A Hillsborough, California, mother is asking the public for help locating her 33-year-old son, Max W. Roth Downie, also known as Max William Downie, who was reported missing on Friday, September 4, 2026.
Susan Roth filed the missing-person report in person with the Burlingame Police Department and also followed up with a telephone report to the San Mateo Police Department. The case is being tracked under reference number 2609040126.
Max is 33 years old and was born on September 22, 1992, in San Francisco. His mother described him as approximately 6 feet tall and about 175 pounds, with a medium build, dirty blonde hair, and hazel eyes.
Roth said her son does not drive. Because of that, she believes he may be traveling on foot, by train, or by another form of public transportation.
She is now asking residents across the region to remain alert and watch for someone matching his description, particularly in areas where he could reasonably travel without a vehicle.
According to Roth, the last conversation she had with Max took place on a Friday, two weeks before she filed the missing-person report. During that conversation, he told her that he loved her and asked whether they could go to Crepevine in Burlingame for his birthday.
Roth said the restaurant is one of her son’s favorite places. During the conversation, he also asked whether he could come home.
The loss of communication has made the situation especially difficult for his mother. She said Max’s phone can no longer receive messages, leaving her without one of the main ways she had previously been able to contact him.
Roth has also spoken openly about health struggles her son has experienced in recent years. She said he has not been doing well for more than two years and described depression following a divorce and the loss of his job.
According to his mother, these difficulties have continued for a prolonged period, contributing to her concerns about his current whereabouts and well-being.
Roth believes Max may be in San Francisco and has personally gone there to search for him.
During one of those efforts, she visited Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital. She said hospital staff told her that Max had recently been seen there and appeared to be doing better than he had during previous months.
Roth also identified San Francisco General and CPMC Van Ness as hospitals familiar with her son’s situation. She said his most recent hospital visit was approximately two weeks before he went missing.
The information she has gathered from hospitals has provided some indication that Max may have been in the San Francisco area, but his exact current location remains unknown.
Roth said the circumstances surrounding her son’s disappearance are part of a longer period of concern rather than an isolated event. She described a pattern that has continued for more than three years, even as some family members have stepped back.
That history has increased her concern and motivated her continued efforts to locate him.
Despite the uncertainty, Roth is asking for a straightforward response from the public. She said anyone who sees Max should encourage him to call home or contact the nearest police station.
Community members have reportedly offered to organize a fundraiser to help support the search, but Roth said financial assistance is not currently necessary.
For her, the immediate priority is simply getting reliable information about where her son is and making sure he is safe.
The involvement of multiple police departments reflects the effort to document the disappearance and coordinate information about Max’s whereabouts.
Anyone with information that could help locate Max Roth Downie is encouraged to contact the San Mateo Police Department and provide case reference number 2609040126.
People who encounter someone they believe may be Max should avoid making assumptions based solely on appearance and instead contact the appropriate authorities with verified information.
For Roth, every potential sighting could be important. A person who has seen Max recently may be able to provide investigators with a location, direction of travel, or other detail that could help establish his movements.
The fact that Max does not drive also means that transit stations, trains, sidewalks, public spaces, and other locations accessible without a car could be relevant to the search.
His mother is therefore asking residents not only in Hillsborough and Burlingame but also throughout the broader San Francisco and San Mateo County region to remain attentive.
At this point, there is no confirmed public information establishing exactly where Max is staying, whether he is traveling alone, or what route he may have taken since his last known contact with his family.
The most recent information provided by his mother indicates that he may have been seen at a San Francisco hospital before the report was filed, but that does not establish his current location.
As the search continues, Roth remains focused on bringing her son home and restoring contact with him.
Her request to the public is simple: if someone sees Max, help connect him with his family or local authorities rather than attempting to handle the situation independently.
The family’s immediate concern is his safety and well-being, particularly given the health challenges Roth says he has experienced.
The search remains active, and additional information could help investigators establish Max’s recent movements and locate him.
Anyone who may have information about Max Roth Downie’s whereabouts should contact the San Mateo Police Department and reference case number 2609040126.
For Susan Roth, the search is not simply about finding a missing person. It is about finding her son, hearing from him again, and knowing that he is safe.
