For nearly 70 years, a heartbreaking mystery cast a long shadow over Philadelphia—the unsolved case of a young boy, found lifeless and unidentified inside a discarded cardboard box. Known for decades as the “Boy in the Box,” the tragic case became one of the city’s most haunting and well-known unsolved crimes.
Now, after decades of frustration and unanswered questions, modern advancements in DNA technology have brought investigators closer to the truth. While the latest development has helped identify the child, the story behind his short life is as heartbreaking as the decades of silence that followed his discovery.
The 1957 Discovery That Shook a City
On February 25, 1957, a college student searching for rabbits in the Fox Chase neighborhood of northeast Philadelphia made a disturbing discovery. In a vacant lot near Susquehanna Road, he came across a large cardboard box dumped amidst trash and overgrowth.
Inside was the body of a small boy, estimated to be between four and six years old. He was unclothed, covered only by a thin, worn blanket. His small frame showed signs of prolonged neglect—bruises, signs of malnutrition, and a roughly cut haircut. His hands and feet appeared waterlogged, suggesting they had been submerged in water around the time of his death.
A Crime Without a Name, Without a Clue
When police arrived on the scene, they were confronted with a disturbing reality: a young child had died under violent circumstances, and no one had come forward to report him missing. An autopsy revealed evidence of multiple head injuries and fresh bruising, though a definitive cause of death could not be confirmed.
Even more troubling, authorities had no way of identifying the boy. No fingerprints were found, and despite widespread media coverage and thousands of leads, no family, school, or hospital claimed to know him. Dozens of potential matches were investigated over the years, but none brought the case closer to resolution.
A Mystery That Captivated the Nation
As the years passed, the case gained national attention. The image of the unidentified boy—fragile, forgotten, and alone—was printed in newspapers, featured on television specials, and discussed on true crime forums and documentaries. His case became symbolic of every unsolved crime and every child who disappears without a trace.
Despite tireless efforts by law enforcement, forensic experts, and civilian investigators, the “Boy in the Box” remained nameless, and his death remained unsolved—until now.
America’s Unknown Child: A Mystery That Haunted a Nation
In the weeks following the tragic discovery in 1957, the image of the unidentified young boy—found lifeless in a cardboard box—was circulated far and wide. Hoping someone would recognize him, authorities distributed over 400,000 flyers across the city of Philadelphia and beyond. His photo was sent to every police department, hung in post offices, and even printed on household gas bills, a rare move reflecting the urgency and heartbreak of the case.
Yet, despite these efforts, no one came forward to claim him. No missing child reports matched. No neighbor recalled seeing a child of his description. He remained unnamed, unclaimed, and unidentified.
Soon, the public began referring to him as “America’s Unknown Child”—a name that symbolized not only his own lost identity but the countless children whose stories go untold. To many in Philadelphia and across the country, the case felt deeply personal. This could have been any child: a classmate, a neighbor’s son, or a forgotten child from an overwhelmed system.
A Community Grieves Without Answers
The loss of the boy resonated deeply with the public. News outlets gave him another name—“The Boy in the Box”—and the heartbreaking details of his discovery left a permanent imprint on the city’s conscience. His small body was eventually laid to rest in a local potter’s field, buried under a modest gravestone that read:
“Heavenly Father, bless this unknown boy.”
Over the years, residents and strangers alike visited the grave. Some brought teddy bears. Others left handwritten prayers or flowers. It became a place not only of mourning but of quiet protest against the injustice of a life lost too soon—and forgotten too quickly.
Decades of Questions, Few Answers
Although the official investigation slowed over time, the case never fully faded from memory. Year after year, a small group of dedicated individuals—detectives, journalists, forensic experts, and concerned citizens—continued to search for the boy’s identity. What kept them going was not just the need for justice, but a deep desire to give the child the dignity of a name and a story.
One of the most committed was Remington Bristow, an investigator with the city’s medical examiner’s office. He spent decades chasing leads, sometimes even consulting psychics and visiting foster homes in disguise to gather information. Bristow believed the boy had to have come from somewhere—someone had to know something.
