A Ukrainian man who recently lost a custody battle is believed to have abducted his children and fled to Mexico en route back his home country, police said.
Hrant Kolomoeits, 7, and Avaora Kolomoeits, 9, were last seen near their Elementary School in Sylmar, California on April 8 when they were picked up mid-morning by their father Rodion Kolomoeits, who recently lost custody of them, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.
Police believe Rodion, a Ukrainian citizen, is “making efforts to return to Ukraine with the children.”
Rodion is driving a 2016 Toyota Prius and was last seen driving over the U.S.-Mexico border at San Ysidro around 2 p.m. on Tuesday.
Hrant is four feet tall with brown hair and blue eyes. He was last seen wearing a green and blue sweater and black pants. Avaora is 4’6” with brown hair and blue eyes. She was last seen wearing a blue shirt and black pants. Rodion is 5’11” with brown hair and gray eyes.
The primary language for both children is Russian, police say.
Approximately 200,000 children annually are victims of family abductions, of being taken by a family member rather than a stranger, according to the L.A. Times.
Anyone with information on Rodion or his children should contact the Los Angeles Police Department.