“REMEMBER NOAH FOR THE JOY HE BROUGHT” — FAMILY SHARES HEARTBREAKING TRIBUTE TO THREE-YEAR-OLD NOAH WOODS

Three-year-old Noah Woods is being remembered by his family as a happy, cheeky and affectionate little boy whose laughter brought joy to everyone around him.

Noah went missing from a playground in Brantham, Suffolk, on September 15 after becoming separated from a relative during what his family described as part of his normal routine.

A huge search operation was launched, with approximately 1,300 members of the public joining police officers, emergency services and specialist search teams.

The following afternoon, Metropolitan Police divers recovered the body of a child from nearby Decoy Pond. Noah was later formally identified.

Suffolk Police said his death was not being treated as suspicious, while the circumstances remained subject to further investigation by the coroner.

A FAMILY’S TRIBUTE

In a statement released through Suffolk Police, Noah’s family said they wanted him to be remembered for the happiness he brought rather than the circumstances surrounding his death.

“Noah was a happy, cheeky, playful three-year-old boy who loved to laugh, loved to giggle and who brought joy wherever he went,” the family said.

They described him as the centre of a loving family and said he had an especially close relationship with his baby brother.

Noah loved spending time with him, entertaining him and making him laugh. His family said he would follow his little brother around and always wanted to be close to him.

The family also remembered Noah’s love of playing chase, running around and exploring the playground with a treasured relative.

“He loved hugs and kisses,” they said, describing him as an affectionate child who loved holding hands and being close to the people around him.

The family said they wanted Noah’s final memory to be one filled with happiness — remembering him running, playing, laughing and being “the happy little boy that he was.”

His mother, Charlie, also asked people to cherish time with their children and never take precious family memories for granted.

A SEARCH THAT BROUGHT A COMMUNITY TOGETHER

The disappearance triggered an enormous response in Brantham.

Around 1,300 members of the public joined the search, alongside Suffolk Police, specialist search teams, the Metropolitan Police Dive Team, firefighters, coastguards, ambulance crews and search-and-rescue volunteers.

Police later confirmed that Noah had left the under-fives play area through a gap in a fence leading towards a memorial garden and an open gate.

An inquest heard that he had then travelled in the direction of Decoy Pond while a relative tried to keep up with him.

A Metropolitan Police diver eventually located Noah approximately five metres from the pond’s bank, among submerged tree roots.

NEW NHS INVESTIGATION

Days after Noah’s death, a separate investigation was launched after concerns that his medical records may have been accessed without authorisation.

East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust said 10 employees had been removed from active duty or suspended while the investigation continues.

The trust apologised “unreservedly” to Noah’s family, saying the suspected data breach had caused additional anguish at an already devastating time.

The trust said it had secured Noah’s records, restricted further inappropriate access and reported the matter to the Information Commissioner’s Office.

The investigation remains ongoing, and any disciplinary action will depend on its findings.

For Noah’s family, however, the focus remains on remembering the little boy behind the headlines — his laughter, his hugs, his playful personality and the special bond he shared with his baby brother.

They have asked people to remember Noah not only for the heartbreaking circumstances of his final days, but for the happiness he brought during his short life.