Noah Woods death: Inquest hears how three-year-old non-verbal boy died in Suffolk Pond

At the inquest opening, DCI Matthew Connick said Noah Woods who went missing, escaped from the playground through a gap in the fence. A postmortem examination recorded his cause of death as pending further investigation.

The search for three-year-old Noah Woods continued for days until he was found dead in a pond. He went missing from a playground. He left the play area “through a gap in the fence”, an inquest heard on Friday, according to The Guardian.

Noah Woods missing case

Noah Woods became separated from his relative while he was at the playground in Merriam Close, Brantham, in the afternoon of 15 September, as per Suffolk police.

According to the family, Noah was non-verbal, partially deaf and had been undergoing an assessment for autism.

Around 1,300 people searched for the boy.

Police discover his body in pond

Metropolitan Police divers found his body the next afternoon from Decoy Pond.

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

How did he die

At the inquest opening in Ipswich, DCI Matthew Connick said Noah was being looked after by relatives as part of a normal routine. CCTV footage showed him playing at 2:13 pm. His last sighting was at 2:37pm.

According to the Guardian, Connick explained that Noah "left through a gap in the fence leading to the memorial garden where he left through an open gate." It is believed that he ran toward Decoy Pond while his relative followed, trying to keep up and even shouting after him. However, Noah disappeared from view after about 200 metres, prompting his search.

Police diver reportedly found Noah in 1.8-metre-deep water, trapped within submerged tree roots about 5 metres from the bank. Paramedics confirmed his death at 4:31 pm. His mother, Charlie Peck, formally identified him at Ipswich Hospital in the evening. A postmortem examination recorded his cause of death as pending further investigation.

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

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

Family reacts

Meanwhile, Noah’s family has issued a statement. They urged people to remember him as "the happy little boy that 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 who brought joy wherever he went. He was part of a loving and caring family, living with his mummy, daddy and his little baby brother. He was at the centre of our world."

They added: "Noah was being assessed for autism, although he had not received a diagnosis. He also had mild hearing loss and was speech delayed. Despite the challenges he faced, he was learning every day. He was saying new words all the time and had only just started finding and using his little voice."

His father, Rhys Woods, called him the "sweetest and most innocent little boy, with nothing but love to give" in a Facebook post.

About the Author

Sneha Biswas specialises in covering entertainment and pop culture, with a specialisation on Bollywood, Hollywood, OTT platforms, K-pop, K-dramas, and major developments in the US entertainment industry. She believes in telling stories that balance speed with substance, and in making entertainment journalism contextual, culturally aware, and reader-first rather than purely reactive.<br><br> With over six years of experience in digital media, Sneha currently serves as a Deputy Chief Content Producer at Live Mint. She has spent more than three and a half years with the HT Group and returned to the organisation in February 2025, joining Live Mint to uplift the entertainment section. Over the past year, she has been closely involved in entertainment coverage including breaking news, explainers, trend reporting, box office reports and analysis for the audience.<br><br> Sneha is Google News certified, having completed training focused on newsroom best practices, digital reporting, and SEO-driven content strategies. Her work reflects a strong understanding of audience behaviour, search trends, and the evolving consumption patterns of entertainment news across formats.<br><br> Prior to her current role, Sneha has worked across multiple content and editorial functions within digital newsrooms, building expertise in content planning, editing, and real-time coverage. Her professional interests lie at the intersection of entertainment, internet culture, and global pop trends.<br><br> Working for the National city team, Biswas closely follows global entertainment movements while maintaining a strong pulse on what is happening in India.

Stay updated with the latest Trending, India, World and US news.

HomeNewsWorldNoah Woods death: Inquest hears how three-year-old non-verbal boy died in Suffolk Pond