Who Killed The Boy in the Box | America's Unknown Child

[@shrinkingkristy7006]

Vaccine scars were common in the 50s. They used a gun-type device to administer the smallpox vaccine, which left a small, round scar.

[@gattzflappa6306]

The small pox vaccine still leaves a scar. Mine was given to me about ten years ago with what looked a bit like a crab fork. Doc let me get it on my right arm as to not damage a tattoo I have. Most people in the US don't get the small pox vaccine anymore, so not many people have the scars anymore.

[@RiotWild]

Yup. Both my parents have them

[@melvinthebravefish9788]

My ex step dad used to talk all about being in the military and them using the gun type on him. He's got 3 or 4 little scars like that, I believe?

[@faiyoake]

My mom and her mom both had scars from the smallpox vaccines

[@molybdomancer195]

The BCG vaccine against TB also leaves a scar. It’s not commonly given now as TB is rarer

[@carolinatorres7575]

To know that his adoptive parents supported each others disgusting ways is sickening. Wished they would have been caught.

[@dataexpunged6969]

They both died without the world knowing what they did. If there is such thing as justice, I hope they're getting it in afterlife

[@quentindallman-125]

Fr

[@justdoinmything]

They weren't adoptive parents they where slavers and rapists. Don't let them have an honorable title they never cared for him they abused him they didn't nurture him they abused him. They weren't related to him so they can't be called parents biologically speaking and they can't be called parents because they did not nurture or love him. Poor baby.

[@lumiauroras6741]

On a "positive" Note, their bloodlines are mostly gone.

[@FirePuncher183]

@@lumiauroras6741 Martha seemed like a good person

[@fae9606]

He wasn't necessarily disabled because he wasn't verbal. For children to develop speech they need to be exposed to a lot of language input( speaking around them) and it is common for kids in abusive or neglectful circumstances to have delayed speech because they aren't exposed to enough language to learn. This would likely b the case for a young kid that is being kept in a basement. That trauma can also affect development and delay speech.

[@TheLoreLodge]

He was about 2 by the time her was “adopted”, so you would expect some degree of communication. From what Martha said, it sounds like even when they first got him he was completely silent.

[@fae9606]

@@TheLoreLodge the condition of his life before is unknown and his being rehomed and never having been reported missing is telling that he was likely not cared for too well and probably not dotted on or given a ton of attention to expose him to language. The fear he felt after being taken by a new family was also probably enough to keep him silent at least in their presence.

[@katemaloney4296]

@@TheLoreLodge That doesn't mean autism. Maybe Joseph was deaf or had a hearing impairment. I didn't really talk until I was past 2 years of age. My parents thought I was slow, but it turned out that I had a severe case of tonsillitis and needed emergency surgery. Haven't shut up in 51 years. My baby brother contracted a virus that nearly killed him and ended up damaging his hearing. People thought he was rude and insolent and slow, but his hearing took years to come back and his verbal skills were a couple years behind his peers. He's fine now.

[@arandomidiot1593]

@@TheLoreLodge If his birth parents were also abusive, it could have been he was hit or yelled at every time he spoke or cried, which may have lead to him going mute.

[@arandomidiot1593]

However, it does seem likely that he had some sort of disability, be it a mental one or a physical one such as deafness. For decades, mental illness and disability were heavily taboo in the United States. Many disabled people would be shut away in sanitariums and their families would pretend they didn't exist. So it may be that he was sold because his parents didn't want people to know they had a disabled child.

[@mortenbecks2017]

Regarding the Joseph/Jonathan-discrepancy: I am not at all surprised that someone willing to buy a child will assign them a new name. Possibly the person that sold the child never even communicated the original name to the buyer.

[@WhiteTulip2002]

Hell that frequently happened with adopted kids

[@Gavs_Playlist9755]

​@@WhiteTulip2002 still does if theyre young enough to not know their own name

[@georgeforeman1097]

I highly doubt his theory. The kid might have been a foster but marthas story about her parents was completely fabricated most likely.

[@13crazydaisies]

I know this theory isn't confirmed, but I've always felt in my gut "M" was telling the truth despite her story usually being presented as a far fetched side story...and I will feel so vindicated for her if it is confirmed. She has likely played a large role in this being solved in 2023 and telling his story. It must have felt horrible having something you needed to confess to and having people doubt your trauma. It's unfortunate she didn't get to live long enough to be told "we believe you".

[@tessaducek5601]

I agree 100 percent with everything you wrote... 🌹

[@13crazydaisies]

In addition, I viewed M's mom's obituary from 1995 in the newspaper today; it says the family recommends that memorials be made to the "Council on Child Abuse". Seems like it adds some legitimacy to her story since she was willing to add that to her mom's obituary. Just thought it was an interesting detail.

[@annataymond9529]

I was not uncommon for people, especially girls, to be presented as crazy, if they showed any signs of anxiety, depression, or even rebellion. Her supposed mental illness could easily have been directly caused by the abuse. It would have been pretty easy for her parents to have neighbors convinced there was something wrong with her and they were just doing their best. Of course if they already had the preconceived notion of her being mentally off, and were friends with her parents, their first instinct would just be to say it’s ridiculous, and the police would likely have been inclined to do the same.

[@Hambolove16]

I believe it. It seems too coincidental to be false.

[@shady.219]

I always thought the story seemed true aswell but I hoped it wasn't

[@rythania7686]

There was a trade of babies during that time. My grandmother was a black market baby in Delaware Valley. I was told she was informed she was bought, but even though she was not thiers biologically, they treated her just as good as they biological kids. They all had to do work. I often think of how lucky she was to have been taken care of and not treated like the boy in the box. I do not know my ancestry from her, but I randomly show Norwegian, Finnish, and Scandinavian DNA. I think that is from her since it does not fit anywhere else.

[@JerryEricsson]

When my son was born in 1971, I was offered $5,000.00 dollars for him by an. old farmer who had no heir, and although he was in his 60's was wed to one of my cousins (who was mentally retarted with the mind of a 10 year old.)

[@rokukou]

@@JerryEricsson Sounds like you have an interesting life. I bet you have a lot of stories to tell!

[@brigidtheirish]

@@JerryEricsson This puts how women would joke to Mom that they wanted to kidnap me when I was a baby in an entirely new light. Joke would've been on them if they *had.* I was what older teachers called a "problem child."

[@LatinaVixen91]

@@JerryEricsson was born in 1991 and was informed that a doctor couple offered my parents 25K for newborn me

[@Butt3red_Toast]

@@LatinaVixen91 May I ask why they offered for you? Did they want kids but couldn't have them? I do not mean to be rude.

[@maddiejoy6619]

I think it's possible Martha's parents didn't call the boy the correct name. Maybe they forgot his name and he was too little to correct them. My son is two and can't say his own name yet. This whole case just makes me sick.

[@dianebolles8534]

Colleen discounted M’s story in a recent podcast. M inserted herself into the case.

