Blake Rogers, the 56-year-old Lennox Head restaurateur associated with Chido Cantina, has died following a missing-person search in East Ballina, New South Wales. NSW Police confirmed that Rogers was last seen on September 20, 2026, and launched an appeal for information after his disappearance was considered out of character. Local reporting published on September 23 said the search had ended with Rogers being found deceased and that police considered there to be no suspicious circumstances.
Rogers is being remembered as a husband, father of three and a familiar figure in the Northern Rivers hospitality community. His family has established a fundraiser to help with financial commitments surrounding Chido Cantina while they grieve and consider the restaurant’s future.
Introduction
The Blake Rogers Obituary story is drawing attention across Lennox Head, Ballina and the wider Northern Rivers region after the sudden death of the 56-year-old local restaurateur associated with Chido Cantina.
Rogers was reported missing after he was last seen in Easter Parade, East Ballina, at about 12:30 p.m. on Sunday, September 20, 2026. NSW Police said his disappearance was considered out of character and appealed to the public for information.
Two days later, local reporting said the search had ended tragically and that Rogers had been found deceased. Ballina News Daily reported that police indicated there were no suspicious circumstances surrounding his death.
Rogers was well known in Lennox Head through Chido Cantina, the family-owned Mexican restaurant he operated with his wife, Cilla. A community fundraiser describes him as a devoted husband and father of three children, Xanthe, Zane and Ashlee, and remembers his generosity, kindness and welcoming personality.
The circumstances have left his family, friends, customers and members of the local hospitality community mourning a man who had become closely associated with the restaurant and the community around it.
What Happened to Blake Rogers?
The sequence began with a missing-person report.
According to NSW Police, Blake Rogers, aged 56, was last seen at approximately 12:30 p.m. on September 20, 2026, in Easter Parade, East Ballina. When he could not be located or contacted, officers from the Richmond Police District began inquiries. Police said they were concerned for his welfare because his disappearance was unusual for him.
Police described Rogers as being approximately 170 to 175 centimetres tall, with a medium build, grey or blond mid-length hair and a moustache. At the time of his last confirmed sighting, he was wearing a white shirt, multicoloured board shorts, black thongs, a black cap and black glasses.
Authorities also said he was known to frequent the Lennox Head and East Ballina areas.
The appeal was shared throughout the Northern Rivers community as friends, residents and people familiar with Rogers hoped he could be located safely.
Local reporting subsequently stated that Rogers had been found deceased. Ballina News Daily reported that the discovery followed the police appeal and that police said there were no suspicious circumstances.
Important distinction about the available sources
The publicly indexed NSW Police notice that can be independently verified is the original September 21 missing-person appeal. It does not itself contain the later death details. The later information comes from local reporting and the family-support fundraiser.
That distinction is important in an obituary because it prevents an earlier police notice from being incorrectly presented as if it were the final official account.
Key Details
- Name: Blake Rogers
- Age: 56
- Community: Lennox Head/Northern Rivers, New South Wales
- Last confirmed sighting: Easter Parade, East Ballina
- Last-seen date: September 20, 2026
- Last-seen time: Approximately 12:30 p.m.
- Police district: Richmond Police District
- Business connection: Chido Cantina in Lennox Head
- Wife: Cilla Rogers
- Children: Xanthe, Zane and Ashlee, according to the family fundraiser
- Death: Local reporting says Rogers was found deceased following the missing-person search
- Suspicious circumstances: Local reporting says police indicated there were none
- Cause of death: Not publicly established in the sources reviewed
- Funeral arrangements: No confirmed public arrangements were located in the sources reviewed
- Restaurant status: Chido Cantina has temporarily closed while the family grieves and considers its future.
Who Was Blake Rogers?
Blake Rogers was a Northern Rivers local who became particularly well known through his work at Chido Cantina, a family-owned Mexican restaurant in Lennox Head.
The family’s fundraiser says Rogers and his wife, Cilla, were both born and raised in the Northern Rivers. Since 2023, they had poured their time and energy into building Chido Cantina as a family business and community gathering place.
For customers, Rogers was more than simply a restaurant owner.
