Philadelphia's 'Boy in the Box' has finally been honored with a new headstone inscribed with his name, coinciding with what would have been his 70th birthday, following a breakthrough in DNA analysis that unveiled the identity of the victim in a chilling 1957 cold case murder.
Joseph Augustus Zarelli, previously recognized as Philadelphia's 'Boy in the Box,' was commemorated with a fitting headstone on Friday, marking what would have been his 70th year. Zarelli, merely four years of age when discovered deceased, unclothed, battered, and concealed within a cardboard receptacle on the streets in 1957, has now received a dignified acknowledgment of his existence.
Upon learning of their connection to the infamous case, Zarelli's living relatives expressed astonishment and pledged to persist in their pursuit of answers in this longstanding enigma.
Accompanying the installation of the headstone, the city has revised the plaque dedicated to 'America's Unknown Child,' now bearing the name of the boy.
The murdered child from Philadelphia, known as the 'Boy in the Box,' at last possesses a headstone bearing his name, following the revelation of his identity last month. A breakthrough in DNA analysis disclosed that Joseph Augustus Zarelli, aged four, was the unfortunate victim of a savage cold case murder in the City of Brotherly Love in 1957.
On the day that would have marked Zarelli's 70th birthday, the city updated the gravestone dedicated to 'America's Unknown Child,' now adorned with his name and featuring a personalized headstone adorned with his likeness and a prayer. The family members of Zarelli, who have chosen to remain anonymous, disclosed to CBS their shock upon learning of their relation to the 'Boy in the Box.'
They have vowed to persist in their quest for answers while law enforcement endeavors to unravel the circumstances surrounding Zarelli's tragic demise. The ceremony for the dedication of the headstone was conducted at Ivy Hill Cemetery in Mount Airy, where a grave marker was initially placed for Zarelli in 1998.
City officials and residents alike attended the event, offering tokens of remembrance such as cards, flowers, and balloons in honor of the young victim. The discovery of Zarelli's lifeless body, devoid of clothing and exhibiting signs of severe malnutrition and extensive bruising, along with fatal head injuries, profoundly shook the city on February 25, 1957.
The cardboard box in which the body was found had originally contained a bassinet purchased from a JC Penney store in Upper Darby for $7.50. Near the body lay a royal blue corduroy newsboy cap, believed by authorities to be linked to the perpetrator. Additionally, a recently laundered and mended flannel blanket provided further clues.
Despite extensive appeals to the public for information, the boy's identity remained a mystery for years, with investigators pursuing and discarding numerous leads. The use of genealogical DNA research enabled authorities to identify the boy by tracing distant relatives in public databases and reconstructing the family lineage.
While suspicions have been raised regarding the perpetrator of Zarelli's demise, officials have refrained from disclosing this information out of respect for surviving relatives. The exhumation of the child's remains, coupled with DNA extraction, has occurred on two occasions.
Subsequent DNA testing revealed details such as the boy's age at the time of death, confirming that he had recently turned four. Furthermore, his biological father was identified through a birth certificate. The relocation of the boy's remains from Philadelphia's Potter's Field to Ivy Hill Cemetery took place in 1998.
Employees at Ivy Hill expressed gratitude that the victim's gravestone will finally bear his true identity. Dave Drysdale, Ivy Hill's cemetery secretary and treasurer, hailed the development as a commendable gesture, expressing regret that past law enforcement officials who had worked tirelessly on the case were not present to witness this significant milestone.
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