[@schoolbook_depository222]

@@dianebolles8534 No

[@Bingo4651]

@@dianebolles8534 who tf is colleen? you cant just throw out random names and expect people to know who youre talking about. Who is colleen? Why is what they say true? What podcast? How did they discount it. There isnt a character limit on youtube bud, provide more context.

[@dianebolles8534]

@@Bingo4651 No bud. Oof, you really have been in a bubble. I guess you missed the presser. She and Misty are the ones who found out Joseph’s ID. How about doing a little digging. It wouldn’t kill ya. kzbin.info/www/bejne/ppnWnJqqd6eog68&feature=shares

[@dianebolles8534]

@@schoolbook_depository222 Yes. I believe Colleen. kzbin.info/www/bejne/ppnWnJqqd6eog68&feature=shares

[@mlk0-0]

Good god, this is exactly what I feared had been the case for the boy in the box...That he was unloved and abused his whole life before being murdered. The way we even have a name for this boy after all this time. All love to Joseph's soul...

[@Rosa-kd2cl]

Unfortunately it seemed pretty obvious to me that the boy had not been loved much before he had been murdered. He was reported as having malnutrition and was underweight, had bruises and other odd injuries, wasn’t up to date with medical care, etc. Sad to see it confirmed. Rest In Peace Joseph. 😢

[@fuhjrvr7474]

@@Rosa-kd2clyeah he was abused from birth. and unawanted. these theories are most likely close to the truth. the foster family definitely had some part in this. til this day a lot of foster families abuse their kids. i know first hand. and many kids have speech impediments, they don’t have a disability but sometimes abuse causes this to happen for many of reasons

[@ashk6292]

Please cover the girl in the box from Philly also. Everyone has forgotten about her. Found may 3rd 1962 in the river in a milk box tied down with a line. She was black and around 4 to 6 yrs old. Poor thing was headless with other injuries. Same coroner pushed so hard to keep boy in the box active but forgot about her😢

[@settame1]

Do they have DNA from this case? I’ve heard that there was a girl in the box found shortly after but no details.

[@prismaticerror6911]

:(

[@legoshurtlikesatan9334]

I'm from philly and I had no idea!! there are barely any articles on it either. I really hope she gets justice one day, the system failed her

[@lovesgucci1]

I was born, raised & still in the city but have never heard about this story!! I need to look up this story! So devastating, I hate hearing about children being harmed. To make matters even worse, this child is forgotten 😢💔

[@luvrbae]

commenting to get someone's attention on this. u should email them about this case, might catch their eye

[@guysmith411]

For Em saying Joseph was very quiet, never recall him speaking, things like that. This could potentially be explained by him having no real interaction with toys or anything that would give stimulation as a child. My husband could explain it better, but basically, when an infant grows up without any toys or anything to give any form of stimulation, they can become “flat” I believe is the term used. Where they don’t really smile, speak, they don’t do much of anything really. So this would make sense given that the child was sold to another family, if they’re going to sell the kid, why would they spend the money on toys for the child to play with?

[@pirate_duck4985]

Flat Affect/Effect something along those lines, learned a little about it when I was studying for childcare.

[@GreebleClown]

Also, if he’s being kept in a basement and his only frequent interaction is… *ahem that, he may have not been taught to talk or not had enough chances to practice speech and then became too old to develop linguistic skills. That’ll happen in feral children, past a certain age it becomes difficult or impossible to learn to speak. (They can still be taught to communicate, if to a limited degree, but struggle with forming words or proper sentences.)

[@fae9606]

Kids need a lot of language input to learn to speak so for a young kid being kept in a basement he likely did not receive enough language input yo develop speech. This has been found in other children who were raised in abusive and neglectful environments. He never got old enough for it to be too late to ever develop speech as that happens around age 4. This could also be explained /worsened by the abuse causing developmental delays and by fear. There was a case were a young girl was kept in an attic with limited contact and care and when she was rescued (around age 8-12 I wanna say) she has no language skills and despite years of working on it she was only ever able to acquire telegraphic speech with limited grammar and vocabulary, like the speaking skills on a toddler. It attests to the abusive conditions he lived in but doesn't necessarily mean that he was disabled

[@hannnn5048]

It makes sense. That combined with her saying that he was , by her recollection of him, wearing a dirty diaper and had a bad odor.Poor baby.

[@hollygarfield123]

i’ve taken a few classes on sign language and linguistics so my first assumption was that he could be deaf. she said he never made any sounds, which is odd for a child because usually they’ll babble. i think @fae in an earlier reply was talking about genie, she was kept from most communication with anyone and punished severely for making any noise and still developed some minimal language, so i would say that never making any sound could be a mix of these two circumstances

[@broadwaylover5384]

I'm glad Joseph has finally been identified and can be laid to rest under his real name, but it sucks that the people responsible for his neglect and death won't face justice

[@Stephanie-we5ep]

Not in life, but faith in consequences surpassing life helps me sleep at night.

[@Ohno-rb9yi]

If there is a hell I hope they burn for their crimes.

[@johannakadar4314]

Every person is acountable for their doings in life if they didnt face punisment in this life belive me God put them in their place. In God’s eye hurting an inocent little child is one of the greatest crime a human can do

[@mirandagoldstine8548]

@@johannakadar4314 There’s a special hell for child abusers, molesters and killers. The gods will shower their justice and judgement upon the people who abused (and likely killed) Joseph. If only some kind people had adopted him, he might still be alive.

[@Mephilis78]

They have a special place in Tartarus

[@carcar_go_vroom]

as someone who grew up less than five miles outside of chase, im so glad we've finally identified this child. of course murder isn't too unusual here in philly but this one little boy managed to stick in everyone's mind due to how long it was unsolved and the fact we couldn't even id him. i hope that soon joeseph can finally rest in peace with a headstone bearing his own name.

[@lukycharms9970]

I don’t think most people don’t realize just how much the way your parents act shapes your view of what is “normal” when you’re growing up. I didn’t figure out until my junior year in high school that your dad finishing a 30 pack of Budweiser every night wasn’t normal. I grew up until the age of 16 or 17 believing everyone’s dad drank that much every night because to me that was normal. It’s crazy the things you can think are normal if you grow up around them long enough

[@McStruggles]

Oh my god, this. I was emotionally and physically abused as a kid. I was convinced it was punishment and always justified, even a cps worker said the physical abuse was ok so long as "it didn't leave a mark". I never really questioned it until I saw in movies that people's parents were nice. And when I went to friends houses as a teenager they weren't walking on eggshells and terrified of upsetting their parents over nothing. I had to ask Reddit if it was abuse. Then I casually brought it up to my teacher and had a meeting with my school counselor and vice principal who placed in a youth shelter. Then cps gave a shit, I given a lawyer, and a restraining order away from my abuser. Only then did I begin to realize I was in a bad situation. That kids are supposed to be treated with affection. Most people understand when I tell them about my past. But I've had a couple people ask how on earth I didn't know and it's frustrating.

