America's Unknown Child: Boy in the Box, Identified

Known only to the world as the Boy in the Box, America’s unknown child has been identified in December 2022. The boy’s identity had been unknown for 65 years, 9 months, and 13 days. This was possible by the use of genetic testing and investigative genetic genealogy. This will lead to new suspects and solve this cold case after all these years.

The boy’s name was Joseph Augustus Zarelli, and his tale is not a happy one. In February 1957, they found the boy’s naked body inside a bassinet box from JC Penney, laying on the side of Susquehanna Road in Philadelphia. He had been extensively beaten, cleaned, and freshly groomed, with a fresh haircut and trimmed fingernails. He had suffered extensive physical abuse and was severely malnourished. He even had scars all over his body. Some of these scars were even surgical.

Though he has now been identified, we still don’t know exactly what happened to Joseph, and who handled this little boy’s death. That is something the police are going to find out. At least by finding his name, the police have found the two would be prime suspects in the case. Joseph’s mother and father. Mary Elizabeth Plunkett (known as Betsy) and Augustus John Zarelli (known as Gus). Although, it couldn’t have been them as they had put the boy up for adoption through a Catholic Organization. Betsy passed away in 1991 and Gus passed away in 2014.

With this newfound information, the police just might finally crack the case wide open. Especially considering there were things about the original investigation that make more sense now.

That being a few theories that could have some significance.

Theories

1. The Foster Home

There was a foster home about 1.5 miles from where Joseph was found. In 1960, Remington Bristow, who followed the case until he died in 1993, contacted a psychic in New Jersey who told him to look for a house matching the description of the foster home. While attending an estate sale at the foster home, Remington saw a bassinet from JC Penney exactly like the one on the box that they found Joseph in. He also saw blankets hanging on a line that was like the blanket that they found him wrapped in.

However, they accounted for all the children, and therefore it seemed at the time that the family wasn’t involved.

2. Martha or “M”

In 2002, a woman who was known only as Martha or M came forward. She claimed her parents had purchased the boy from his birth parents in 1954, and had been abusing him, leading up to his death. The police considered her story to be possible but were hesitant because she had a history of mental illness. The neighbors who had access to the house at the time claimed that no boy lived there.

However, he could have been well hidden since they gained him illegally.

3. Raised A Girl

According to forensic artist Frank Bender, there was the possibility that Joseph was raised as a little girl. His unprofessional recent haircut, which had been done quickly, gave a lot of basis for that as well as his groomed eyebrows. In 2008, he released a sketch of the boy with long hair, matching the strands of long hair found on the body.

Developments

Aside from learning his name and his parents’ name, police have narrowed down where the boy had lived hoping a living neighbor might remember the child. Joseph lived at 61st and Market Streets.

Conclusion

In today’s time, technology could solve a mystery dating back over sixty years. We believe that Joseph’s murder will be solved soon enough. The question is, can justice be served, or are those responsible for his death already gone? Most likely they are, but only time will tell.