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

[alucardsdream]

There is much talk about this "prominent" family. I agree, it doesn't matter about the status of the family, it matters that this innocent boy was beaten, murdered, and discarded. I'm trying to be patient....but this wait is tooooo longgggg!

I live in Delco and there's been a lot of talk online about the possible identity of the family in question, but I definitely think the most important thing is that this poor child finally has his name back. Since so much time has passed there will never be justice for him, but the fact that his name can be put on his headstone after all these years makes me happy.

 

[hafom8840]

I live in Delco and there's been a lot of talk online about the possible identity of the family in question, but I definitely think the most important thing is that this poor child finally has his name back. Since so much time has passed there will never be justice for him, but the fact that his name can be put on his headstone after all these years makes me happy.

I know that the perp would be fossilized if he/she were alive, but I'd still want them thrown into jail anyway

 

[alucardsdream]

I know that the perp would be fossilized if he/she were alive, but I'd still want them thrown into jail anyway

I absolutely agree! It's awesome LE now knows BITB's identity but heartbreaking that it took so long.

 

[Blackbirdsitdon]

I live in Delco and there's been a lot of talk online about the possible identity of the family in question, but I definitely think the most important thing is that this poor child finally has his name back. Since so much time has passed there will never be justice for him, but the fact that his name can be put on his headstone after all these years makes me happy.

I think I figured out the identity of "M," her mother, her father, and one other relative based on a 5 year old post from another website.

And I think the level of prominence is likely to be overstated. Especially outside of the local area. I don't think most Americans will have known who they are.

Thus, I think the delay is a logistics one--getting all the researchers, law enforcement, family members, case workers, media representatives, assistants, and so on all in the same place at the same time. Nearly of them have regular lives and day jobs, after all.

 

[Ozoner]

Likely anyone who knew the boy in life would be deceased.

I don't think I would go that far. It's been 65 years, so it's likely—not certain—that his parents and any adults involved in his death are deceased.

I would not assume that all young adults and children who knew him are deceased.

 

[rosesfromangels]

I don't think I would go that far. It's been 65 years, so it's likely—not certain—that his parents and any adults involved in his death are deceased.

I would not assume that all young adults and children who knew him are deceased.

Yes, and likely some family "story" was manufactured to explain the child's absence, and over time he wasn't talked about at all....except maybe in quiet whispers. Even the most prominent families have family members that are only spoken of in quiet whispers. The incredibly sad tale of the beautiful Rosemary Kennedy is a good example.

I look forward to the presser, and am grateful that this little angel will have the dignity of his name restored. I am in awe of the dedication of all those who have worked so hard on behalf of this child.

Amateur opinion and speculation

 

[alucardsdream]

I think I figured out the identity of "M," her mother, her father, and one other relative based on a 5 year old post from another website.

And I think the level of prominence is likely to be overstated. Especially outside of the local area. I don't think most Americans will have known who they are.

Thus, I think the delay is a logistics one--getting all the researchers, law enforcement, family members, case workers, media representatives, assistants, and so on all in the same place at the same time. Nearly of them have regular lives and day jobs, after all.

I have some idea of who it might be but no solid facts to back me up so I'm anxious to see what police have to say.

 

[iamshadow21]

I don't think I would go that far. It's been 65 years, so it's likely—not certain—that his parents and any adults involved in his death are deceased.

I would not assume that all young adults and children who knew him are deceased.

I didn't say they were all dead, I never used words of certainty, I said likely. Did you misread me? Because it looks like you corrected me... by saying what I said. (Not annoyed, just confused.)

As for children, it depends on how openly this boy was kept while he endured years of torture, malnourishment, and abuse. If he was M's adoptive brother, she's no longer with us. If he was a 'hidden' child because of disability or abusive dynamic, unless he had siblings who were similarly treated, they may not have known he existed. If they were similarly treated, they may also have died of their treatment.

We won't know anything with any certainty until the press release, and even then, there are likely to be things we never know. It was a very big secret for a very long time, and, like I said, those who may have known this boy in life are likely - but not certainly - dead.

MOO

 

[cutter99]

If the child had lived, they would have been about 70 years old by now. Suffice it to say, the adults around the child in 1957 (parents or guardians...) would be in their late eighties to nineties by now. But really most likely; dead. Interesting that authorities waited until 2021 to collect DNA from the remains. That might coincide with the time the tip or deathbed confession came in, probably after the person from the "prominent" family was dead and could not be prosecuted.

Hopefully someone will correct me if I am wrong, but I believe DNA was either pulled twice, or they were particular about testing it due to a limited amount of tissue to sample.

Either way, I am just glad there will be an identification!

 

[alucardsdream]

Hopefully someone will correct me if I am wrong, but I believe DNA was either pulled twice, or they were particular about testing it due to a limited amount of tissue to sample.

Either way, I am just glad there will be an identification!

He was exhumed in 1998 and they extracted DNA from his tooth enamel but genetic genealogy wasn't in use back then.

New Theory in Decades-Old ‘Boy in the Box' Cold Case

Two authors tell the NBC 10 Investigators they believe they’ve solved one of Philadelphia’s oldest and most notorious cold cases.

www.nbcphiladelphia.com

 

[iamshadow21]

He was exhumed in 1998 and they extracted DNA from his tooth enamel but genetic genealogy wasn't in use back then.

New Theory in Decades-Old ‘Boy in the Box' Cold Case

Two authors tell the NBC 10 Investigators they believe they’ve solved one of Philadelphia’s oldest and most notorious cold cases.

www.nbcphiladelphia.com

They exhumed him again a few years ago. That's when they got the sample they used for genetic genealogy.