[@happydays59]

@@McStruggles 💝

[@karaamundson3964]

ONE HUN- DRED

[@LunarCatKan]

Fr as a kid I always thought it was normal for parents to be verbally abusive, I only realised it wasn’t actually normal to be yelled at for tiny things and told messed up shit for small things I did wrong n all when I was in second year of high school (I’m from the uk so I think it’s roughly second year of junior high for Americans but I’m not too sure)

[@theescoob8684]

substance abuse is an absolute demon. and what you realized applies to other things as well. driving under the influence, child abuse, racism, classism, poverty cycles, and all sorts of stuff. Humans are hardwired to pass along what we know and do, and to learn from those before us. Unfortunately we can learn bad things, besides learning good things.

[@Beechnut2U]

As for Martha being dismissed by some because she had a "mental illness" and was seeing a psychiatrist, her childhood would likely have resulted in what is known today as "complex PTSD". This is not a mental illness, but a condition of the mind that results from childhood trauma, abuse, neglect, among other things. Her being traumatized by her family dynamics could have been suppressed for awhile, then surfacing, but regardless, people with this condition can be highly functioning in their adult lives, while still carrying the damage if the trauma. So, I don't dismiss Martha's account at all. Also, her description of where they got Joseph- houses close together and close to the street, sounds like the "row houses" in Philly. I'm familiar with this as I spent summers in the 1960s in Philly at my grandparent's, which was a row house. Usually these neighborhoods were largely blue collar, lower income families, rather than the neighborhood of single family homes like Martha's. I found your account of this story excellent, so am a new subscriber. As for completely relying on those public records- the 1950 census lists my Dad, named John, as "Joan", a daughter, but the sex is "M" for male, so, yeah... .You did a great job. My heart hurts for both Joseph and Martha. Good thing those parents are dead, and I think we can all agree they ain't in heaven!

[@thewowfiles]

Thank you for explaining complex PTSD. So many people are confused about it and believe it's bs because they think that PTSD is just something that happens to soldiers who were in wars. It's so misrepresented and not talked about because as much as we do talk about S/A and childhood trauma these days, it's still very hush hush in a lot of families and communities. Many abusers are well liked, respected etc and the abused person often doesn't know it's abuse until way later in life and by that time the damage is part of their personalities. As a survivor, it's very hard to unwrap so I commend M for at least trying to work through it.

[@georgeforeman1097]

The reality is martha lied and injected herself into this case. Law enforcement proved her story was most likely non sense. Everyone who was part of her parents lives called her crazy for saying those things. Also the chances of 2 sociopaths that bad finding eachother and marrying back then.. very low. Then add on that they lived a multiple decades long life of apperantly abusing everyday and noone every noticed anything even though they had friends and family over many times.. ya no... martha hated her parents for sure but they didnt do what she said they did.

[@maxifernandez1760]

49:29 FYI to anyone just watching this video and doesn't wanna look it up, this the boy's parent, "John" or Augustus John Zarelli, passed away in 2014. The mother of the boy was named Mary Elizabeth Abel, passed away in 1991.

[@tanuki2898]

It's sickening to know they died without ever knowing that they were partly responsible for what happened to their son. I feel as though they should have had to live with that guilt for some amount of time. And they can never give testimony to corroborate what Martha said. A shame.

[@kawaii33366]

​@@tanuki2898Youre kinda weird.

[@kawaii33366]

Didnt the video literally say to not dox??? Lol

[@maxifernandez1760]

@@kawaii33366 Ah, yes, doxxing, on dead people who's information is on wikipedia...

[@tanuki2898]

@@kawaii33366 Yeah, I know, lol. But it's a kind of weird I'm comfortable with.

[@xxcallmeniaxx3272]

I was trafficked for a year or so by my cousin, he’d assault me and allow others to assault me for drug money in the early 2000’s. This assault was never addressed by my grandmother who new it was happening as she thought he was “just too sweet to ever hurt me that bad” I suffer from severe c-ptsd, depression, anxiety, and episodes of psychosis. I am currently completing my bs in biology in one of the most vigorous pre-med schools in New York State. My main goal is to become a pediatric neurologist. So I think even if she was extremely traumatized she’d still be very capable of obtaining those degrees.

[@thatguy5779]

Good luck with your goals, sorry to read that

[@xxcallmeniaxx3272]

@@thatguy5779 thank you and don’t be sad, I’ve been able to move past it like she did.

[@LB-ou8wt]

You sound like a badass to not just survive but thrive and go on to help others ❤️

[@McChickenJOI]

that's really fucked up to hear, truly sorry that happened to u, good luck with ur goals and aspirations and fuck ur whole family/everyone who knew about that, sincerely. But yeah, i was thinking the same thing too. My partner of 3+ years has cptsd with a similiar background to M and it rly strikes me how ppl will use "mental illness" (in vague terms) to invalidate people, question everything they're saying/their capabilities, etc.

[@Trashcan27]

First off, I’m very happy you’re pursuing your dreams. Second, I don’t think he’s implying she couldn’t. I think his point is that she isn’t so separated from reality to be making all this up if she was able to get multiple masters and phds. You have to be pretty grounded to achieve those

[@gordonramslay9955]

been following the case for a few years. saw the news in a magazine literally just 20 minutes ago. i'm so glad that joseph's name can finally be engraved on his tombstone

[@Deadendsdepressedramblings]

I know this is serious but your name and profile pic makes it impossible to take you seriously

[@StarOperator_]

@@Deadendsdepressedramblings fr

[@jmoney7289]

501st sub here

[@LDF1218]

The fact that this child was never reported missing is very telling. He was probably “illegitimate” and not treated well by either of his biological parents. Unless they did not keep him and whoever adopted or bought him abused/killed him.

[@ratdog6317]

If he was illegitimate that could explain why his parents sold him as a way to get rid of him and get him out of their hands

[@labella9291]

@@ratdog6317 I have been saying that. He was likely illegitimate. Either born out of wedlock, or an affair child.

[@annataymond9529]

He didn’t get a social security number either. Most likely it was either his parents or someone that they gave him to.

[@notaraven]

Its absurd to imagine, but this would have to mean that the parents: Lied to dozens if not hundreds of people during the 9 months of pregnancy. Hid their plans from family/ friends that would push them to do it through proper channels. Purposely gave birth away from a hospital to avoid government involvement. Go through the black market channels to sell the baby without getting arrested. This has to be planned from at least the first 3 months of pregnancy by both parties for this to work. The amount of effort to have an undocumented child, arrange for a purchase, and hide the child for 2 years to the point no one blew a whistle is staggering.