Community tributes have focused on his personality and the way he interacted with people. The fundraiser describes him as generous, kind and someone whose smile made people feel welcome and valued.
That reputation helps explain the strong reaction to his death.
In a smaller regional community, locally owned businesses can become important meeting points. Owners and staff often develop relationships with customers that go beyond ordinary commercial transactions.
Chido Cantina appears to have been one such place for many people in Lennox Head.
Blake Rogers and Chido Cantina
Chido Cantina became an important part of Rogers’ public identity in the Northern Rivers.
The restaurant was operated by Rogers and his wife, Cilla, and the family fundraiser says they had been putting their energy into the business since 2023.
The fundraiser describes Chido as a place the family created for their community, with Rogers playing a central role in its atmosphere.
That connection between Rogers and the restaurant has become an important part of the tributes following his death.
Local reporting says Chido Cantina has temporarily closed while the family takes time to grieve and consider what happens next.
The temporary closure should not be interpreted as a permanent decision about the restaurant.
The family fundraiser specifically says the family is taking time to work out the future, while also facing ongoing financial commitments associated with the business.
Blake Rogers’ Family
Rogers is being remembered first and foremost as a family man.
The fundraiser established on behalf of his daughter, Xanthe, describes him as a devoted husband to Cilla and a proud father of three children: Xanthe, Zane and Ashlee.
The family has asked for community support during a difficult period.
Rather than focusing only on the loss itself, the fundraiser is designed to help the family deal with practical financial commitments while they grieve and determine what will happen with Chido Cantina.
The campaign also provides an indication of how closely the Rogers family is connected to the local community.
People who knew Blake personally, visited Chido Cantina or simply crossed paths with him have been encouraged to support the family.
The Missing-Person Search
The missing-person investigation began after Rogers was last seen in East Ballina.
NSW Police issued their public appeal on September 21, stating that Rogers had last been seen the previous day and that concerns had been raised because he could not be contacted or located.
The official appeal provided a physical description and details about the clothes he was wearing.
Police asked anyone with information to contact Ballina Police or Crime Stoppers.
The appeal was particularly significant for the local community because Rogers was known around Lennox Head and East Ballina.
The Echo, a Northern Rivers news publication, also carried the police appeal and reported the same last-seen details.
Local reporting later said the search ended with Rogers being found deceased.
What Officials and Local Sources Said
The clearest official information available from NSW Police concerns the initial missing-person investigation.
Police said Rogers was last seen in East Ballina on September 20 and that officers from the Richmond Police District had begun inquiries after he could not be contacted. Police also described the disappearance as out of character.
The later death information has been reported by local news outlets.
Ballina News Daily reported on September 23 that Rogers had died and that police said there were no suspicious circumstances.
The family fundraiser provides another important source for understanding the personal impact of the death.
It describes Rogers as a loving husband and father and remembers his generosity, kindness and ability to make people feel welcome.
These descriptions are family and community tributes rather than independent measurements of Rogers’ character, so they are best understood as expressions of how people close to him remember him.
What Was the Cause of Blake Rogers’ Death?
A confirmed public cause of death has not been established in the sources reviewed.
This is an important point because a number of online pages can quickly repeat or speculate about the circumstances surrounding a death.
The available local reporting says police indicated there were no suspicious circumstances, but that statement does not establish a medical cause of death.
There is currently no reliable basis in the sources reviewed to state that Rogers died from a particular illness, accident, injury or other medical event.
For that reason, the Blake Rogers Obituary should not include an unverified cause of death.
If authorities or the family later release additional information, that information can be incorporated with its source and publication date.
Funeral and Memorial Details
As of September 24, 2026, no confirmed funeral date, funeral venue or public memorial schedule was identified in the sources reviewed.
That does not mean arrangements have not been made.
Families often take time before announcing funeral details, particularly following a sudden death.
For accurate information, readers should look for an announcement from the Rogers family, an authorized funeral provider or a reputable local publication.
Unverified funeral information circulating on social media should not be treated as confirmed.
Community Support for the Rogers Family
The response from the Lennox Head and Ballina communities has been significant.
A GoFundMe campaign organized by Fabiana Vieira Severino on behalf of Xanthe Rogers was created to support the family and help with financial commitments connected with Chido Cantina.
