Three-year-old Noah Woods was found submerged beneath tree roots in a fishing lake after he left a children’s playground through a gap in the fence, an inquest has heard.

Noah disappeared on September 15 after running away from the under-5s play area in Brantham, Suffolk, triggering a huge search involving police, specialist divers and hundreds of local volunteers.

The little boy, who was partly deaf and non-verbal, had been with his grandfather shortly before he vanished.

The following day, police confirmed that Noah’s body had been recovered from Decoy Pond, a large fishing lake located around 0.2 miles from the playground.

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Noah Left Through a Gap in the Fence

The opening of the inquest heard that Noah made his way out of the playground through a gap in the fence and then passed through an open gate.

A family member followed closely behind him, calling out and trying to catch up. Noah then disappeared down a set of steps.

When the family realised they could no longer see him, they began searching frantically around the area before contacting police.

Specialist divers were deployed to search the nearby lake.

The inquest heard that Noah was eventually discovered “submerged under tree roots” approximately five metres from the lake’s bank. His body was found at a depth of 1.8 metres.

The discovery brought an agonising end to the search, with volunteers who had spent hours looking for the missing child seen crying as they comforted one another.

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Council Responds to Tragic Death

Brantham Parish Council said it was deeply saddened by the circumstances surrounding Noah’s death.

“The Parish Council is not aware of any concerns having been raised by the relevant authorities regarding the safety of its playgrounds, including the play area at Merriam Close,” the council said.

It added that it would cooperate fully with the relevant authorities and assist with any inquiries.

Noah’s family described him as a “happy, cheeky, playful” boy who loved laughing and giggling and “brought joy wherever he went.”

His father previously paid tribute to his son, describing the family as “absolutely heartbroken.”

“There are no words to describe the pain of this loss,” he said. “Noah was the sweetest and most innocent little boy, with nothing but love to give, and we are going to miss him so very much.”

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Family Thanks the Community

Noah’s disappearance prompted an extraordinary response from the local community, with hundreds of people joining the search in the hope of bringing the three-year-old home safely.

His father said the support had extended far beyond the local area and that people across the country had taken Noah into their hearts.

“A heartfelt thank you to everyone in our community (even far and wide) who came together to search for our boy,” he said.

“The compassion shown by all of you will never be forgotten by us, and brought us comfort and strength at the darkest time of our lives.”

The family had desperately hoped Noah would eventually be found safe.

“This was the most heartbreaking outcome for us,” his father said. “We were just hoping that he would be hiding somewhere obvious where someone could find him, that’s what we kept telling ourselves the whole time.”

He added an emotional farewell to his son: “Noah, you will be loved forever, you will never be forgotten and we miss you so so much.”

“It has been a privilege to be your parents and be able to have packed so much love in the short 3 years you were with us.”

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Police Thanked Those Who Helped Search

Following the discovery, Superintendent Tom Pearse expressed his condolences to Noah’s family and everyone who knew him.

“First and foremost our thoughts are with Noah’s family and all who knew him,” Pearse said.

He also acknowledged the enormous community response to the search, saying the willingness of people to help reflected the strong sense of community in Suffolk.

“As a parent myself, I completely understand why people would want to help and such a response is one that typifies the strong sense of community and the heart-warming nature of Suffolk people that make the county such a special place,” he said.

Pearse urged the public to respect the family’s privacy as they cope with the devastating loss.

“I am sure you appreciate the family now need time, space and privacy and I thank you for your understanding in this.”