[@ratdog6317]

@@notaraven The father may not have even known the mother was pregnant, and even if he did, if he was married he may have wanted to get rid of Joseph just as much as she did. also it wouldn't have really been that difficult to avoid arrest for this, if youre lying about what youve really done and no one has anything proving otherwise at the time time, then no one finds out there's not going to be any arrest. If that theory about Joseph possibly being autistic or having some other mental disability is true, they may have told their family that they just "dont know how to deal with him" and that they DID give him up through proper channels i.e "I decided to give little Joey up to be adopted by this nice couple, they know that hes a little... special and how to handle it. He's in good hands, dont worry mom/dad/whoever." without ever introducing their family to this "nice couple" or even telling them their real names. They also may have been told other things that weren't true such as his whereabouts. People lie, and some people are damn good at it, especially if they are really determined to do whatever it is theyre having to cover up. It also wasn't really unlikely that a woman would give birth outside of a hospital. You'd be surprised about the kind of things people have done to wipe their hands of their disabled children (or of unwanted childrenin general), and I'm sure that stigma of having a child who may have mental disabilities was MUCH stronger in the late 50s than it is now which wouldve given a parent who wants to do this even more of a motivation to go through with it. And as for the father you would be amazed at the things people would do for the sake of their reputation

[@Nikko1Brown]

To be born into this world to be sold and abused is so horrifying. RIP little guy.

[@Parapon3ra]

To be born into this world is horrifying, period.

[@LoveByHH14]

This is heartbreaking. Poor baby.

[@Trivial_Whim]

You know, the psychic did their job as advertised. She asked for something metal from the kid, he gave her box staples and oh man did she track down where that box came from. Both as a description and walked straight to it in person. Shame the staples and box had nothing to do with the kid. Real shame.

[@nicwelch]

Happy to hear someone recognize the fact that abusers are far more prevalent among schools than anywhere else.

[@georgeforeman1097]

That or church.

[@DUKEHadToDoItToEm]

Wow, that whole story was just depressing. Aside from the part about the psychotic mother who did the boy in, that just disgusted and bewildered me. I will never understand how anyone under any amount of stress could just snap and torture a child to death

[@theprimordiallogic2917]

The bitch was a psychotic pedophile who kept him as a sex slave. Somehow her beating him to death doesn't too seem out of character.

[@Alex_in_Wonderland111]

Even being a sociopath I can’t imagine it either. Most of them are just trying to live out day to day lives like everyone else. I can only assume there must’ve been multiple illnesses going on or perhaps some severe childhood trauma? It’s truly amazing and horrifying that these things can happen in real life

[@KayosHybrid]

Abusers don’t have to be sociopaths. And sexual abusers can be neurotic and invested in dominance and control - a child that she sees as not even deserving of human rights, or meaning, just an object for her pleasure and consumption, is perfectly capable of making her lose her temper and beat him to vent her anger and demonstrate her power. It happens all the time. All too often. Her own ‘flesh and blood’ was routinely abused and she encouraged it, if this story is indeed true. She did not see her ‘children’ as deserving of humane treatment or a lick of sympathy. One child was hidden away and thus he was disposable. She could harm him worse than her daughter. If her daughter had been born in complete secret,maybe she may have been killed in a similar way.

[@sonImbigguyinwoods]

The same kind of people who can molest and encourage the molestation/rape of their own child and probably others. If you can commit such a horrendis act such as that how is beating a child to death harder to do?

[@frankharrington4881]

The fact that she enjoyed molesting little boys as her husband did little girls that is beyond disgusting! And him a teacher and her a librarian pillars of the community really makes you wonder! Patricia Gambino Harrington

[@Elemarth]

It's common for children not to understand how messed up their family life is. It's all they've ever known, and their parents convince them it's normal. Kids might not realize it's not normal until they're teenagers. We don't know he's nonverbal just because the girl never heard him talk. Maybe he just didn't talk around her. It also may have had to do with him being traumatized, neglected, etc. But language disabilities (related to autism or not) aren't uncommon, so it's possible.

[@Zombina638]

No

[@geese5170]

Some people don’t know their experiences in childhood shape who you are for your entire life. Normal is just what you’re used to, so what is normal is subjective. What NEEDS to be normal is kindness, acceptance and independent thinking

[@redegg1825]

As a survivor of these types of crimes and situations, I want to sincerely say thank you for mentioning that sociopaths and awful people mask their behaviour because that is what they do. Your segment saying that you're not alone and your pain is valid made me tear up, because although I have nothing to do with these people, I've been through similar things, and I just wanted to say, from the bottom of my heart, thank you Lore Lodge. You guys are fantastic and I love every video you put out

[@stevus23]

Peace to you stranger after suffering so much. I wish you nothing but happiness. Sincerely.

[@deborahbarry8250]

I was born in 1951, yet I remember the boy in the box on the TV. It scared me at a young age that someone could be so cruel to a child. I'm so pleased to finally learn what happened to him. His name... his very sad story. Thank you 😢

[@Jared_Wignall]

It’s great to know his identity after all these years. I remember hearing about this case for many years now and to actually know Joseph’s name is huge. Now we just need to know who killed him. Thanks for the video guys, keep up the great work!

[@_.Ok.]

The testimony of the woman who said he was her brother can now be investigated with an ancestry archive.

[@Jared_Wignall]

@@_.Ok.this is true. Let’s hope something happens with that.

[@nottachance8554]

@@Jared_Wignall what can happen? She’s dead

[@spacerbreaker]

@@nottachance8554 dna

[@callmehotnotpretty1]

@@spacerbreaker not really since she wasn't his biological sister, right?

[@louisejames6457]

I first heard of this case 8ish years ago. The whole "M theory" was ridiculed by most then (probably by me, too). But now, having all of this info and some context to view it in... Honestly, I didn't think that this case could be any more tragic but I was proven wrong. RIP Joseph. Amazing video tho - you've got a new subscriber.

[@TheLoreLodge]

I think a large amount of the ridicule was because of a lack of understanding of mental illness

[@corneliali7747]

@@TheLoreLodge but also, if one grew up being abused by her parents, the mental illness makes sense. She's clearly intelligent enough academically and worked at a job. She's not "debilitatingly crazy".

[@purpleYamask]

As for surgical scars to the groin, it's relatively common (about 1 in 20k male children) for a testicle to retract back up into the abdomen during childhood and need surgical correction. It's called an orchiopexy and standard surgical procedure was established "before the 1960s."

[@FallenRobot]

Yes. I was born with this.

[@purpleYamask]

@@FallenRobot as was I, which is why I immediately hooked it here lol

[@katemaloney4296]

Or he had a hernia.

[@carnuatus]

I figured that or a hernia of some kind.

