Break In Case Of Unknown Child Found Dead Five Years Ago
Updated 02/18/11 - 5:11 p.m.
NAPERVILLE, Ill. (CBS/WBBM) -- New information is out about the death of a boy whose decomposed body was found more than five years ago in Naperville Township.
As WBBM Newsradio 780's Bob Conway reports, for many years, the boy was known only as "DuPage Johnny Doe."
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He was found stuffed into a laundry bag along the Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway (I-88) in Naperville in October 2005.
As CBS 2's Dorothy Tucker reports, Ted Bruder found the boy's badly decomposed body in 2005. Bruder was out walking his dog, Buddy, in unincorporated area between Naperville and Warrenville.
He said he still relives that morning to this day.
"You realize it was a little boy, opening that bag up and looking inside; it's just something you don't forget."
At the time, authorities composed a sketch of what the unknown boy might look like. Today, after nearly six years, sources confirmed that the boy has been identified by DNA and his name is Atcel.
"I was just elated. It took a long time. Maybe they'll be able to find out who was behind this," Bruder said.
The Dupage County Sheriff declined to discuss the case. But, according to sources, authorities are looking for the boy's stepfather. He's wanted for questioning because, two years ago, the boy's older sister reported being abused by him and linked the stepfather to her brother's disappearance.
The Chicago Tribune reported Friday that, based on statements made by the boy's sister, he had been killed and dumped by her stepfather.
Atcel's sister, now 14, also said other children in the family's Cicero home were subjected to abuse.
The newspaper quotes sources as saying the stepfather and the children's mother fled to the Mexico City area.
DuPage County State's Attorney Robert Berlin confirmed this week that no murder charges are pending against the man or the teen's mother, but he said the investigation is continuing.
Ted Augelli, the family counselor for Assumption Cemetery, where the boy is buried, said that when the funeral was held in 2007, more than 100 people showed up.
Augelli said the recent addition of a toy car and plastic flags at the boy's grave is evidence many have returned.
"We all are compassionate and the story has generated interest over the years," he said. "This is a child that nobody, really, has been able to identify, at least until now it seems."
Now that the boy has been identified, the director of the cemetery said that, at some point, they will put his name on the grave marker.
