UPDATED: PERRIS: Teen – missing seven days – located, safely returned home

UPDATE: March 30, 3:45 p.m. With additional information from sheriff’s department.

UPDATE: March 30, 2 p.m. See original article below

 

PERRIS – Details are still emerging, but family members of missing, 14-year-old, Lorenzo Veta, have excitedly reported that the missing teen was located and has been returned home.

Sheriff’s officials later confirmed the boy was located Wednesday, March 29, and has been safely returned to his family.

The teen – who was missing for seven days and was last seen leaving his Perris home to go to school Wednesday, March 22 – was located in the City of Burbank, in Los Angeles County.

“The investigation confirmed Veta was not abducted,” Riverside Sheriff’s Sergeant Glenn Williams explained in a written press release. “Perris police detectives followed investigative leads to Burbank, CA., where they located Veta alone in a coffee shop.”

According to family members, Lorenzo was found at the coffee shop while he was either traveling to or from a movie theater. No other details about the boy being located were immediately available.

Although officials have not yet provided any additional details regarding Lorenzo being found, who he spent the last seven days with or how he spent his time away from home, Williams said charges could be filed against those who helped him run away from home.

“The investigation revealed several of Veta’s adult and juvenile friends assisted him in his effort to run away from home,” Williams said. “Perris Police Department detectives are evaluating criminal complaints against these individuals for delaying the investigation and contributing to the delinquency of a minor.”

Lorenzo’s family members wished to thank all those who became involved in the boy’s search as well as those who shared the missing teen’s pictures and information.

Janine de la Torre, who led the family’s efforts to bring Lorenzo’s disappearance to the community’s attention, tearfully spoke about her cousin’s safe return the morning after his return home.

“I’ve never been through something like this and there’s really no way of preparing yourself when this happens,” de la Torre explained. “The hardest part was getting the word about Lorenzo’s disappearance out to the community, but social media played a huge part in all this.”

“I couldn’t believe how the (RCNS) story that broke the news about Lorenzo’s disappearance was seen by more than seventy-thousand people and the post I made on Facebook was shared more than 600 times the first day,” de la Torre said. “After that, it seemed like everyone wanted to get involved and help search for my cousin.”

“I can’t thank everyone enough,” de la Torre said. “The community, the Riverside County sheriff’s deputies and investigators who worked the case and the media that got involved to share my cousin’s story, we all came together to bring Lorenzo home.”

“I’d love to say more, but I’m crying right now,” de la Torre said. “We are all just so happy and thankful for Lorenzo’s safe return to us.”

Anyone with additional information regarding this investigation is encouraged to contact Investigator John Layos at the Perris Station by calling (951) 210-1000, or by email. Callers can refer to incident file number PE17081150 and can remain anonymous. Citizens may also submit a tip using the Sheriff’s CrimeTips online form.

 

UPDATE: March 28, 7:30 p.m. See original article below

PERRIS – Sheriff’s officials confirmed they are investigating the reported disappearance of 14-year-old, Pinacate Middle School student, Lorenzo Veta. Lorenzo was last seen by his family as he left for school from his Perris residence Wednesday, March 22.

Deputies from the Riverside County Sheriff’s Perris Police Station were first notified about Lorenzo’s disappearance just before 9 p.m. that evening, when the teen’s family reported that the boy had not returned home from school that day.

Deputies took a report of a runaway juvenile and have been conducting followup investigation.

Riverside Sheriff’s Sergeant Glenn Williams provided an update today in a written press release.

“Today, investigators are following up on yet unsubstantiated social media posts that reported Veta was last seen getting into a white van with an unknown male driver,” Williams wrote. “The Perris Police Department is evaluating the information and will be using all available resources in the search for him.”

“Veta was last seen near the intersection of Wilson Avenue and Cinnabar, in the city of Perris,” Williams continued. “It was reported Veta was wearing a dark colored T-shirt, blue pants and is described as a Hispanic male, 5-06” tall, 120 pounds, has brown eyes and long straight black hair.”

“Veta is in good health and there is no explanation for his disappearance at this time,” Williams explained. “If seen, we are asking citizens to contact 911.”

The investigation is continuing and anyone with additional information regarding Lorenzo Veta’s whereabouts is encouraged to contact Investigator Layos, at the Perris Station by calling (951) 210-1041, or email. Callers can refer to incident file number PE17081150 and can remain anonymous. Citizens may also submit a tip using the Sheriff’s CrimeTips online form.

 

UPDATE: March 27, 8:30 p.m. See original article below

PERRIS – Moments after the story of missing 14-year-old Lorenzo Veta was published, Janine de la Torre, the missing teen’s cousin, provided an update to the search for the missing teen. He was last seen leaving for school Wednesday, March 22.

De la Torre has been leading the family’s efforts to either locate the missing teen or uncover information about where he might be.

She explained that moment’s earlier, while scouring Lorenzo’s social media accounts, she had uncovered information that led her to believe Lorenzo might have met with or traveled to meet a man believed to reside in Texas.

Although she had no way of verifying the information, de la Torre said she was planning on contacting sheriff’s officials immediately to update them with the information she had just uncovered.

This is a developing story. Additional information will be provided as it becomes available.

 

ORIGINAL STORY:

PERRIS – Reports of a missing 14-year-old from Perris have citizens from around Riverside County and beyond sharing the teen’s information and photographs, as family members desperately reach out for help and information about the boy’s whereabouts via social media.

The missing boy, identified by family members as Lorenzo Veta, was last seen when he left for school Wednesday morning, March 22. Lorenzo attends Pinacate Middle School in Perris and is in the eight grade.

The school is about four miles from Lorenzo’s home and he takes the bus to and from school every day.

Janine de la Torre, Lorenzo’s cousin, has been leading the drive to either locate the missing teen or uncover information about where he might be.

“His family is worried sick about him and we all just want him home,” de la Torre explained.

De la Torre said Lorenzo was raised by his aunt and uncle and he doesn’t have any other local family members that he can go to.

The Riverside County Sheriff’s Media Information Bureau has been contacted for further information related to this investigation.

Anyone who has information about Lorenzo or who knows where the missing teen is, should immediately contact sheriff’s officials at (951) 210-1000. Callers can refer to incident file number PE170810150 and can remain anonymous. Citizens may also submit a tip using the Sheriff’s CrimeTips online form.

This is a developing story. Additional information will be provided as it becomes available.

 

Contact the writer: [email protected]

Trevor Montgomery runs Riverside County News Source and Shasta County News Source. Additionally, he writes for Riverside County based newspapers, Valley News and Anza Valley Outlook and also writes for Bonsall/Fallbrook Village News in San Diego County.

Trevor spent 10 years in the U.S. Army as an Orthopedic Specialist before joining the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department in 1998. He was medically retired after losing his leg and breaking his back in an off-duty accident.

During his time with the sheriff’s department, Trevor worked at several different stations, including Robert Presley Detention Center, Southwest Station in Temecula, Hemet/Valle Vista Station, Ben Clark Public Safety Training Center and Lake Elsinore Station, along with other locations.