[@pinksmoke25123]

I don’t understand if they got him as a baby but kept him hidden when the surgery would have taken place that’s where I’m confused

[@danielleaddams]

This has traumatized me for the last 14 years. As soon I heard his name I honestly thought I would be happy and celebrate for him but no I feel so much worse. I wanted to know who did it and why did he have to died. I am constantly looking for new updates on him. That poor baby boy doesn’t deserve this. Breaks my heart. I love you Joseph Augustus Zarelli. ❤

[@ronbridges678]

I was conceived out of wedlock in 1962. My birth mother was sent to Texas without her parents knowing about me. I was adopted before I was born and raised by my adopted mom. My adopted father was very abusive man. I found my biological mother and 6 brothers and sisters in 2002. So I can understand the story of the boy in the box. I pray that he is resting in peace.

[@BrassSpectacles]

Talking about sociopaths and all hit close to home because I went through something similar growing up, most notably that my mother was loved by everyone and when I tried to tell people she was abusing me they didn't believe me. I know in the past as well you just didn't talk about what was going on in your home; I have older family that would tell me "even if what she's doing to you isn't right, you don't say anything to anyone about it" when they heard that I'd tried to tell people about the abuse I was suffering. I can't imagine what that must have been like for Martha to live in a world where not talking about your home life was considered so taboo, and I hope she was able to find some peace in the end after everything that happened to her. Good reporting on the case, too. I've heard bits about this over the years but never really looked into it and to have some relatively solid answers is pretty cool, plus it gets the story out there. I said this before but thank you for using your platform to talk about stuff like this, hopefully it can bring in more attention and help people

[@ladyiona2000]

I wish you the best, I am sorry this happened to you.

[@TheLoreLodge]

I’m so sorry to hear you went through that.

[@DominicNJ73]

There it is...the typical youtube commenter...."it's all about me." Look for validation somewhere else, perhaps reddit or webslueths, they love to fall all over themselves to validate some rando's story.

[@someniiji]

@@DominicNJ73 Go back to 4chan

[@PloKoonTheOne]

@@DominicNJ73 I don't care if I get banned from comments but shut the fuck you you are a genuine piece of shit

[@nicholashext474]

Something that might undermine the M theory are the surgical scars. It suggest that, at least for one period in Josesph's life, he was being actively cared for. It would be difficult, if not impossible, for a young child to go through these procedures and the necessary aftercare without someone noticing there was an extra child in the household. Of course, the surgery could have taken place when he was still under the care of the biological mother, but I don't know enough about the availability of affordable healthcare for a (presumably young) single mother in 1950's Philadelphia to say whether that would be feasible. Depending on what details the police are keeping back during the investigation, it still doesn't rule out the involvement of the foster home. It would also be interesting to know if the 'Home for Wayward Girls' ever came up at any point in the investigation. Girls and young women who fell pregnant out of wedlock often ended up in these places, with the infant being given up for adoption at birth. It may just be a coincidence that Joseph's body was left across the road from there but, if so, it's an odd one given what we now know about him.

[@bibiana761]

I thought it too, the strange thing is that they put it inside a cardboard box that in the past contained a crib, so the baby came from a place where there were many cradles and many boxes that contained them. If it had been the family they would probably have used a cardboard box that contained other material, a pack of household appliances, Even the blanket where it was wrapped was very worn and used many times and mended a group home did not have much money.

[@mommy2libras]

Since he was only 3 or 4 years old, I think it's possible that the "surgical scars" may have been measures taken to ensure his health after birth. From M's description, it sounds as if he did have some developmental issues so it's quite possible he also had some health issues at birth, maybe was even premature. The scars at the ankles and groin are what made me think so- I do know that in some cases, when veins are collapsed or there's other issues, they will use the long veins at the ankle for blood or fluids. And if a cardian catheter was needed, that would be entered through the groin, though another possibility would be a minor hernia surgery. In the 50s it wasn't uncommon for someone having a baby out of wedlock to "go visit a maiden aunt" in another state or city and these girls and women would even sometimes give birth under a different name. So it's quite possible that he was born in a hospital, had some health issues that needed care and there's no records at all. And at his age, they would still have not faded with time completely.

[@bibiana761]

@@mommy2libras I, on the other hand, think that all those operations are due to experiments, I read that in the 50s in some US orphanages they were used as human guinea pigs for pharmaceutical companies. This would also explain the bruised burns on the legs perhaps they were made to test ointments or painkillers. I think Giuseppe was too small to have all those scars, even the blow to the head was practiced during these experiments, then I read that he had a laser operation on the eye. Usually when they died they were cremated.

[@arandomidiot1593]

Could be the surgeries were performed shortly after his birth.

[@gothicanimegirl44]

Another possibility is that when M said baby we all assumed new born to a couple months. But children don't really know the difference between a baby baby or an older baby especially if theyve never been around one. So what we might assume as newborn might have been 5 months to a year old. That could leave some time for surgery to be done on him before he was given to M's family.

[@bajablastbisexuall]

I live in Philly and have asked teachers about this case so many times once I found out about it and to have closure finally, knowing the boys family has closure. It’s unsettling yet bittersweet

[@anniesheffield6805]

This is truly the most in depth video about this case I have ever seen. You not only utilized secondary sources that are readily available but also took advantage of primary sources to verify information.

[@Bluebelle51]

My first husband was amazingly successful in his life, he also had schizophrenia so it's not outside the realm of possibility that "M" also had schizophrenia. My husband retired from the Navy, where his duties were to teach sailors how to use the sonar on submarines, there were only 6 trainers in the entire Navy. After he retired, he became a structural steel detailer (meaning he did the math that keeps high rise buildings from collapsing). The thing about schizophrenia is, unless there's some trigger that causes a spiral (that's hard to recover from) people can have "successful" lives.

[@psyborgsyntax4440]

I agree, google John nash (mathematician) for a incredible tale of overcoming mental health problems

[@pineappleunicorn1995]

Thank you for defending us schizophrenic people

[@Bluebelle51]

@@pineappleunicorn1995 You are so very welcome

[@Rosa-kd2cl]

@@pineappleunicorn1995yeah that was the low point of the otherwise fantastic video, still a decent amount of misinformation surrounding schizophrenia and how it affects others.

[@DeecentAnimal]

You don’t get to be in the navy or army or anything with schizophrenia.. maybe he’s just assuming he had it and not diagnosed?

[@elleofmusic]

Aside from the tragedy of the boy being so mercilessly murdered and discarded like that, the way Joseph had such an uncanny resemblance to my former step-brother really stuck with me. Of course, he was born in '96, and as far as I know, his family was entirely from the midwest. Just one of those weird things, but remembering meeting him when he was just a young kid who looked so much like this boy... I mean, he could be a little terror as he had some mental and physical issues from being born very premature to drug addicted parents, but he was also sweet and funny and always meant well, and the thought of him meeting such a tragic end... it makes it all the more visceral for me. And jfc, poor Martha... What horrific luck for two ppl that evil to find each other and spend their lives tormenting children without facing any consequences...

