A three-year-old boy who disappeared from a playground in Brantham, Suffolk, has been found dead following a large-scale search involving police, emergency services and hundreds of members of the public.

Noah Woods was last seen on Tuesday, September 15, after becoming separated from a relative while visiting the playground on Merriam Close. Police said CCTV showed him running down an alleyway towards a nearby new-build housing estate and Decoy Pond.

Noah was described by police as non-verbal and having partial hearing loss. He was also undergoing an assessment for autism. At the time he disappeared, he was wearing a white Bluey T-shirt, shorts and black trainers.

A major search operation was launched across Brantham, with specialist police teams, search dogs, helicopters, HM Coastguard, Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service and Suffolk Lowland Search and Rescue involved.

Members of the public also joined the operation in large numbers. Suffolk Police later said around 1,300 people had helped with the search.

On Wednesday afternoon, September 16, specialist dive officers recovered the body of a child from Decoy Pond. At the time, police said formal identification had not yet been completed and described the circumstances as unexplained but not suspicious.

Suffolk Constabulary subsequently confirmed that the body had been formally identified as Noah Woods, subject to the formal inquest process.

Police said Noah’s death is not being treated as suspicious, although officers still have enquiries to complete before submitting a report to the Coroner.

Superintendent Tom Pearse thanked emergency workers, volunteers and members of the public who took part in the search, while asking people to give Noah’s family time and privacy following the tragic discovery.

The search had attracted widespread attention after police appealed to local residents to check gardens, sheds, outbuildings and CCTV or doorbell footage for any possible sightings of the child.

Source: Sky News – Search continues for boy, 3, missing from playground