Two years after being identified, the “Boy in the Box” case continues to puzzle Philadelphia.
The body of 4-year-old Joseph Augustus Zarelli was found in February 1957 in the Fox Chase neighborhood. He was naked, badly beaten, and placed inside a cardboard box. The case gained a lot of attention, but for 65 years, his identity remained unknown. People called him “America’s Unknown Child,” a name engraved on his tombstone... Continue reading here ▶
In 2022, police finally identified the boy using new DNA testing techniques. However, the bigger mystery remains: Who killed him, and what led to his tragic death?
The Discovery
On February 25, 1957, Joseph’s body was found in a wooded area near Susquehanna Road in Philadelphia. He was wrapped in a blanket and placed in a box originally used to hold a bassinet from JCPenney.
He was malnourished and had been beaten to death. It appeared he had recently had his hair cut and nails trimmed.
Police shared posters of the boy’s face throughout the city, and newspapers across the country published his photo, hoping someone would recognize him or help solve the case.
Authorities followed hundreds of leads. Some believed he came from a foster home nearby. Others thought he might be a refugee from Hungary after a recent revolution. One woman even claimed her mother had bought the child from human traffickers and later killed him.
Despite all efforts, none of the leads worked out, and the boy remained unidentified for decades.
The Breakthrough
In December 2022, almost 66 years after the discovery, police announced the boy’s identity: Joseph Augustus Zarelli.
DNA profiling helped solve this part of the mystery. In 2019, Joseph’s body was exhumed to collect DNA, but it took over two years to get usable genetic data.
Eventually, the DNA was matched to a distant cousin who had used a kit on Ancestry.com. Investigators then traced Joseph’s family and found his birth certificate after obtaining court permission for related records.
In January 2023, a new headstone was placed at his grave with his name and picture, giving him back his identity on what would have been his 70th birthday.
The Ongoing Mystery
Finding out Joseph’s name was only part of the story. Investigators still don’t know how he died or who killed him.
The passage of time makes it even harder to solve. Joseph’s parents have passed away, and it’s likely the person responsible for his death is also no longer alive.
Still, the case remains open, and police hope to uncover more information to give closure to Joseph’s surviving siblings and the city of Philadelphia.
Captain Jason Smith, who leads the homicide unit, expressed hope that someone with information would come forward.
“I hope there’s someone in their 70s or 80s who remembers Joseph,” he said. “Maybe a family member or neighbor who saw him and remembers something about his life. That’s what we’re counting on.”