[@georgeforeman1097]

The reality is martha lied and injected herself into this case. Law enforcement proved her story was most likely non sense. Everyone who was part of her parents lives called her crazy for saying those things. Also the chances of 2 sociopaths that bad finding eachother and marrying back then.. very low. Then add on that they lived a multiple decades long life of apperantly abusing everyday and noone every noticed anything even though they had friends and family over many times.. ya no... martha hated her parents for sure but they didnt do what she said they did.

[@stephunnie_EXO]

This was a case that always broke my heart, and I honestly never thought we'd know who this poor child was. When I heard that he had finally been identified, I got full body goosebumps. I'm so happy he finally has his name back, and no longer has to be identified as just "the boy in the box" 💕 I hope his soul can finally rest and be at peace 🙏 Poor thing never got to live the life he could've had 💜

[@RapaxGuardian]

I always interpreted the name change from Joseph to Johnathan being simply the Davis parents changing it out of personal preference, not a contradiction.

[@robynsegg]

This story broke the heart of everyone in my hometown. It was one of the many wounds that refused to heal. My Mom had just become a young first time mother herself when it happened. She became more watchful of my older sister and then even more so with me when I was born a few years later. And every time the story came up on our local news, my Mom's face would change. (Same with the Emmett Till story.) Now, almost 70 years later, this baby has been given back his name. Hopefully, we here i Philadelphia can finally start to heal.

[@fandomonium3789]

The boy not speaking reminds me of the story of Jeanie, a girl who was kept isolated in a room with barely anything to look at, and strapped to a chair for most hours of the day. Like the boy, this confinement left her unable to articulate thoughts, something which Joseph might share if he'd been neglected from the age of 2 onward. He very well could have had autism or some other mental handicap, but the isolation likely did not help. As for the Zarelli family not coming forward when the boy's photo was circulated, having given the boy up when he was a baby, there's a chance they simply didn't recognize him. Though to be fair, I don't know how much a little boy's appearance changes between 2 and 4 years old. But two straight years of abuse, malnourishment, and neglect likely impacted the boy's appearance as well, making it hard for the Zarelli's to recognize the boy they'd given to the Davis family. Or, more nefariously, if the child was born from an affair, Joseph's father not coming forward despite recognizing the boy wasn't out of not wanting to confess to murder, but rather, implicating himself in adultery. Which in 1957 was no short order. But given the evidence, I don't think we can vilify the Zarelli's in this instance unless more evidence comes forward like... them selling the baby for drug money or something. But with what we know right now, they had a baby they didn't know how or couldn't afford to take care of, they sold the child to the Davis family, and had no way of knowing that the Davis family would abuse the child. And Joseph's father either didn't recognize the boy from the photo, or was afraid to come forward as it would reveal his infidelity and ruin his reputation. So unless their motive is revealed to be nefarious, Or Mr. Zarelli was too scared to come forward, the Zarelli family seems to be relatively in the clear with being complicit with the boy's death. It's not like background checks existed in 1955, and all of the Davis family's friends and neighbors thought highly of them, meaning that even if they did do a background check, they likely wouldn't have found anything wrong with the Davis family and would have given Joseph to them anyway. Also, Joseph was 2, so it's entirely possible the Davis family renamed him Jonathan when they "adopted" him. It doesn't have to be Martha misremembering his name. They simply could have changed it.

[@DianeLake-sw3ym]

Most likely the Zarelli family - including the father - probably did not know about the baby. And if the father did, he most likely encouraged giving the baby us for adoption. It is most likely no one else in the family knew about Joseph. Even with the photo of him dressed and propped up and the other likenesses put out no one in the family would know. And the mother did not recognize the child as hers either. Neither parent would know what he looked like by then. If anyone is holding the family today responsible for what happened 65 years ago and not know who this child is they are being unreasonable.

[@sierrasasmartass7755]

It is reassuring to know that cases like this one haven't been left behind by investigators. While older cases may never give justice to the victims it is nice to see that their stories are being discovered and told, and their names are being returned to them because I remember the first time I heard about this case. All I could think was "He had a name and someone must know it. Someone must've known him"

[@gregatim]

it's very possible the kid was sold or illegally adopted since it was common in 50s - 60s. (i think it died down around 70s or 80s) in the late 70s ,for example, it happened with my mom who was picked by a woman (let's say the first mom) in a shop and then re-adopted by my grandparents. my mom can be considered lucky for having a family who cared for her. can't say the same for Joseph, unfortunately.

[@720MotorWorks]

It’s noticeable that you actually research the topics and talk genuinely about these stories instead of reading blankly off a script. Keep up the great work

[@sadem1045]

I'm grateful that we finally learned that little boy's name this past year. He deserves to be remembered by his name.

[@KoolDog570]

Excellent presentation of this horrific crime. You've laid everything out crystal clear, and far as I'm concerned M's story is legit - too many consistencies for it not to be, & the inconsistencies are minor, but that can come from age. Some memories are too painful to remember, so the fact she recounted everything in detail to her therapist really does sound like a confession from somebody who needs to get this haunting memory out of their system. Keep up the great work, this is the first video I've seen of yours & it's excellent. I subscribed BTW....

[@josephoram5118]

It's really crazy there are people out there like this. Who do such terrible things to the most innocent things on this planet.

[@tannerlane9669]

Ummm white ppl

[@julianamizrahi2828]

I got to know your channel because of your collab with Wendigoon and I’m loving it! So much well researched content, with depth and nuance. Keep it up!

[@rtclayton86]

I'm from the Philly suburbs in NJ, so I've known about this case my whole life. I'm not usually a podcast type person. I don't sit and listen to people talk for an hour. This was the exception. Well done, I really enjoyed it.

[@faronrich9381]

Good job. This is the theory floating around genealogy DNA circles, except that idea includes the speculation the boy was given up for adoption at birth. A much more likely scenario in the 1950s than the parents living together and then selling their son. I'm from that time period and believe me, you had two options if you got pregnant out of wedlock, a shotgun wedding, or mom was sent to their "aunt's house," which in reality was a maternity home, and then the baby was adopted by a married couple. Two individuals, Catholic or not, staying in their community after living together and breaking up when their baby disappeared would have been unthinkable. That kind of behavior would have ruined their and extended families lives. People would have preferred believing aliens were involved. (There could be another reason that the police are silent. The mother's later children might be unaware their mother had a baby out of wedlock. Revelations of that type of secret can destroy families.)

[@xSwordLilyx]

No, there is definitely a third option if you are a horrible person and already married. I am assuming it is the result of an affair. You tell people you lost your baby and refuse to elaborate. And you sell the baby. Presumably to appease your husband. There wasn't really a system looking for where children were and whether they showed up in school.

[@graysonrogers-barnes6302]

@@xSwordLilyx Yeah, the line of "did you get the money" definitely felt like something darker.

[@comeflynextome94]

I watched this last night and couldn't sleep when I went to bed. It infuriates me that little Joseph not only never knew love, but only knew horrific abu$e during his all-too-short time on Earth. Sleep well, precious boy. Even though it may come too late, you are so very loved now. Perhaps there's even just a bit of comfort in knowing at least this baby now has a name to put on his resting place.

