NOAH WOODS: INQUEST REVEALS HOW 3-YEAR-OLD LEFT PLAYGROUND BEFORE HE WAS FOUND DEAD IN POND

BRANTHAM, SUFFOLK — New details have emerged about the final moments of three-year-old Noah Woods, whose disappearance triggered a massive search involving police, emergency services and around 1,300 members of the public.

An inquest into Noah’s death heard on September 25 that the toddler left an under-fives play area in Brantham through a gap in a fence, entered a nearby memorial garden and then continued toward Decoy Pond.

Police later found his body submerged in the pond, bringing a heartbreaking end to the search for the missing child.

Suffolk Police have said Noah’s death is not being treated as suspicious, while the full medical cause of death remains subject to further investigation.

NOAH DISAPPEARED DURING A NORMAL TRIP TO THE PLAYGROUND

Noah, from Brantham, Suffolk, disappeared on the afternoon of Tuesday, September 15, 2026, while he was being cared for by a relative.

The three-year-old had been visiting an under-fives play area at Merriam Close as part of what police described as his normal routine.

According to Detective Chief Inspector Matthew Connick, motion-activated CCTV showed Noah playing with his relative between approximately 2:13 p.m. and 2:37 p.m.

However, the CCTV system was motion-activated rather than continuous, meaning it did not record every moment of what happened.

At some point after the final footage, Noah left the play area.

DCI Connick told Suffolk Coroner’s Court that Noah went through a gap in the fence leading toward a memorial garden.

He then passed through an open gate and headed in the direction of Decoy Pond.

A RELATIVE TRIED TO FOLLOW HIM

The inquest heard that Noah’s relative noticed him leaving and attempted to follow.

According to DCI Connick, the relative chased after the child and shouted for him.

But after approximately 200 metres, Noah could no longer be seen.

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

What followed was an enormous effort involving specialist police teams, firefighters, coastguards, search-and-rescue volunteers, police aircraft and divers.

Around 1,300 members of the public also joined the search, with people searching the village and surrounding areas in an effort to find the missing child.

THE SEARCH ENDED AT DECOY POND

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

The body was located approximately five metres from the bank, among submerged tree roots.

The water was estimated to be around 1.8 metres deep at the location where Noah was found.

At first, police said the body had not yet been formally identified.

The following day, Suffolk Constabulary confirmed that the child had been formally identified as Noah Woods.

Police also said the discovery was being treated as not suspicious, although enquiries would continue before a report was submitted to the coroner.

THE MEDICAL CAUSE OF DEATH HAS NOT YET BEEN FINALISED

The September 25 inquest hearing heard that a post-mortem examination had been carried out at Addenbrooke’s Hospital mortuary in Cambridge.

However, DCI Connick told the court that the medical cause of death was still pending further investigation.

That means the precise medical circumstances of Noah’s death have not yet been fully established publicly.

The inquest was opened and then adjourned to a later date while further enquiries are completed.

Suffolk Police continue to maintain that Noah’s death is not being treated as suspicious.

A FAMILY REMEMBERS A HAPPY LITTLE BOY

Following Noah’s death, his family released an emotional tribute through Suffolk Constabulary.

They described him as a “happy, cheeky, playful” three-year-old who loved to laugh and brought joy to those around him.

Noah lived with his mother, father and baby brother, and his family said he was at the centre of their world.

They also described the special bond he shared with his younger brother.

Noah loved spending time with him, entertaining him and making him laugh. His family said the bond between the two brothers was incredibly special.

His father, Rhys Woods, also shared a personal tribute after Noah’s body was found.

He described his son as the “sweetest and most innocent little boy”, saying Noah had nothing but love to give and that the family would miss him enormously.

NOAH HAD BEEN MAKING PROGRESS

Noah’s family said he had been undergoing an assessment for autism, although he had not received a diagnosis.

He also had mild hearing loss and was speech delayed.

Despite those challenges, his family said he had been learning every day and had recently begun saying new words.

They particularly remembered the sound of his voice, describing it as something unique and wonderful that they would carry with them forever.

The family also described Noah as an affectionate child who loved hugs, kisses and holding hands.

They said he enjoyed being close to the people he loved and feeling safe with them.

A COMMUNITY THAT REFUSED TO STOP SEARCHING

The disappearance prompted an extraordinary response from the local community.

Approximately 1,300 members of the public joined the search, alongside Suffolk Police, specialist search teams, HM Coastguard, Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service, the National Police Air Service, the Metropolitan Police Dive Team, Suffolk Lowland Search and Rescue and other emergency agencies.

People searched roads, fields, waterways and surrounding areas.

Others helped coordinate volunteers, provided food and drinks, assisted with logistics or opened community facilities.

Suffolk Police later thanked everyone who had taken part, saying the response showed how strongly the community had rallied around Noah’s family during the search.

But after the discovery at Decoy Pond, police asked the public to give Noah’s family privacy as they dealt with their loss.

THE INQUEST HAS BEEN ADJOURNED

The September 25 hearing lasted only a few minutes but provided the first detailed account in court of Noah’s final known movements.

The hearing established that he had been playing with a relative, left through a gap in the playground fence, passed through an open gate and travelled toward Decoy Pond before he disappeared from view.

His body was found the following day in the nearby water.

The coroner, Assistant Coroner Jyoti Gill, expressed her condolences to Noah’s family and everyone affected by his death before adjourning the inquest.

A further hearing will take place at a later date.

For Noah’s family, the legal process cannot change what happened.

But the continuing inquest may provide further answers about the final moments of a little boy whose disappearance brought an entire community together.

Noah was only three years old.

His family remembers him as a playful, loving child who adored his baby brother, loved being close to the people around him and had only just begun finding his voice.

Now, as the investigation and inquest continue, those memories are what remain for the family who say he was at the centre of their world.