene,many average Sicilian folks kept to themselves,were suspicious of outsiders and were tribalistic in character.I wonder if the same applies to calabrians dueto the close geographical and cultural proximity so maybe omerta plays a role in this case.after all John Gotti is the son of immigrants from Naples not Sicily but many of his associates were Sicilian

I dont think they were exhumed and tested or their descendants. At least nothing is communicated to the public.

 

[Susikatze]

From the graves and the death records a lot what is written about the Nicoletti family seems to be inaccurate.

Anna Marie did not have her kids from different fathers or her stepdad. She according to records had a steady boyfriend or fiance, Harry Nagle. She had 4 kids with him between 1948 and 1955. 3 of them were premature and died at birth, one boy died in some freak accident with an amusement ride.
Yes, a lot is written on paper and Harry could have been a made up person, but why give him with full name and address at every birth if he did not exist? It looks like her children were not fathered by Arthur Nicoletti.

Also it is written in the articles that Arthur married Anne Marie after his wifes death. That is probably true but it was only possible after 1994 (!), the year Catherine died. Anne Marie was 75 and Arthur was 82. There is no evidence they had a sexual relationship and children together when they were young. Sure, he cpuld have abused her all along and his wife kept quiet and birth records were forged and her baby daddy in the record did not exist but I think overall the possibility of our boy being the child of Anne Marie and Arthur is pretty slim.
He may have been a foster child in their home, though.

 

[Gypsysoul25]

From the graves and the death records a lot what is written about the Nicoletti family seems to be inaccurate.

Anna Marie did not have her kids from different fathers or her stepdad. She according to records had a steady boyfriend or fiance, Harry Nagle. She had 4 kids with him between 1948 and 1955. 3 of them were premature and died at birth, one boy died in some freak accident with an amusement ride.
Yes, a lot is written on paper and Harry could have been a made up person, but why give him with full name and address at every birth if he did not exist? It looks like her children were not fathered by Arthur Nicoletti.

Also it is written in the articles that Arthur married Anne Marie after his wifes death. That is probably true but it was only possible after 1994 (!), the year Catherine died. Anne Marie was 75 and Arthur was 82. There is no evidence they had a sexual relationship and children together when they were young. Sure, he cpuld have abused her all along and his wife kept quiet and birth records were forged and her baby daddy in the record did not exist but I think overall the possibility of our boy being the child of Anne Marie and Arthur is pretty slim.
He may have been a foster child in their home, though.

I wonder if somebody contacted or could contact one of the former foster kids or surviving nieces/nephews of Arthur's sister or sisters for any more info.I found no info on a Harry nagle and Anna Marie outside of the findagrave photos that are on Google images belonging to the Anna Marie that's already posted on this thread

I know M's real photo is up and easily searchable on Google along with her parents

 

[Gypsysoul25]

Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church – Hilltown, PA

The church he was buried in

215) 822-9224

Genevieve died in March of 2002 but was born in 1910

https://www.searchpeoplefree.com/find/genevive-domanico/254qONV1cIjr

 

[Gypsysoul25]

I found nothing on Robert but the two other foster sons seem to be alive.one has what looks to be a linkedin while the other has a email address

 

[Gypsysoul25]

Over 200 foster kids?surely that's enough for one or two to fly under the radar

I couldn't find anything on Arthur's parents but I did look up kilmartin and it's a anglicized gaelic surname.nagle looks to be a Irish surname

Nicoletti is a Italian surname obviously.it looks to be more a generic surname and less regional/clannish one

 

[Gypsysoul25]

https://images.findagrave.com/photos250/photos/2016/273/170742631_1475290365.jpg

One of Anna's infants below.the death certificate says the mother is not married.unfortunately I'm not good at reading cursive writing so I can't read out certain things

https://images.findagrave.com/photos/2020/365/220391935_f67c3673-237f-4a9d-ac22-85924aaf7afe.jpeg

 

[Gypsysoul25]

Last I checked,the house on anchor street is off the market,was sold for 70 grand and it happened in fall of 2009 so most likely the current owner has no connections to the aforementioned Harry Nagle.also Harry has or had a brother.not sure of his whereabouts

 

[Gypsysoul25]

I found one link on archives.com that listed more detail(but not much)like Harry is listed as single and the enumeration mentioned there I think it's the address where the census was taken and archived.Harry even has a genealogy number

I do not know how far anchor street is from Susquehanna road or the foster home

 

[Susikatze]

Nagle is an anglicized German name. Nägle or Nagel.
Actually one or more of the death records of the infants spells him Harry Nagel.

Maybe more accurate?

Over 200 foster kids?surely that's enough for one or two to fly under the radar

I couldn't find anything on Arthur's parents but I did look up kilmartin and it's a anglicized gaelic surname.nagle looks to be a Irish surname

Nicoletti is a Italian surname obviously.it looks to be more a generic surname and less regional/clannish one

 

[Sillybilly]

ADMIN NOTE:

Do NOT post names and information about individuals and their family members and addresses unless you are 110% sure it is the same individual. To speculate on random people just because they have the same name is inappropriate.

That type of sleuthing can be done behind the scenes or by members within a private conversation but is not to be posted on a public thread.

Thank you.