NOAH WOODS, 3, LEFT A PLAYGROUND THROUGH A GAP IN THE FENCE BEFORE HE WAS FOUND DEAD IN A POND

BRANTHAM, Suffolk — Three-year-old Noah Woods went to a playground with a relative on what should have been an ordinary Tuesday afternoon.

Within hours, the small Suffolk community would begin a massive search for the missing boy.

More than 1,300 members of the public joined police and emergency services in the effort to find him.

The search ended in tragedy when Noah’s body was recovered from a nearby pond.

Now, an inquest has revealed new details about the final moments before the little boy disappeared from the playground.

NOAH WAS PLAYING AT THE PARK

Noah, from East Bergholt, Suffolk, was being looked after by relatives on September 15, 2026, as part of what police described as a normal routine.

He visited an under-5s play area on Merriam Close in Brantham.

CCTV captured Noah playing with his relative.

The first footage was recorded at approximately 2:13 p.m., while the last footage showing him playing was recorded at around 2:37 p.m.

Police later explained that the CCTV system was motion-activated, meaning it did not provide continuous footage of everything happening around the playground.

Then Noah moved away from the play area.

HE LEFT THROUGH A GAP IN THE FENCE

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

He then entered a memorial garden and passed through an open gate.

Noah began moving in the direction of Decoy Pond.

His relative followed closely behind, trying to keep up with him.

According to the evidence given at the hearing, the relative shouted after Noah, but after approximately 200 metres, the child could no longer be seen.

Police were called.

A huge search operation immediately began.

HUNDREDS JOINED THE SEARCH

The disappearance triggered an extraordinary response from the Brantham community and beyond.

Around 1,300 members of the public joined police officers, firefighters and specialist search teams.

Search resources included specialist police units, emergency services and divers.

People travelled to the area hoping they could help bring the little boy home safely.

But the following afternoon, the search took a devastating turn.

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

The body was found approximately five metres from the bank, among submerged tree roots, at a depth of about 1.8 metres.

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

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

Suffolk Police said Noah’s death was not being treated as suspicious.

His medical cause of death remained pending further investigation at the time of the inquest.

HIS FAMILY WANTS PEOPLE TO REMEMBER THE BOY HE WAS

After Noah’s death, his family released an emotional tribute.

They described him as a happy, cheeky and playful three-year-old who loved laughing and giggling.

He lived with his mother, father and baby brother and, according to his family, was at the center of their world.

Noah had mild hearing loss and was speech-delayed. He had also been undergoing an assessment for autism, although he had not received a formal diagnosis.

His family said he was continuing to learn new words and had only recently begun finding and using his voice.

They also described him as an affectionate child who loved hugs, kisses and being close to the people around him.

Noah’s mother, Charlie Peck, made one simple request after the tragedy.

She urged people to hold their children a little tighter, cherish every moment and never take those memories for granted.

A COMMUNITY RAISED MORE THAN $100,000

The tragedy brought an enormous wave of support for Noah’s family.

A fundraiser organized by the Good Dads Club, a community group based in Colchester, raised more than £100,000 within days.

Thousands of people donated.

The money was intended to help the family with expenses and allow them time away from work while they grieve.

Noah’s father, Rhys Woods, described his son as the “sweetest and most innocent little boy” and said the family was heartbroken by his loss.

TEN NHS STAFF REMOVED FROM DUTY OVER MEDICAL RECORDS

Days after Noah’s death, another development emerged.

East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust confirmed that 10 employees had been removed from active duty or suspended while an investigation was conducted into possible unauthorized access to Noah’s medical records.

The trust apologized to Noah’s family for the additional distress caused by the suspected data breach.

Dr. Martin Mansfield, the trust’s deputy chief medical officer, said unauthorized access to patient information was “completely unacceptable.”

The trust said it had taken immediate steps to secure Noah’s records and prevent further access that was not for legitimate clinical reasons.

The matter was also reported to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).

The investigation into the data access is separate from the police investigation and the inquest into Noah’s death.

THE INQUEST HAS BEEN ADJOURNED

An inquest into Noah’s death was opened at Suffolk Coroner’s Court in Ipswich on September 25.

The hearing heard how Noah left the playground, the route he took toward the pond and how the large search operation unfolded.

The inquest was then adjourned until a later date.

Police continue to have inquiries to complete before a file is provided to the coroner.

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

A three-year-old boy who had gone to the park as part of his normal routine never came home.

His community searched for him.

Strangers joined the effort.

And when the search ended, thousands of people were left grieving alongside a family who had lost their little boy.

Noah’s family has asked that he be remembered not for the circumstances of his death, but for the child he was — happy, playful, affectionate and deeply loved.