In the high desert community of Lancaster, California, two nine-year-old twins named Solomon and Marozhina have disappeared into the night, carried away by their own father in a black Lincoln Town Car. What the law calls abduction, the heart recognizes as one of the oldest and most painful ruptures a family can suffer — a child's safety made uncertain by the very hand that should protect it. Authorities, who had already glimpsed warning signs in a photograph posted weeks earlier, now reach outward to the public, understanding that in cases like these, a stranger's passing glance can become a l
California authorities search for twin 9-year-olds allegedly abducted by father
Concern for their well-being—a phrase that carries particular weight
Why would authorities use the word "abduction" rather than simply saying the father took the children?
Because in custody disputes, the legal distinction matters enormously. If this were a standard custody situation, it would be a family matter. Calling it abduction signals the department believes the father acted without legal right to take them, and that he may be a danger to them.
The Facebook photo detail is striking—people noticed the children looked unhappy weeks ago. Did anyone report that at the time?
We don't know from what's been released. But it suggests there may have been warning signs visible to people who knew the family, or at least to strangers online. That makes the current search feel like something that might have been preventable.
A 71-year-old man with two nine-year-olds in a car—how far could they realistically have gone by now?
That depends entirely on when he left and where he was headed. If he had a plan, a destination, money, he could be several states away by now. If this was impulsive, they might still be in California. The not-knowing is part of what makes these cases so difficult.
Why release such specific physical descriptions if the public is supposed to help find them?
Because someone will see them. A gas station attendant, a motel clerk, someone at a rest stop. The specificity—the exact height, the pink shorts, the license plate—gives people something concrete to match against what they see in the world.
What does "concern for their well-being" actually mean in this context?
It's official language for fear. Fear they're being harmed, neglected, or taken somewhere dangerous. It's the department saying: this is not a situation where we think everything is fine.
The Pulse
- Two nine-year-old twins vanished Thursday evening in Lancaster, allegedly taken by their 71-year-old father David Sukonick in a black 2011 Lincoln Town Car — and investigators have declared explicit concern for their safety.
- A Facebook photo posted by the father on July 13 showed the children looking visibly distressed, drawing alarmed comments from the public weeks before the abduction was reported.
- The gap between that early warning and Thursday's disappearance haunts the investigation, raising urgent questions about what was unfolding inside this family long before authorities were called.
- Detectives have released detailed physical descriptions of both children and their father, and are urging anyone who spots the vehicle or the trio to contact the LA County Sheriff's Department or Crime Stoppers immediately.
- Every tip — no matter how small — is being treated as potentially decisive in a race to bring Solomon and Marozhina home safely.
In the high desert community of Lancaster, California, two nine-year-old twins named Solomon and Marozhina have disappeared into the night, carried away by their own father in a black Lincoln Town Car. What the law calls abduction, the heart recognizes as one of the oldest and most painful ruptures a family can suffer — a child's safety made uncertain by the very hand that should protect it. Authorities, who had already glimpsed warning signs in a photograph posted weeks earlier, now reach outward to the public, understanding that in cases like these, a stranger's passing glance can become a lifeline.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department is searching for nine-year-old twins Solomon and Marozhina Sukonick, who disappeared Thursday evening near the 1000 block of West Avenue J-8 in Lancaster. They were last seen around 8 p.m. traveling with their father, David Sukonick, a 71-year-old man, in a black 2011 Lincoln Town Car bearing California license plate SOLOYST.
Authorities have released detailed descriptions to help the public identify the children. Marozhina stands four feet four inches tall, weighs roughly 90 pounds, and has brown hair and brown eyes — she was wearing pink shorts and a white shirt. Her twin brother Solomon shares her height, weight, and coloring, and was last seen in blue shorts. Their father is five feet seven inches tall, approximately 135 pounds, with brown hair and green eyes.
The sheriff's department has stated plainly that there is concern for the children's well-being — language that signals investigators view the situation as a genuine risk to the twins. That concern deepened when news outlets reported that David Sukonick had posted a photo of the children on Facebook on July 13, prompting worried comments from viewers who described the twins as looking "miserable." That image, captured weeks before Thursday's disappearance, has added troubling context to the investigation.
Anyone with information is urged to contact the LA County Sheriff's Department at 661-940-3855, or to reach out anonymously through LA Regional Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS, the P3 Tips app, or lacrimestoppers.org.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department is searching for two nine-year-old twins who vanished Thursday evening in Lancaster, taken by their father in what investigators are treating as an abduction. Solomon and Marozhina Sukonick were last seen around 8 p.m. near the 1000 block of West Avenue J-8, traveling in a black 2011 Lincoln Town Car with California license plate SOLOYST alongside their father, David Sukonick, a 71-year-old man.
Authorities have released detailed descriptions of both children in hopes the public can help locate them. Marozhina is a white girl, four feet four inches tall, weighing approximately 90 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes. She was wearing pink shorts and a white shirt when last seen. Solomon matches his twin sister in height and weight, also with brown hair and brown eyes, and was dressed in blue shorts and a shirt of unknown color. Their father stands five feet seven inches tall, weighs about 135 pounds, and has brown hair with green eyes.
The sheriff's department has explicitly stated there is concern for the children's well-being, a phrase that carries particular weight in missing-child cases. The urgency of the search reflects the department's assessment that the situation poses a genuine risk to the twins. Investigators are urging anyone who has seen the vehicle or the three individuals to contact authorities immediately.
A troubling detail emerged when news outlets reported that David Sukonick posted a photograph of the children on Facebook on July 13. The image prompted concerned comments from viewers who noted the children appeared distressed, describing them as looking "miserable." That observation, made weeks before the reported abduction, has added another layer of concern to the investigation and may provide investigators with additional context about the family's circumstances.
The public can assist the search through multiple channels. The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department is accepting tips at 661-940-3855. For those who prefer anonymity, L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers can be reached at 800-222-TIPS (8477), through the P3 Tips mobile application, or via the Crime Stoppers website at lacrimestoppers.org. Each report, no matter how small a detail might seem, could prove crucial in locating Solomon and Marozhina and bringing them to safety.
Notable Quotes
Concern for their well-being— Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department
They looked miserable— Facebook commenter on David Sukonick's July 13 post