NOAH WOODS CASE: NEW INVESTIGATION AFTER 10 NHS STAFF REMOVED FROM DUTY OVER MEDICAL RECORDS CONCERNS

The heartbreaking case of three-year-old Noah Woods has taken another unexpected turn after an NHS trust launched an investigation into concerns that the little boy’s medical records may have been accessed without authorisation.

The development comes less than two weeks after Noah disappeared from a playground in Brantham, Suffolk, and was later found dead in a nearby pond following a huge community search.

The East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust has apologised to Noah’s family and confirmed that 10 people working for the trust have been removed from active duty or suspended while the investigation continues.

The trust stressed that the investigation is still ongoing and has not publicly established that all 10 employees accessed Noah’s records improperly.

NOAH’S MEDICAL RECORDS UNDER INVESTIGATION

Dr Martin Mansfield, the trust’s deputy chief medical officer and senior official responsible for health and care information, said any unauthorised access to patient data was “completely unacceptable.”

He said the trust became aware of concerns that Noah’s records may have been viewed inappropriately and immediately launched an internal investigation.

The trust also took steps to secure Noah’s records and prevent further access that was not for a legitimate clinical reason.

The matter has been reported to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), which has confirmed that it is making enquiries.

The trust apologised directly to Noah’s family for what it described as additional anguish caused at an already devastating time.

The investigation could ultimately lead to disciplinary action depending on its findings.

THE LITTLE BOY WHO DISAPPEARED

Noah was reported missing on the afternoon of September 15, 2026, after visiting an under-fives play area in Merriam Close, Brantham, with a relative.

An inquest opened in Ipswich on September 25 heard that Noah was being cared for by relatives as part of his normal routine.

CCTV showed him playing at the playground with his relative at approximately 2:13 p.m.

The last recorded footage of him playing was at around 2:37 p.m.

However, investigators explained that the CCTV system was motion-activated and therefore did not provide continuous footage.

Detective Chief Inspector Matthew Connick told the inquest that Noah subsequently left the playground through a gap in the fence.

He entered a memorial garden through an open gate and began moving in the direction of Decoy Pond.

His relative followed him and attempted to keep up.

The relative shouted after Noah, but after approximately 200 metres, the child could no longer be seen.

Police were then called and a large-scale search operation began.

1,300 PEOPLE JOINED THE SEARCH

What followed was an enormous community effort.

Around 1,300 members of the public joined police and emergency services searching for the missing three-year-old.

Specialist police teams were supported by the Metropolitan Police Dive Team, HM Coastguard, Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service, the National Police Air Service, Suffolk Lowland Search and Rescue, ambulance personnel and other agencies.

Searchers combed Brantham and surrounding areas as the community desperately hoped Noah would be found alive.

But the search ended in tragedy the following afternoon.

NOAH FOUND IN DECoy POND

On September 16, Metropolitan Police divers recovered the body of a child from Decoy Pond.

Investigators found him approximately five metres from the bank, beneath submerged tree roots.

The water was estimated to be approximately 1.8 metres deep at that location.

Paramedics confirmed Noah’s death at 4:31 p.m.

His identity was formally confirmed by his mother, Charlie Peck, at Ipswich Hospital later that evening.

Police have repeatedly said that Noah’s death is not being treated as suspicious.

However, the exact medical cause of death remained pending further investigation when the inquest was opened.

A FAMILY’S TRIBUTE TO THEIR LITTLE BOY

After Noah’s death, his family asked people to remember him not for the circumstances of his death, but for the little boy he had been.

They described him as a “happy, cheeky, playful three-year-old boy” who loved laughing and giggling and brought joy wherever he went.

Noah lived with his mother, father and baby brother, whom he adored.

His family said he loved entertaining his younger brother, following him around and staying close to him.

Noah was also undergoing an assessment for autism, although he had not received a formal diagnosis. He had mild hearing loss and was speech delayed, but his family said he was learning new words and had recently begun finding and using his voice.

His father, Rhys Woods, described Noah as “the sweetest and most innocent little boy, with nothing but love to give.”

His mother, Charlie, asked people to hold their own children a little tighter and cherish the precious moments they have together.

NOW ANOTHER INVESTIGATION HAS BEGUN

The new NHS investigation is separate from the circumstances surrounding Noah’s disappearance and death.

There is currently no public evidence linking the suspected unauthorised access to his medical records with what happened to him.

The trust has said its investigation will establish how and why the records were accessed and whether disciplinary action is required.

For now, 10 employees remain removed from active duty or suspended pending the investigation.

The ICO is also making enquiries.

For Noah’s family, however, the development comes while they are still mourning a child whose disappearance brought thousands of strangers together in an extraordinary search.

AN INQUEST STILL TO COME

The inquest into Noah’s death was opened and adjourned in Ipswich on September 25.

The hearing lasted only a few minutes, with the assistant coroner expressing her deepest condolences to Noah’s family and everyone affected by his death.

A further hearing will be scheduled at a later date.

Until then, investigators continue to work through the remaining questions surrounding Noah’s death, while the NHS investigation examines a completely separate concern involving his medical records.

For a family already facing an unimaginable loss, the latest development has added another layer of distress.

Noah was only three years old.

His family says they want him remembered for the laughter, affection and happiness he brought into their lives — the little boy who loved to play, loved to giggle and adored his baby brother.

And as the investigations continue, they are still waiting for every remaining question to be answered.