In February nineteen fifty-seven, the body of a small boy was found beside a road in Philadelphia. He was between four and six years old. He had been beaten. His hair had been recently cut. He had recently eaten. No one reported him missing. Police distributed hundreds of thousands of flyers. Investigators followed thousands of leads over sixty years. No one came forward. For six decades, he was known only as America's Unknown Child.

In this episode of 5 Minute Strange, we cover the investigation that spanned generations, the forensic breakthroughs that eventually gave the boy a name — Joseph Augustus Zarelli — and why knowing his name has still not brought justice. His killer has never been identified. The people responsible for what happened to him have never faced consequences. His case remains open.

Subscribe to 5 Minute Strange for a new true story every weekday. One mystery. Five minutes. No explanation.

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