 

[alucardsdream]

They exhumed him again a few years ago. That's when they got the sample they used for genetic genealogy.

I was in high school when they exhumed him the first time...I only remember it because it was such a big deal around here. It's amazing how far technology has come in the last decade...genetic genealogy has been such an awesome tool for law enforcement!

 

[Ozoner]

I didn't say they were all dead, I never used words of certainty, I said likely. Did you misread me? Because it looks like you corrected me... by saying what I said. (Not annoyed, just confused.)

As for children, it depends on how openly this boy was kept while he endured years of torture, malnourishment, and abuse. If he was M's adoptive brother, she's no longer with us. If he was a 'hidden' child because of disability or abusive dynamic, unless he had siblings who were similarly treated, they may not have known he existed. If they were similarly treated, they may also have died of their treatment.

We won't know anything with any certainty until the press release, and even then, there are likely to be things we never know. It was a very big secret for a very long time, and, like I said, those who may have known this boy in life are likely - but not certainly - dead.

MOO

I understood your post.

I didn't restate what you said; I qualified what you said.

I was confused why you would think it likely that anyone who knew the boy in life is dead when some of those people might only be in their late sixties. It isn't a tenable assertion, in my opinion. You've now explained your reasoning. However, I stand by my opinion.

As I stated, I do think it likely that any adults who were old enough in 1957 to be in charge of the boy (and to have contributed to his death through abuse or neglect) are now dead. Fewer than three people out of ten make it to age 90, so stating that those caregivers are likely dead is a matter of statistics.

 

[BioKimist]

Does anyone notice his head shape?

To me, it appears he was confined to a crib for months and he may have had a developmental delay in which he could not lift his head by the normal age.

Or he could have been heavily bound as a neonate for months.

Either way, head deformities like these usually occur before the fontanels close. They occur due to lack of mobility.

They are fairly common in premies, but fortunately are usually temporary because the child becomes mobile enough before the sutures close.

I think this poor kid was abused and hidden from the beginning. I can't see him "passing" as a girl. He may have had long hair, but it was probably due to neglect...

MOO

I also picked up on the unusual head shape. I think what you've pointed out makes a lot of sense, however, just putting this out there for consideration, I wonder if the little boy isn't maybe a 2nd through 4th cousin of Police Chief Robert Hamrick, as they appear to both have a very similar head shape. Although, that's probably just a coincidence.

Police Chief Robert Hamrick's findagrave site is: Robert Gilbert Hamrick (1940-1970) - Find a Grave...

 

[rosesfromangels]

Odd or flat on back heads can often be attributed to babies being left in cribs in the same position for extended times. : (

Amateur opinion and speculation

 

[airportwoman]

I also picked up on the unusual head shape. I think what you've pointed out makes a lot of sense, however, just putting this out there for consideration, I wonder if the little boy isn't maybe a 2nd through 4th cousin of Police Chief Robert Hamrick, as they appear to both have a very similar head shape. Although, that's probably just a coincidence.

Police Chief Robert Hamrick's findagrave site is: Robert Gilbert Hamrick (1940-1970) - Find a Grave...

2nd through 4th cousins may not resemble each other, and probably don't even know the others exist.

Anecdote: Genetic genealogy recently revealed two cousins about that far out on my own family tree. Long story made short: It involved an affair with a neighbor, and all these kids played and went to school together, having no idea they were actually half-siblings! The man died quite young, and there was evidence that the woman knew that two of the kids weren't her husband's but AFAIK neither spouse ever found out about the affair.

 

[Snoopster]

Does anyone notice his head shape?

To me, it appears he was confined to a crib for months and he may have had a developmental delay in which he could not lift his head by the normal age.

Or he could have been heavily bound as a neonate for months.

Either way, head deformities like these usually occur before the fontanels close. They occur due to lack of mobility.

They are fairly common in premies, but fortunately are usually temporary because the child becomes mobile enough before the sutures close.

I think this poor kid was abused and hidden from the beginning. I can't see him "passing" as a girl. He may have had long hair, but it was probably due to neglect...

MOO

That's similar to my head shape (and why I hope I don't ever need my head shaved!). I don't believe that I was abused in any way. I had a wonderful upbringing.

 

[airportwoman]

I also believe that they need to notify certain people, and until and unless everything has been formalized, they are going to keep the information under wraps. We'll see what happens.

 

[Friday Fan]

Odd or flat on back heads can often be attributed to babies being left in cribs in the same position for extended times. : (

Amateur opinion and speculation

Yep. That's what I'm getting at. His head shaped due to the head being immobilized in crib for a long time. It is often seen in premies. Premies are turn to prevent this, but it often happens anyway. This poor fella isn't a premie at his age. Most premies outgrowth the head shape. Poor fella was probably left in a crib for a long time.

• Premature birth – These babies are born early and have especially soft skulls, making them more susceptible to misshaping. These babies are often in the NICU (neo-intensive-care unit) for extended periods of time, where the infants may be hooked up to machines causing the head to be fixed in one position. They also lack the head control at an early age to maintain their heads in midline, and are often fully rotated to the right or the left.
  
  

  What Causes Abnormal Head Shape in Babies? - Chicago Pediatric Therapy & Wellness Center

  As pediatric physical therapists, we commonly treat babies that have atypical or asymmetrical head shapes as a result of positioning or a variety of other factors. With early intervention, a number of techniques and positioning strategies can halt this asymmetrical shaping and avoid...

  www.chicagopediatrictherapyandwellness.com

 

[coco]

Can anyone clarify what day the press announcement is due to take place? I’m so incredibly interested to find out this poor little ones name