[@williamthomas4769]

Horribly tragic and disgusting what happened to that poor baby boy, damn shame but I hope he's felt nothing but peace and rest since passing. That aside, this was a very good, informative video and I can always appreciate your guys' content. I look forward to stuff of this quality in the future.

[@suscon1140]

Been following this case since I first learned of it, sometime back between 2000 - 2005. Very, very happy for this progress and investigators can at least tell the child's story. That said, I have to admit as soon as it was mentioned the psychic asked for metal from the child, and the person who contacted the psychic sent her staples from the BOX, I could almost hear myself screaming "No!!!!!!". The box is the container the child was found in and may not have any direct connection to him. The real unfortunate part is that it seems the staples gave the psychic information as to where the the bassinet that was originally in the box was currently located. If so, the psychic was, well, truly psychic and I have to wonder what the result would have been if perhaps a metal snap, button, or buckle from the child's clothes was sent to the psychic instead of the staples.

[@TheLoreLodge]

I agree. If the psychic was tracing anything, it was the box.

[@kathleen2568]

thank you for giving him a loving concise compassionate story telling voice.

[@reiphas]

I remember learning about this case when I was 13 and a true-crime kid. Seeing an hour long video on the boy in the box makes me really happy. I'm really glad the kid got his name back, even if it's been almost 70 years at this point. Boy in the box was always one of the most interesting and saddest cases I've come across and I'm absolutely thrilled it's finally solved.

[@queandroid3045]

It's times like this I really do hope there's a afterlife so bad people are judged and the good can rest in peace. Great work guys as always. I bet this took a toll to make

[@RavenWolfDrum69]

GOD JEHOVAH will be the one who judges all

[@tessaducek5601]

I don't believe there is. But it would be nice if they have a painful eternity.

[@kitkatboard]

I'm an atheist but sometimes, I really wish there's some karmic justice in the afterlife, if only for people like them...

[@pennyforyourthots]

​@@kitkatboardsame, although I sometimes prefer to make my own karma is the universe isn't doing it fast enough.

[@benpearson49]

"If it be possible, live peaceably with all men. Avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine, saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good." - Romans 12:19-21. One of my favorite verses.

[@andrewkelley9405]

i am so sorry your ex lied to you about Fox Chase.

[@brokenfoxproductions]

I really hope that someday we can get closure on the AOL 927 case as well. That took place near Harrisburg, and the Harrisburg office of the FBI has actually known who did it since 2019 but they haven't been able to actually release it publicly or confirm it. I know this because I was the one who had to go through the process of actually reporting it because I was involved in that case when it happened. It's going to be really interesting if they ever actually publicly talk about it or whatever but like you've said, a witness can only be taken as circumstantial evidence until they're able to actually confirm things with forensics. That's what holds up a lot of cases apparently because whenever we give tips as witnesses or as people who may even be victims, all that stuff has to be confirmed and followed up on which takes years.

[@Daddynomnoms]

I’m sorry you were involved. I’m pretty intrigued to learn more. I’ve noticed a lot of people think the user was a teen with morbid curiosities but no intent to harm

[@DominicNJ73]

No one cares. This is about Joseph, not your special case.

[@Daddynomnoms]

@@DominicNJ73 people should care. There are unfortunately many horrible cases out there not limited to the atrocities committed towards Joseph.

[@Hambolove16]

What is the aol case. I looked it up and it seems to be just concerning web searches. That's not inherently bad as I'll admit I've searched up some pretty fucked up and inappropriate shit in my youth. But it was just out of curiosity. Sometimes I look back and go.. "My mom probably should have had some kind of child mode on that computer. The internet was a wild wild place up until 10 years ago. They're cracking down on being able to find stuff like that easily.

[@cupidhe4rt]

You did a phenomenal job with your research, storytelling, everything! I would absolutely love to see more videos like this. Even though everything is not absolutely confirmed, I feel like I finally have some closure on this case, so thank you for covering it.

[@writinghappyhour6945]

Well done. This is the most thorough coverage of this case that I've seen.

[@willoughstewart2226]

I want to say thank you for covering this so in depth and so respectfully. This case has lingered on my mind since I was a child and I cried when they accounted they finally knew who he was. I can't think of a better person to cover this than you. Thank you for always being respectful of victims and their families.

[@SableyeCJ]

LETS GO I remember reading about this case multiple years ago and being so excited when I heard they were doing DNA research on the case again. So stoked to hear this

[@classicalheroes8910]

yeah buzzfeed unsolved lol

[@SableyeCJ]

@@classicalheroes8910 YEP

[@toxogandhi]

Boy dies, found dumped, no one is coming forward to ID him... Parents did it. When it's a child, it's usually a parent or "friend" of the family.

[@angusmcpherson]

Or adoptive parents, per "M"

[@georgeforeman1097]

​@@angusmcphersonpretty much any parent figure. But M's parents never adopted a boy and her story was completely fabricated.

[@amydaskilewicz9076]

The discovery of Joseph's name was an emotional story for many Philadelphians. Lots of people took the time to honor his memory. Also, it is absolutely hilarious for someone to describe Fox Chase as, like, a tough neighborhood

[@mlc74]

Most thorough review of this case I’ve heard

[@tired_5305]

I knew about this case before, I always believed the M theory, too much coincidence,it’s a shame that people dismiss it because of mental health. I would love to see more videos about unsolved cases that have been revived.

[@5055672439]

Exceptionally sad story, unfortunately as seeing that the parents are dead the provable truth of his story has likely died with them.

[@agrammer1992]

My mom has a vaccine scar, its a circular scar about the size of a nickel. The reason why its so big is because it wasn't just one syringe for a single vaccine for one virus, it had multiple syringes for multiple vaccines all in one go, it had like 8 or 10 syringes in a circle pattern.

[@katemaloney4296]

My mom had the same one.

[@Ah-mi1mp]

Me too, I got mine in the late 90s though outside the US. I'm 29 now

[@Pandalvr98]

You were amazing! Kept me at the edge of my seat the whole time. Thank you so much. Ever since i found out about the case, I've always wondered what may have happened to the boy in the box.

[@evapunk333]

Damn, what a tragic story...real parents didn't want Joseph, the people that bought him only intended on using him for their own sick and perverted gratification, and then he dies at their hands and is essentially thrown away like trash. It's heartbreaking to think anyone would even think of doing this to a child.

[@default5900]

The amount of work and care y'all put in covering such hard to hear topics is so admirable. I feel like y'all are doing something truly important as hard as it is to watch and listen sometimes these stories need to be heard. We need more people willing to look for the truth regardless of how uncomfortable or disturbing it might be. Thank you.

