NOAH WOODS INQUEST REVEALS HOW THREE-YEAR-OLD LEFT PLAYGROUND BEFORE TRAGIC DEATH

A three-year-old boy who was found dead in a Suffolk pond had left a children’s play area through a gap in a fence before making his way toward the water, an inquest has heard.

Noah Woods, from East Bergholt, Suffolk, went missing on the afternoon of September 15, 2026, after visiting an under-fives play area in Merriam Close, Brantham, with a relative.

His disappearance triggered a huge search operation involving police, emergency services and around 1,300 members of the public.

HOW NOAH DISAPPEARED

At the opening of the inquest at Suffolk Coroner’s Court on September 25, Detective Chief Inspector Matthew Connick told the hearing that Noah was being cared for by relatives as part of his normal routine.

CCTV showed Noah playing with his relative at the playground at 2:13 p.m. His last appearance on the motion-activated footage was at 2:37 p.m.

Police said the cameras did not provide continuous coverage.

According to DCI Connick, Noah then left the play area through a gap in the fence, entered a memorial garden and continued through an open gate.

He headed in the direction of nearby Decoy Pond, while his relative followed behind and tried to keep up.

The relative shouted after Noah, but after approximately 200 metres, the child was no longer visible.

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

BODY FOUND IN DECOY POND

The following afternoon, September 16, Metropolitan Police divers searching the area recovered the body of a child from Decoy Pond.

DCI Connick told the inquest that Noah was found approximately five metres from the bank, among submerged tree roots, in water estimated to be around 1.8 metres deep.

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

His mother, Charlie Peck, formally identified his body at Ipswich Hospital later that evening.

Suffolk Police have said Noah’s death is not being treated as suspicious, although enquiries were continuing before the case is submitted to the coroner.

The inquest was opened and adjourned to a later date.

FAMILY REMEMBERS ‘HAPPY, CHEEKY, PLAYFUL’ BOY

Noah’s family has asked people to remember him for the joy he brought to those around him.

In a tribute released after his death, the family described him as a “happy, cheeky, playful three-year-old boy” who loved to laugh and giggle.

They said Noah was at the centre of a loving family and shared an especially close bond with his baby brother.

The family also said Noah was non-verbal, had mild hearing loss and speech delays, and had been undergoing an assessment for autism, although he had not received a diagnosis.

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

A COMMUNITY UNITED BY THE SEARCH

The disappearance brought an extraordinary response from the local community.

Around 1,300 people joined police and emergency services in searching the village, surrounding woodland and fields for the missing child.

Suffolk Police later thanked the volunteers and emergency workers who helped during the intensive search, saying the community had rallied together during an incredibly tragic situation.

Flowers, toys and messages were left around the playground following Noah’s death as people paid tribute to a child many had never met.

The inquest will continue at a later date as authorities work to establish the full circumstances surrounding Noah’s death.