“The Boy in the Box”“America’s Unknown Child”

Kiersten McElwain

Who was the victim? A little boy, roughly said to be 4-5

years old 55 years after the boy was found, still

no positive I.D. has been determined

Where/when was the body found?

Susquehanna Road, Philadelphia, PA Also known as the “Fox Chase” section

Body was found February 25, 1957 Police were called the next day

What steps were taken? Forensic scientists collected all evidence they thought

was significant at the scene During the autopsy, the coroner found bruising all

over his body, Livor Mortis (blood settles after death), footprints, fingerprints, & abrasions

His right hand and both feet had the “washerwoman” effect (wrinkles due to attempted drowning)

Photos were taken of the boy, the scene, the evidence, etc.

Time of Death (TOD): not 100% sure, due to weather Cause of Death was multiple blows to the head

Technological Problems DNA analysis technology wasn’t as

good as it is now Didn’t have computers or TV or

Internet to try and figure out who the boy was

Evidence (1957) Cardboard box marked “fragile” A faded flannel blanket A man’s cap (blue) A boys’ clothing and shoes, relatively the size of

the young boy

EVIDENCE (1998) DNA extract from remains (too degraded for

microscopic analysis)

Official Figures Involved Frank Bender (forensic sculptor: a bust of the boy’s supposed

father) Remington Bristow (investigator in the M.E.’s office) The FBI (made case top priority, DNA analysis) John J. Kelly (chief inspector) William H. Kelly (Philadelphia Police Dept. I.D. Unit) Dr. Wilton M. Krogman (professor of physical anthropology

asked to examine the body) Joseph McGillan (investigator w/ M.E.’s office since ‘56) Elmer Palmer (first officer at the scene) Captain David H. Roberts (head of homicide squad) Dr. Joseph W. Spelman (Medical Examiner {M.E.}) Sam Weinstein (second officer on scene)

Possible Suspects Fredrick J. Benonis (found the body on February 25,

1957; peeping tom; reported it the day after) George Broomall, Marine Private First Class (thought the

boy might be his “missing” eight-year-old brother; boy was not his brother)

Foster Family (only 1.5 miles from the scene) Florida Claimants (thought their mom was the boy’s

mother; DNA did not match) Ohio Informant (“M”) (described the “murder” in detail;

police weren’t sure where it lead) Private Edward J. Posivak (detained & questioned,

submitted to a lie detector test {results were negative})

Things that left the case open

Police were never able to identify the boy, or able to find any family members to claim the body

Case opened in 1957 and remains open in 2012

“CONSPIRACIES”/ BOOKS/ MOVIES? “City of Brotherly Mayhem” by Ron Avery

(1997) (book) “The Boy in the Box” by David Stout (2008)

(book)

Images

Arrow shows where boy was found

Images

(right) the box the boy was in

(above) some of the bruises found on the boy’s body

(below) 10-year anniversary of boy’s death, Remington Bristow was in attendance

(bottom right) another angle of where boy was found