»Philadelphia’s “Boy in the Box” got a new tombstone«
On a somber, rainy Friday, Patty Braxton frowned as a priest led a small group of mourners in prayer next to the grave of a young boy who was discovered dead in 1957 and was later dubbed “America’s Unknown Child” or the “Boy in the Box.”
For the most of his career, her father, former Philadelphia detective Thomas Joseph Augustine, handled the notorious cold case. The kid was first buried in a potter’s field, and the youngster’s relatives used to decorate it with flowers on special occasions.
However, Augustine passed away in October, just six weeks before the child’s name would be revealed thanks to advancements in DNA research and online genealogy records. So, on the day that would have been the abused boy’s 70th birthday, Braxton, her sister, and their families stood in his place at Ivy Hill Cemetery as investigators who worked on the case for decades unveiled a new gravestone bearing the boy’s name, Joseph Augustus Zarelli.
“He knew in his heart he would never see the boy identified, and the fact that he didn’t is just heartbreaking. But we’re really grateful to everyone who contributed to making this happen and ending it “said 53-year-old Braxton from San Jose, California.
Now that the boy’s identity has been uncovered, police are hoping to find out how he passed away, even if it is too late to make an arrest. Although the boy has siblings who are still alive, both of his parents died, according to the police who revealed the identity of the skinny 4-year-old last month.
The discovery adds to a long list of cold cases that have recently been looked into and occasionally solved across the nation, including the case of the Golden State Killer, thanks to the developing field of genetic genealogy.
In his eulogy at his graveside on Friday, retired city detective William Fleisher said that it was the result of excellent detective work, cutting-edge science, and the meticulous art of genealogical research.
It can be difficult to hear the revelations and the truths they contain, especially for those who discover long-kept family secrets. As they deal with the news of their connection to one of the city’s most disturbing homicides, the boy’s paternal relatives on the Zarelli side have largely refrained from speaking to the media. Police have not yet disclosed the mother of the child or the identity of his primary caregiver.
However, the information they provided at the press conference last month has thousands of online sleuths working nonstop to piece together Joseph’s life and family history.
On February 25, 1957, his nude, severely battered corpse was discovered in a forested section of Philadelphia’s Fox Chase district. He had been put in a large bassinet box from JCPenney after being covered in a blanket. According to the police, he had been battered to death and was malnourished.
No matter how painful it may be, Fleisher feels that the remainder of his tale and the history of our civilization as a whole should be told.
“We are all human, and on rough roads in this nation and others, humans have evolved. Although it hasn’t always been pleasant, we’re still progressing and, hopefully, becoming more civilized “said Fleisher, a member of the Vidocq Society, a group of retired investigators interested in cold cases, who has devoted years to the case since his 1996 retirement.
The brief ceremony was led by Fleisher, who performed a Jewish prayer for the kid as his own little grandsons squirmed nearby. “You have to know history and comprehend history to do better today,” Fleisher said.
As police sought to identify Joseph and apprehend his killer in the late 1950s, Joseph’s picture had been printed on posters and inserted into utility bills. The solutions eluded them, though.
“It plays a significant role in both the history of the Philadelphia Police Department and that of our community. It was the history of the nation, “said he. “Everyone was aware of this situation. Therefore, everyone has won in this.”
The boy’s corpse was discovered miles away in West Philadelphia, according to the police.
“A few streets from the Zarellis, my mother and my uncle grew up with his grandparents in West Philadelphia. I used to patrol that area as a police officer “explained Fleisher. The coincidences are astounding.
Augustine’s daughters are as astounded by the boy’s name’s resemblance to their own. Maybe they met in paradise and resolved “to finish this out together,” as they put it.
Kim Augustine, 56, Braxton’s sister, stated, “This has been our whole lives, with this son, since we were youngsters.
She said, “We would visit him on holidays with flowers and prayers. We played softball close to the potter’s field where he was buried. He was never forgotten.
»Philadelphia’s “Boy in the Box” got a new tombstone«