Death of Noah Woods: Inquest heard how three-year-old non-verbal boy died in Suffolk Pond

The search for three-year-old Noah Woods continued for several days until he was found dead in a pond. He got lost on the field. He left the pitch “through a gap in the fence”, according to The Guardian, which was heard on Friday.

Noah Woods missing case

Noah Woods became separated from his relative while on a playground in Merriam Close, Brantham, on the afternoon of September 15, according to Suffolk Police.

According to the family, Noah was non-verbal, partially deaf and was being evaluated for autism.

Around 1,300 people were looking for the boy.

Police discovered his body in a pond

Metropolitan Police divers recovered his body from Decoy Pond the following afternoon.

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

How he died

Opening the inquest in Ipswich, CIA director Matthew Connick said Noah was being looked after by relatives as part of a normal routine. CCTV footage showed him playing at 2.13pm. His last sighting was at 2:37 p.m.

According to the Guardian, Connick explained that Noah “left through a gap in the fence leading to the memorial garden, from which he left through an open gate.” He is believed to have run towards Decoy Pond while his relative followed him, trying to keep up and even shouting after him. However, Noah disappeared from sight after about 200 meters, prompting a search for him.

A police diver reportedly found Noah in 1.8 meters of water, trapped in submerged tree roots about 5 meters from shore. Paramedics confirmed his death at 4:31 p.m. His mother Charlie Peck formally identified him at Ipswich Hospital in the evening. A post mortem has recorded his cause of death pending further investigation.

Assistant Coroner Jyoti Gill adjourned the inquest to a later date, the news outlet said.

She expressed her “deepest condolences to Noah’s family and friends and to all those affected by Noah’s death.”

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The family reacts

Meanwhile, Noah’s family released a statement. They urged people to remember him as “the happy little boy he was”.

They said, as quoted by The Guardian: “Noah was a happy, cheeky, playful three-year-old boy who loved to laugh, loved to giggle and brought joy wherever he went. He was part of a loving and caring family, living with his mum, dad and little brother. He was the center of our world.”

They added: “Noah was diagnosed with autism, although he was not diagnosed. He also had a mild hearing loss and a speech delay. Despite the challenges he faced, he was learning every day. He was constantly saying new words and was just starting to find and use his little voice.”

His father Rhys Woods called him “the sweetest and most innocent little boy with a lot to give” in a Facebook post.