Three-year-old Noah Woods slipped away from a Suffolk playground through a gap in a fence before his body was recovered from a nearby pond, an Ipswich inquest has heard.
The Disappearance in Brantham
Noah, from East Bergholt, vanished on 15 September. Suffolk Police confirmed he had been under the care of a relative. CCTV captured them together as part of a normal routine
shortly before he disappeared.
Det Ch Insp Matt Connick of Suffolk Police told the inquest that Noah left through a gap in the fence leading to the memorial garden where he left through an open gate.
The relative closely followed,
shouting his name, but the toddler vanished. He ran down a path on a new housing estate toward Decoy Pond, near the River Stour.
Massive Search Effort Mobilizes
A major search erupted involving 1,300 people, helicopters, and dog units. Metropolitan Police divers scoured the water and recovered Noah’s body the next day, on 16 September. He was found five metres from the edge, among submerged tree roots, at a depth of 1.8 metres.
Assistant Coroner Jyoti Gill described the death as very sad and tragic.
Police confirmed the case is not suspicious. A post-mortem examination at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge remains ongoing, with a final cause of death yet to be determined and a full inquest date not yet set.
Family Remembers a ‘Happy, Cheeky’ Boy
Noah had been assessed for autism without receiving a diagnosis. He also had mild hearing loss and was speech-delayed. Yet his family painted a vibrant picture of a boy who was happy, cheeky, playful
and learning every day.
A Community Mourns the Tragedy
In the wake of the loss, Noah’s mother, Charlie, urged parents to hold their children a little tighter and cherish every moment.