[@cattibingo]

Imagine opening your power bill the 1st sheet you pull out of the envelope is a corpse photo

[@katiemechenbier4172]

It feels good to know the Joseph's name now, thank you for sharing it. Fantastic video, fellas.

[@GiraffeGal1]

I’ve listened to a number of your videos over the past couple of days while doing some household chores. Started with some of the Missing 411 then Roanoke then a Wendigo one and now this one. Really appreciate all the background information you provide. Thanks for the informative and entertaining videos!

[@Jorts420]

Amazing breakdown of this case, well done and thank you. Hoping y’all are able to continue with these types of detailed videos!

[@EightJane]

This is the first update on his case that ive heard in awhile. His case has always made me incredibly sad. Well done on the information

[@keefstafro]

Absolutely phenomenal video, far more flushed out and thorough than any other coverage of the boy in the box story than I’ve seen. Keep it up!

[@Nyctophora]

A horrific tragedy that I thought we'd never know more about let alone a probable answer. Thank you for working so hard on this.

[@juttamcginnis6779]

Thankyou for this tremendous effort. That poor boy deserves to have his story told. Rest in peace, Joseph.❤

[@williamsantamaria868]

Love your work and can’t get enough of it!

[@LG-hm2tv]

Fabulously well done. Thank you for all The time you put into this. Poor little Joseph. RIP

[@HiddenHollerProductions]

I also live in PA, on the lower side by the MD border. But ever since I heard they named the boy in the box I’ve been hoping you would make a follow up video! But you killed it!! The time/effort that was put into this is crazy & I honestly loved the video, keep it man, you’re crushing it 🤙🏼

[@ShariceBurrows]

You just got a new subscriber.. I love how in-depth you are. You are the first to actually go into detail about this case, and we appreciate all your time and hard work to make it all happen. Keep on keeping on. Job well done 👏 ✔️

[@TheLoreLodge]

Thank you so much!

[@NUFAN1313]

This is by far the hardest video I've ever watched. I had to stop it a few times because it was genuinely painful. That being said, I'm really glad you're the one who told it. Thanks for the very thorough and thoughtful approach to all your content, but especially this one. That poor baby, his story is haunting and I hope he's at peace. He deserved so much better.

[@JJFoley1]

If we took Martha's story at face value, my first question would be how did Martha's parent's meet the Zarelli's, and is it possible that they had them as a teacher/librarian?

[@kaycep6819]

This was my first time watching your content and I thought it was really well done. I’ll be watching more for sure. My uneducated theory was very much the same. Child out of wedlock sold to bad people. Such a tragedy but I do hope the authorities continue to bring forth the truth. Thanks for taking the time to share this!

[@RavenWolfDrum69]

Baby was trafficked to pedophiles

[@WillRoan]

Incredible work. I’ve followed this story for years now. And your in-depth review is the best I’ve ever come across. Also very impressed by your investigation into the M lead.

[@kevinyaboi4860]

Longform, painstakingly researched theories and fact finding are what I live for. Though I will say that your attempts to get people to not harass the surviving family members did start to feel like a wink to the camera after a while. That said very well done

[@lindsayschmidt2177]

I love the level of detail in this video about the case, I’ve watched a few videos about this case in the past and none of them had this level of detail.

[@jadeterrain4771]

Buying babies was pretty common back in the 20s at least, I can't imagine the practice had gone away by the 50s (it hasn't even gone away now). Also if a child is neglected sometimes they well be nonverbal, but it still could have been interpreted as developmental delays. This is an INCREDIBLE video. Good job guys

[@margheritaberto4864]

This is the most detailed and well-explained video of this case i have ever had the pleasure to watch. And believe me, i have watched a LOT. Congrats for the great work and dedication, the video, as well as your whole channel, definitely deserves more attention and recognition!! Keep up the great work🤗

[@DHS9]

Oh... I'm in tears... I have been watching our reading everything on this Angel since i first heard about him.. Precious Joseph. You never had a chance but now you are in the best place of all...

[@merylsilverburgh8081]

I really appreciate the effort that you have put into this video. When I saw the thumbnail I thought "Not this story again" BUT clicked anyway bc I like listening to you talking about stuff and in the end you even gave me new info I had not yet known about. Thank you so much!

[@AdeptusMumbles]

Jesus, had to pause this one and go hug my kid for 20mins. That is heart breaking.

[@ulyssesm.daniels6927]

I had to go tell my parents how much I love them and appreciate them.

[@threemar3]

This is my first time wathcing one of your videos and I'm BLOWN AWAY by how reasonable you are. No hyperbole, no unreasonable assumptions, and not throwing suspicion around just because someone doesn't want their privacy invaded (or polygraphs. Nobody who values there freedom should ever, ever take a polygraph test. Guilty or otherwise.) If all of your video are like this, you have just gained a lifelong fan.

[@suet.r.4815]

This mystery has always grabbed my attention. The story you're relating is full of tragic childhoods... the poor little Joseph, of course; and Martha; the children in the Foster home... and I relate. My own story, I've often thought, will have to be written when I am quite old and anyone I love who could be hurt is gone.

[@kamif5110]

It is never too early to speak up ❤️ God bless you.

[@IceFireofVoid]

The child having gone from a loving family or at the very least, a family that tried to one that was abusive would go to explain why he had signs of having been cared for properly medically in the past despite the cruelty that marked the end of his life.

[@amandaheasley426]

This was incredibly well done, I've seen people cover this case time and time again but this was nearly all new to me. Horrible to think what Joseph went through, something that we have no way of knowing is happening to other children. RIP little guy ❤ Also, I say this with so much love... man what's going on with your hair in this lmfaooo I didn't think much of it until you cut away to the section filmed later, which was so perfectly styled, and then it went right back to the nesting falcon and I just about spit my drink 😂

[@TheLoreLodge]

I was struggling

[@amandaheasley426]

@@TheLoreLodge fair 😂

[@comeflynextome94]

Don't take this the wrong way but I have to say it was encouraging to hear Martha was able to earn so many academic degrees and find a respectable career despite what she endured growing up (I personally think she told the truth; as many have mentioned, many socio-/psychopaths lead seemingly perfect lives and would " _never_ do something like [S/A, murd3r, etc]"). She was able to at least pacify her demons enough to not just succeed, but excel, which is often a struggle for lots of people in general. I hope she's at peace now.

[@MG-co8ug]

I first visited your site to watch the Smith Falls episode only because I recognized the town name as having visited there years ago while cottaging on Rideau Lake. Your story,which I found both quite interesting & well told, referenced a previous episode about the Boy in the Box. I vaguely reconized this but I wanted to know more. Wow. I found it so sad, but at the same time I was very impressed in how thourough your telling of it was. And how respectful you were to the case & those involved. Now I intend to watch much more of your channel because of the integrity & depth of research you demonstrate. Extremely well done. Respect from 🇨🇦.

[@chancebrown98]

Love this type of video! And the crazy amount of research/care put into these videos is rare to come across. Keep it up!