Noah Woods’ father Rhys paid tribute to his three-year-old son after his body was found in a Suffolk pond. (Photo: Suffolk Police/Noah Woods tributes)
Noah’s father, Rhys Woods, confirmed the heartbreaking news in a tribute shared after a child’s body was recovered from Decoy Pond in Brantham, Suffolk, on September 16, a day after the toddler went missing.
Three-year-old Noah Woods, whose disappearance sparked a large-scale search involving emergency services, police officers and members of the public across Suffolk, has been remembered by his grieving father as “the sweetest and most innocent little boy” after his body was found in a pond. “As I’m sure you have all seen, the body that was found in Decoy pond is our little Noah. There are no words to describe the pain of this loss, we are all absolutely heartbroken,” Rhys wrote. “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. Noah was a three-year-old boy from Brantham, Suffolk, whose disappearance prompted an extensive search involving emergency services and members of the local community.
Noah disappeared on the afternoon of Tuesday, September 15, while visiting a playground on Merriam Close with a relative, according to Suffolk Constabulary. The search involved multiple agencies and organisations, including Suffolk and Norfolk police, the Metropolitan Police, HM Coastguard, Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service, ambulance services and private K-9 units.
Police said Noah was non-verbal and had partial hearing loss. Suffolk Constabulary said officers and staff were deployed in numerous roles to search for the toddler and support his family. Superintendent Tom Pearse said the force had been “overwhelmed by the outpouring of public support,” adding that people had been “putting on their boots and helping us search. Rhys described Noah as “the sweetest and most innocent little boy” in a heartbreaking tribute. (Photo: Facebook) After the recovery of the child’s body, Rhys thanked the people who had helped search for Noah, including those who travelled from outside the immediate area.
He reportedly ran down an alleyway near the playground towards a new housing development. At the time he went missing, Noah was wearing a Bluey T-shirt. He was also undergoing an assessment for autism. Authorities highlighted these vulnerabilities during the search, explaining that Noah would not respond to his name. The search for Noah involved police, emergency services, specialist teams and members of the local community. (Photo: Suffolk Police) Following Noah’s disappearance, a large number of emergency personnel, specialist teams and local residents joined the search. Members of the local community also opened facilities and provided support as the search continued.
Among those named in his tribute were Suffolk and Norfolk police, the Metropolitan Police, HM Coastguard, Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service, ambulance services, RTT Catering, Brantham Leisure Centre, Brantham Village Hall, local businesses, St Michael’s Church and private K-9 units. “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.
“It seems he has made an impact across the whole nation,” Rhys wrote. “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,” he wrote. Rhys said the family continued to hope that Noah would be found alive throughout the search. “This was the most heartbreaking outcome for us,” he wrote. authorities said Noah’s family had been notified While formal identification was initially pending. “Noah, you will be loved forever, you will never be forgotten and we miss you so so much,” he wrote.
“You have all taken Noah into your own hearts, with all the overwhelming help, we were all just trying to bring him home to us safe and sound. He specifically thanked emergency services, local businesses, community organisations and volunteers who gave their time to help find his son. Rhys also thanked people who had put aside their own commitments to join the search. “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. In his final message, Rhys spoke on behalf of Noah’s mother and younger brother, promising that the three-year-old would never be forgotten. Catch the latest World News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.
Police and dive teams continued searching the area before a child’s body was recovered from Decoy Pond on Wednesday afternoon.