The ‘Boy in the Box’ and online sleuths | Morning Newsletter
And the latest bid for mayor.
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Watch your step. We’re in for a slippery morning with a wintry mix of possible snow, sleet, and rain throughout the day.
It’s been nearly a week since Philadelphia identified the “Boy in the Box” as Joseph Augustus Zarelli.
They didn’t give out additional information but thousands of internet sleuths quickly tried to fill in the blanks.
Our lead story follows the intense wave of online speculation that exploded on forums, blogs, Reddit, and Facebook groups.
— Taylor Allen (@TayImanAllen, morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)
Last week, investigators didn’t name Joseph Zarelli’s parents or half-siblings during their news conference on North Broad Street.
But it took no time for thousands of people to unleash speculation — names, photos, and theories of both the living and the dead.
Some people altered memorial websites, adding Joseph’s name.
A retired Philadelphia police caption wrote a since-amended blog post proposing the identity of the boy’s mother while theorizing how she disposed of the body.
Notable quote: “It’s sad we should have to remind folks that they are adults and doxxing or editing ancestral documents to fit their narrative isn’t the way,” an administrator for one of the Joseph Zarelli Facebook groups said.
The online frenzy brought unwanted attention to others who shared his family name.
While some genealogists question whether the news conference was a “performance” that prompted people online go searching for possible relatives, those close to the case believe police made the right call.
Keep reading to find out the lengths people will go to craft their own narratives.
State Rep. Amen Brown, a Democrat who represents parts of West Philadelphia and champions tough-on-crime policies, will announce a run for Philadelphia mayor on Friday.
His profile: Brown will likely present as one of the more conservative options.
He angered fellow Democrats in Harrisburg last year when he introduced a bill that would have established a tiered system of mandatory sentences for people with prior offenses who are convicted of illegally possessing a gun.
For several years, he has received political support from groups in Pennsylvania that tend to back Republicans and candidates who support charter schools or expanding school choice.
The playing field: He is the latest Democrat to announce a bid ahead of the May 2023 primary to replace term-limited Mayor Jim Kenney.
Brown will be one of at least nine contenders. He is the youngest candidate running against ex-City Controller Rebecca Rhynhart, grocer Jeff Brown, Judge James DeLeon, and former City Council members Allan Domb, Derek Green, Helen Gym, Maria Quiñones Sánchez, and Cherelle Parker.
Whoever wins the Democratic nomination will be well-positioned to win in the general election, since Philadelphia’s electorate is heavily Democratic.
Keep reading to learn about the latest candidate in the race.
What you should know today
The forensic DNA technology used to identify Philadelphia’s “Boy in the Box” as Joseph Augustus Zarelli could help identify Philadelphia’s hundreds of nameless dead.
A South Jersey school is getting armored shields to protect students and teachers from mass shootings.
Investors sued a South Philadelphia cryptocurrency mining company, detailing a pyramid-like rewards system.
A new University of Pennsylvania study says renovating abandoned homes can reduce the rate of gun violence.
Workers at Eastern State Penitentiary museum are seeking to unionize.
Local coronavirus numbers: Here’s your daily look at the latest COVID-19 data.
🧠 Philly Trivia Time 🧠
Which Pennsylvania politician will make a cameo in a Netflix crime drama starring Christian Bale?
A) Joanna McClinton
B) John Fetterman
C) Pat Toomey
D) Josh Shapiro
Find out if you know the answer.
What we’re ...
📰 Reading: Helen Ubiñas writes about confronting hard truths in light of the unboxing of Philadelphia’s Christopher Columbus statue.
🦠 Watching: The latest Inquirer LIVE today at 4:30 p.m., to learn the White House’s COVID strategy for 2023, how the pandemic changed public health, and what challenges public health will face in the year ahead.
🍹Trying: Cocktail boards (the more sanitary option compared to butter boards, in my opinion).
🧩 Unscramble the Anagram 🧩
Hint: Hall of Famer
INDRAWN SABIK
Think you know? Send your guess our way at morningnewsletter@inquirer.com. We’ll give a shout-out to a reader at random who answers correctly. Today’s shout-out goes to Patricia Devlin, who correctly guessed Franklin Square as Wednesday’s answer.
Photo of the Day
And that’s been your Thursday. I’m starting my day with an early morning run 👟. Thanks for starting yours with The Inquirer.