After almost 66 years, authorities have shared the identity of the young child known as the 'Boy in the Box', finally bringing a conclusion to one of the world's most famous mysteries.
In a story that had the nation gripped, the boy branded 'America's Unknown Child' on his grave has finally been identified by police as four-year-old Joseph Augustus Zarelli.
The case dates back to February 23, 1957, when a student stumbled across a child in the bushes, which he mistook for a doll at the time. But after the news that a young girl had gone missing in the area, he retraced his steps and notified authorities of his accidental discovery.
As per the Associated Press, it was reported that the police saw a naked boy wrapped up in blankets in a JCPenney box. Investigators ruled that due to the "surgical" scars on his groin area and his ankles, he was tortured and then beaten to death before starting an investigation to find the perpetrator.
Speaking to the Philadelphia Inquirer in 2007, Officer Elmer Palmer described the murder as "unforgettable", also adding that the crime was "one that bothered everybody."
Over the years, there had been a few leads to help the investigation, though many of them proved to be of no use to the authorities. That was until 2002, when a woman came forward and claimed she knew the boy as "Johnathan", and that he was "purchased" from another family by her abusive mother in the summer of 1954.
As per the Philly Voice, "'M' told investigators her mother had killed the boy in a fit of rage after he vomited baked beans in the home's bathtub one night. 'M' said her mother had driven with her to the field to dispose of the body, leaving it in a large cardboard carton that they had found."
However, while authorities believed the account from "M" could potentially be plausible, there were questions surrounding her mental health, which made them skeptical. In the end, they couldn't validate her story and branded it another dead end.
Now, a decade later, it seems as though authorities have finally made some substantial progress on the case thanks to genetic genealogy, which gave police their big break.
In a press conference on December 8, Philadelphia Police Department Commissioner Danielle Outlaw identified the little boy as Joseph Augustus Zarelli.
"Today, after 65 years, America's Unknown Child's name was finally restored. I want to thank all who have worked tirelessly since 1957 to give Joseph Augustus Zarelli his voice back.
"However, the search for justice continues."
Police also added they have a suspect, but that it would be "irresponsible" to name them at this time.
Prior to the press conference, family members of some of the detectives who handled the case expressed their relief at the latest discovery, saying that the memory of the murder had haunted them for life.
Bill Kelly, the detective that took the fingerprints of young Zarelli was left with images "ingrained in his mind" according to his granddaughter, Jessica Greene.
"He was one of the first on scene that fateful day. He never forgot about that image. I mean how could you? He was the fingerprint expert on scene. Those fingerprints were ingrained in his mind his whole life, and when he closed his eyes in his mind that's what he saw," she said.
"I was thinking my father would be so happy... so happy," Green's mother Kathleen told the outlet.
Zarelli's grave, which currently reads 'America's Unknown Child, will now be updated following the discovery.
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