In the 1990s, Bill Fleer, a former FBI agent, helped establish the Vidocq Society, a group of expert investigators and forensic specialists dedicated to solving long-cold cases. The group took a particular interest in the Boy in the Box. In 1998, they successfully petitioned to have the boy’s body exhumed in the hope of collecting usable DNA. While the attempt marked a step forward, it still didn’t provide the breakthrough they hoped for.
Endless Theories, Unanswered Truths
As decades passed, theories multiplied. Some believed the child may have been the victim of a failed adoption or a hidden domestic tragedy. Others speculated he had been part of an illegal child-trafficking network or kept in isolation by a family afraid of social stigma.
A few suggested he may have lived with developmental disabilities and was hidden away—possibly in an institution—before his untimely death. Still others believed his fate was tied to powerful individuals who went to great lengths to conceal their connection.
Despite the wild differences among these theories, one heartbreaking truth connected them all:
A young boy suffered. He died violently. And no one came forward to tell his story.
A Breakthrough in the Shadows: How DNA Gave the Boy in the Box His Name
For over six decades, the child known only as the “Boy in the Box” remained an enduring mystery—a silent victim whose story refused to fade. But while the case grew colder with time, science was quietly catching up. In the background, a revolutionary tool was changing how cold cases were solved: genetic genealogy.
This modern forensic approach combines advanced DNA sequencing with publicly available genealogy databases. It has been used in recent years to unlock the identities of victims and catch long-elusive criminals. In 2019, authorities hoped it could finally do the same for the unidentified boy in Philadelphia.
DNA Recovered After More Than 60 Years
That year, investigators made the difficult decision to exhume the boy’s remains once more. The goal: to extract high-quality DNA samples using techniques that had not been available during the previous exhumation in the 1990s. Specialists carefully collected genetic material from the boy’s teeth and bones—enough to construct a nearly complete DNA profile.
This profile was uploaded to major genealogy databases such as GEDmatch and FamilyTreeDNA, which are often used by law enforcement to match unidentified remains with potential relatives. Unlike criminal databases, these platforms contain voluntarily submitted DNA, often from people exploring their ancestry.
The Long-Awaited Breakthrough
After more than 60 years, a breakthrough came. A match was found—not to a close relative, but to distant genetic connections. It was enough to begin the painstaking process of building a family tree, branch by branch, from scattered DNA links.
Two experienced forensic genealogists—Misty Gillis and Colleen Fitzpatrick—led the effort. Through careful research, cross-referencing public records, and reconstructing family lines, they traced the boy’s ancestry to a family in West Philadelphia. What they uncovered was a complicated family history marked by secrecy, out-of-wedlock births, and relationships that had been hidden for generations.
Finally, a Name: Joseph Augustus Zarelli
In 2022, their work paid off. The boy, once thought to be lost to history, was finally identified as Joseph Augustus Zarelli, born on January 13, 1953.
It was a moment decades in the making. On December 8, 2022, during a press conference held by the Philadelphia Police Department, the announcement was made. Captain Jason Smith and Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw shared the news with the world. After nearly 70 years, the child in the cardboard box had a name—and a story.
The emotional impact was immediate and profound. Seasoned investigators wept. Members of the cold case unit stood solemnly as they reflected on years of work and perseverance. While the revelation didn’t erase the pain, it brought long-overdue dignity to a life that had gone unnamed for far too long.
The Hidden Life of Joseph Zarelli
Joseph’s story, as pieced together by investigators, paints a picture of heartbreak and tragedy. Born into a troubled family situation, Joseph’s early life appears to have been marked by instability. Though his parents were eventually identified, both had passed away before the case was solved.
Some surviving family members were contacted during the investigation, but not all were willing to speak or participate. Authorities believe it’s possible that certain relatives never even knew Joseph existed.
What shocked many was one devastating detail: Joseph had never been reported missing. No parent, no guardian, no family member is believed to have contacted authorities when he vanished.
A Tragic Legacy Still Under Investigation
While Joseph’s identity has finally been confirmed, many questions remain. The Philadelphia Police Department continues to treat his case as an active homicide investigation, and they have not publicly shared many specifics about how he died. What is known, based on earlier forensic findings, is that Joseph suffered significant abuse, neglect, and trauma before his death.
His small body, found bruised and malnourished, told a silent story of pain and abandonment. Investigators believe he was discarded—left without clothing or comfort, far from anyone who might have protected him.