The campaign says the family is dealing with the loss while also considering the future of the restaurant.
Local reporting on September 23 described a strong response from people who wanted to help the family. The Coast Report reported that more than $32,000 had been raised toward a $55,000 goal at that point, although fundraising totals can change continuously.
The original fundraising page is therefore the appropriate source for anyone wanting to check its current total or beneficiary information.
Why This Matters
The death of Blake Rogers matters locally because his life was closely connected to a family business that had become part of the Lennox Head community.
His story is also a reminder of how quickly a missing-person appeal can develop into a much more serious situation.
The initial police notice was focused entirely on locating Rogers and ensuring his welfare. Within days, local reporting was describing his death and a community effort to support his family.
For readers searching online, the timeline is especially important.
Older search results may still show the original September 21 police appeal saying Rogers was missing. More recent local reports have since described his death.
That is why current reporting should distinguish between the original missing-person status and the later reported death.
What Happens Next?
The immediate priority is the Rogers family’s grieving process.
Chido Cantina has closed temporarily, and the family is considering what will happen to the business while dealing with the financial commitments that continue after Rogers’ death.
There is currently no confirmed announcement that the restaurant will permanently close or reopen on a particular date.
Likewise, no public funeral schedule or confirmed cause of death was identified in the sources reviewed.
Further information may come from the family, police or local authorities.
Until then, the most responsible approach is to focus on the facts that have been reported and avoid speculation about circumstances that have not been publicly established.
Remembering Blake Rogers
Blake Rogers is being remembered across Lennox Head and the Northern Rivers as a husband, father and local hospitality figure.
His connection to Chido Cantina made him familiar to customers and residents, while his family describes him as a generous and welcoming person who made others feel valued.
The community response following his death has extended beyond condolences.
People have contributed to a fundraiser intended to help his family manage the practical pressures surrounding the restaurant while they grieve.
For those who knew Rogers personally, however, his most important legacy is likely to be found in his family and relationships rather than the business alone.
The public tributes consistently return to those themes: family, generosity, community and the personal connections he formed with people around him.
FAQs
Who was Blake Rogers?
Blake Rogers was a 56-year-old Northern Rivers businessman and restaurateur associated with Chido Cantina, a family-owned Mexican restaurant in Lennox Head, New South Wales. He was married to Cilla and had three children, Xanthe, Zane and Ashlee, according to the family’s fundraiser.
What happened to Blake Rogers?
Rogers was reported missing after being last seen in East Ballina at about 12:30 p.m. on September 20, 2026. NSW Police launched an appeal for information. Local reporting published later said he was found deceased.
How old was Blake Rogers?
Blake Rogers was 56 years old when he died, according to the NSW Police missing-person appeal and subsequent local reporting.
Was Blake Rogers the owner of Chido Cantina?
Rogers was closely associated with Chido Cantina in Lennox Head, which he ran with his wife, Cilla. The family fundraiser says they had invested their time and energy into the family-owned restaurant since 2023.
Who was Blake Rogers’ wife?
Blake Rogers’ wife was Cilla Rogers. The family fundraiser describes Blake as a devoted husband to Cilla and says they built Chido Cantina together.
Did Blake Rogers have children?
Yes. The family fundraiser identifies three children: Xanthe, Zane and Ashlee. The fundraiser was organized on behalf of his daughter Xanthe.
What was Blake Rogers’ cause of death?
A publicly verified cause of death was not identified in the sources reviewed. Local reporting said police indicated there were no suspicious circumstances, but that does not establish a medical cause.
Where was Blake Rogers last seen?
NSW Police said Rogers was last seen on Easter Parade in East Ballina at approximately 12:30 p.m. on Sunday, September 20, 2026.
Are Blake Rogers’ funeral details available?
No confirmed funeral date or venue was identified in the sources reviewed as of September 24, 2026. Readers should rely on the family, a funeral provider or reputable local reporting for any future announcement.
What happened to Chido Cantina after Blake Rogers’ death?
Chido Cantina has temporarily closed while the Rogers family grieves and considers the future of the business. The family fundraiser says there are ongoing financial commitments connected with the restaurant.
