The Boy in the Box (Joseph Augustus Zarelli) - Pennsylvania 1957
The body of four-year-old Joseph Augustus Zarelli, previously known as 'The Boy in the Box' or 'America's Unknown Child,' was discovered in a cardboard box in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on February 25, 1957. He was nude, severely malnourished, and beaten to death. Despite extensive efforts, his identity remained a mystery for 65 years until DNA and genealogical databases led to his identification in December 2022. The exact circumstances leading to his death are still uncertain, and the case remains an open homicide investigation.
Timeline
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Track this story2026
1 update
2026
1 updateThe Vidocq Society has launched a national initiative to identify all unidentified children, inspired by the identification of Joseph Augustus Zarelli. This initiative was rolled out on what would have been his 73rd birthday.
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2025
2 updates
2025
2 updatesPolice investigating the murder of Joseph Augustus Zarelli suspect family involvement but currently lack prosecutable evidence.
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A historical marker now stands at the site on Susquehanna Road where Joseph Augustus Zarelli's body was found.
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2024
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2024
2 updatesInvestigators exhumed eight other bodies from Potter's Field to use DNA for identification, hoping to solve more cold cases. The Vidocq Society held its annual memorial tribute and birthday remembrance for Joseph Augustus Zarelli on January 13, 2024. It was also reported that Joseph Augustus Zarelli's biological parents are deceased, but he has living siblings.
Joseph Augustus Zarelli's death was ruled an unsolved homicide by blunt force trauma by the Philadelphia Police Department.
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2023
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2023
2 updatesAs of March 2023, the investigation into Joseph Augustus Zarelli's murder has received only one tip since his identification in December 2022, a detail that disappointed police officials.
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A new headstone bearing Joseph Augustus Zarelli's name and picture was dedicated at Ivy Hill Cemetery on what would have been his 70th birthday, restoring his identity.
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2022
6 updates
2022
6 updatesJoseph Augustus Zarelli, identified as "The Boy in The Box," was laid to rest in Philadelphia in December 2022, nearly a month after police publicly identified him. Services were held to honor his life.
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Following his identification, investigators noted that Joseph Augustus Zarelli was never reported missing.
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Following Joseph Augustus Zarelli's identification, authorities stated they have suspicions about who may be responsible for his death, though no names have been publicly released.
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The Philadelphia Police Department announced a $20,000 reward for information leading to an arrest in the murder of Joseph Augustus Zarelli.
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More than 65 years after his body was found, the boy was publicly identified as Joseph Augustus Zarelli, born January 13, 1953.
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The Philadelphia Police Department announced that detectives had determined the boy's identity using DNA and genealogical databases.
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2019
1 update
2019
1 updateThe boy's body was exhumed a second time, allowing for more advanced DNA testing.
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1998
1 update
1998
1 updateThe boy's body was exhumed for the first time to obtain DNA samples, though initial efforts to extract usable DNA were challenging.
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1957
1 update
1957
1 updateThe nude, severely beaten, and malnourished body of a young boy, wrapped in a plaid blanket and placed in a cardboard box, was discovered in a wooded area off Susquehanna Road in Philadelphia's Fox Chase neighborhood. He had surgical scars and a recent haircut. Authorities believe the cause of death was blunt force trauma.
via en.wikipedia.org·people.com·drewtechner.com·reddit.com·cbsnews.com
Story began · 70 years ago