For decades, this 4yo was known only as 'the boy in the box'. Now we know his name.

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On February 27, 1957, the body of a young boy was found in Philadelphia.

He had been stuffed inside an old bassinet box and left in an illegal dumping area. And for decades to come, he would be known as 'the boy in the box' and 'America's unknown child'. 

Only this week, was the identity of the young boy unearthed - but just as many questions surrounding his death remain.

At the time, Philadelphia was a relatively well-to-do city in America - mostly middle-class families in the suburbs. So when the body of this young boy was found in the neighbourhood of Fox Chase, it sent shock waves through the community.

When police were called to the scene, they found the child's naked, badly bruised body, which had been wrapped in a blanket and placed inside a large JC Penney bassinet box.

Upon autopsy, it was clear the boy was malnourished and had been beaten to death, with serious head trauma. He was estimated to be between four to six years old, and weighed only 13 kilograms.

Bizarrely, the young man who had first come across the child had waited a full day to call police. A second man, also later said to police that he had come across the body in the box, but chose not to contact the authorities as he "did not want to get involved".

For weeks, investigators tried to positively ID the boy, with visitors from more than 10 states in the US visiting the morgue to see if it was their missing loved one who had died. But there was no match.

An image of the 'information wanted' flyer handed out across Philadelphia at the time. Image: Philadelphia Police Department.

400,000 flyers were also sent out across the country and the boy's fingerprints were compared with missing children databases. But to no avail was a strong lead uncovered.

At one point, detectives believed the boy was a Hungarian refugee. Then they thought he was a child who had been kidnapped outside a Long Island supermarket in 1955.

Investigators also looked into a pair of travelling carnival workers to see if they were the culprits. Another suspect was a family who operated a nearby foster home to where the dead child was found - but all ended up being ruled out as suspects.

As for clues found at the scene - there were few.

The box itself was examined thoroughly and did have a serial number on it which police used to pinpoint to a JC Penney's store 24 kilometres away from the scene of the crime.

As for the blanket, it led to nothing.

A hat was found a few metres away from the box too - a blue corduroy cap which was a custom design from a South Philadelphia shop. However, the hat designer was unable to remember who she had created the custom piece for. Nor was it clear if the hat was directly linked to the boy.

For decades, little progress was made. In 1998, the Philadelphia Police Department received permission to exhume the boy's body for DNA testing.

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Then again in 2019, further DNA testing was conducted - this time using more advanced genetic technology. And it gave police the big break they had needed for over 62 years.

This week, investigators announced they had unlocked the victim's identity, bringing them a step closer to solving Philadelphia's most notorious cold case.

"This has haunted this community, the Philadelphia police department, our nation, and the world," Philadelphia Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw said.

"When people think about the boy in the box, a profound sadness is felt, not just because a child was murdered, but because his entire identity and his rightful claim to own his existence was taken away."

The young boy was four-year-old Joseph Augustus Zarelli.

Today, investigators ID'd the “Boy in the Box” as 4-year-old Joseph Augustus Zarelli.

A wonderful example of why we should never give up hope, even after 65 years. We applaud the numerous agencies involved who's tireless work gave Joseph his name back. https://t.co/w0G6lkHSSV

— National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (@MissingKids) December 8, 2022

Philadelphia police say the "Boy in the Box" finally has a name, nearly 66 years after the body of the beaten, malnourished 4-year-old was found stuffed inside a cardboard box in a homicide case that stumped generations of detectives. https://t.co/cC7t21H6Ke

— The Associated Press (@AP) December 8, 2022

At the news conference, police confirmed that both of Joseph's parents are now dead, but that he has living siblings, and that the family's residence was in west Philadelphia.

They managed to track down his real identity thanks to the 2019 DNA testing. Soon after that, investigators obtained a court order for records of any children born to the woman they suspected was Joseph's mother between 1944 and 1956. They then managed to find Joseph's birth certificate and corroborate their findings. 

As for what really happened to Joseph - why he was killed and who beat him to death - the full story is yet to be discovered. But police said they hope the announcement of Joseph's identity will prompt someone who knows more to come forward.

Today, Joseph's remains lie out the front of Ivy Hill Cemetery in Philadelphia, with a headstone that reads 'America's Unknown Child'.

In February 1957, a college student found a boy’s body inside a cardboard box in a wooded area of northeast Philadelphia. The unknown victim became known as “The Boy in the Box” and “America’s Unknown Child.” Now, his name is known. https://t.co/bT2y2zryWH

— The New York Times (@nytimes) December 9, 2022

The gravesite is located under a weeping cherry tree, and commemoration services have regularly been held there each year on the anniversary of Joseph's body being found.

Locals also visit the gravesite, paying their respect to the little boy found in the box. The cemetery's secretary-treasurer also said at the conference that "the boy has always been special to all of us because we don't know who it is".

Only now, is 'America's Unknown Child' now known. Police have said they will update Joseph's headstone in the coming months.

"Now our lad is no longer that boy in the box. He has a name."

Feature Image: Philadelphia Police Department/Mamamia.