A report of Noah’s disappearance was received on the afternoon of Tuesday, September 15, when he separated from his grandfather after visiting the playground.
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It was reported that the boy ran down the alley near the newly built housing estate and pond next to the playground.
A large-scale missing person search operation was launched, involving specialized police search teams. They were assisted by the Coastguard Service, Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service, National Police Air Service, Metropolitan Police diving team, as well as volunteers from SULSAR – Suffolk Lowland Search and Rescue organization.
Additional support was provided by the East of England Ambulance Service, including the Suffolk Hazardous Area Response Team (HART), and the Environment Agency.
Death not considered suspicious
These forces were joined by a huge local community response – about 1,300 residents took part in the search for Noah.
On the afternoon of Wednesday, September 16, officers from the Metropolitan Police diving team recovered the child’s body from the pond in Brantham.
Pending official confirmation through a formal investigation process, it was established that this was three-year-old Noah Woods from Brantham.
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The police stated that Noah’s death is not considered suspicious, but several investigative actions still need to be carried out before the case is handed over to the coroner’s office.
Police chief Tom Pearse said: “I want to once again express my thoughts and deepest condolences to Noah’s family and thank them for their patience and understanding throughout the search.
From the media attention, it was clear that they were supported not only by the whole of Suffolk but also by goodwill from across the country and beyond.
I know how grateful Noah’s family is for all the support and kind messages they have received, but I would like to ask once again to now give them the time, space, and privacy they need during this extremely painful time.”
A police spokesperson said that “the people of Suffolk have come together and shown their best face under circumstances which, sadly, ended in the most tragic outcome.”
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