Missing Teen from Lincolnia Returns Home; Now in Police Custody

FAIRFAX COUNTY, VA -- (UPDATE Wednesday, 9:25 a.m.) Venus Iraheta, the 17-year-old that Fairfax County Police reported as missing/endangered on Tuesday, returned to her home around 9 p.m. Tuesday, police said.

A local news media crew was at the home on Beauregard Street, interviewing her mother, when Venus came home. The news crew called police to let them know she had returned.

Police officers were sent to the home and confirmed Venus had come home. She being interviewed by detectives regarding the circumstances surrounding her absence.

On Wednesday morning, police said that Venus Ireheta is in custody. Due to her age, police are prohibited by law about revealing whether she's facing any criminal charges.

Nine people are in custody in connection with several gang-related cases, police said.

Patch will update when new information becomes available.

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Fairfax County Police detectives asked for the public’s assistance in locating 17-year-old Venus Lorena Romero Iraheta of Beauregard Street (see map below) of the Lincolnia area of the County.

Police said in an afternoon press conference held Tuesday that it was possible that the case is connected to the one involving a teen from Montgomery County who was found dead over the weekend near a Springfield industrial park. The remains of Damaris A. Reyes Rivas, 15, of Gaithersburg, Md., were found over the weekend. The teenaged girl was reported missing from Montgomery County, Md., on Dec. 10, 2016.

Police say they believe the cases are gang-related and that the two girls were "acquaintances." Detectives learned about the two being acquaintances during their investigation.

Watch a video below from a news conference held Tuesday by Fairfax County Police:

Police say Venus left her home voluntarily on Jan. 15, with a black and red backpack full of clothes. Her mother reported her missing that day and Venus was entered into the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) database. Due to recent developments in several current/ ongoing investigations, detectives said they believed Venus might be endangered.

Anyone with information about the whereabouts of Venus Lorena Romero Iraheta is asked to contact Detective Dean Tran at 703-246-7514, or Crime Solvers electronically by visiting www.fairfaxcrimesolvers.org or text-a-tip by texting “TIP187” plus your message to CRIMES(274637) or by calling 1-866-411-TIPS(8477), or call Fairfax County Police at 703-691-2131.

Venus left her home in this area on Jan. 15, according to police (Google maps):

PHOTO of Venus courtesy of FCPD