The father of missing three-year-old Noah Woods has paid a heartbreaking tribute to his “sweetest and most innocent” little boy after police divers recovered a child’s body from a pond near the playground where he disappeared.
Noah vanished from the under-5s play area on Merriam Close in Brantham, Suffolk, on Tuesday afternoon, triggering a huge search involving police, coastguard teams, specialist divers and more than 1,000 volunteers.
The three-year-old, who was partly deaf and non-verbal, had been with his grandfather before he ran away from the playground.
On Wednesday evening, Suffolk Police confirmed that a child’s body had been found in a large pond close to where Noah was last seen.
‘We Are All Absolutely Heartbroken’
Following the tragic discovery, Noah’s father shared an emotional tribute to his son.
“There are no words to describe the pain of this loss, we are all absolutely heartbroken, 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.”
He thanked the countless people who joined the search, saying Noah had touched people across the country.
“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 be found safe, with his father admitting they kept telling themselves that he might simply be hiding somewhere nearby.
“This was the most heartbreaking outcome for us,” he said.
“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.”
Body Found After Huge Search
Police divers recovered the child’s body from a large pond near the playground on Wednesday afternoon.
Shortly before 5.40pm, a forensic van was seen making its way toward the pond where divers had been searching.
Suffolk Police Superintendent Tom Pearse confirmed the devastating discovery and asked people to give Noah’s family privacy.
“First and foremost our thoughts are with Noah’s family and all who knew him,” he said.
Pearse also praised the extraordinary response from local residents, describing the community effort as a reflection of the strong sense of community in Suffolk.
“As a parent myself, I completely understand why people would want to help,” he said.
“I am sure you appreciate the family now need time, space and privacy and I thank you for your understanding in this.”
Volunteers who had spent hours searching for Noah were seen crying and comforting one another after the police briefing.
More Than 1,000 People Joined the Search
A huge operation was launched almost immediately after Noah disappeared.
More than 1,000 volunteers joined emergency services in the desperate effort to find him.
The Metropolitan Police sent specialist divers to Decoy Pond, a fishing lake approximately 0.2 miles from the playground.
Police teams, dog units and Coastguard helicopters were also involved, while large numbers of local residents searched the surrounding area.
Brantham Parish Council had previously appealed to residents to check their gardens, sheds and even “under furniture” in the hope of finding the missing toddler.
Tributes have since been left at the playground where Noah was last seen, as the community comes to terms with the devastating outcome of the search.