Inquest Hears Three-Year-Old Noah Woods Slipped Through Playground Fence Gap Before Tragic Death

An inquest into the death of three-year-old Noah Woods has heard that the toddler exited a playground through a gap in a fence before going missing and being found dead in a nearby pond.

The hearing at Suffolk Coroner's Court in Ipswich was opened and adjourned on Friday. Assistant coroner Jyoti Gill described the situation as a "very sad and tragic death" before expressing condolences:

"I would like to express my deepest condolences to Noah's family and friends and all those affected by Noah's death."

Sequence of Events at the Playground

Detective Chief Inspector Matthew Connick provided details of the incident, which took place on the afternoon of September 15th at a playground on Merriam Close in Brantham. Noah, who lived in nearby East Bergholt, was being looked after by a relative as part of his normal routine. Motion-activated CCTV footage showed the pair playing between 2:13 p.m. and 2:37 p.m.

The court heard that Noah left the play area through a fence gap and entered an adjacent memorial garden before exiting through an unlatched gate. He then headed down a path toward Decoy Pond.

Connick told the court that Noah was "being closely followed by his relative who was trying to keep up with him". The relative "shouted after him", but Noah went out of view after about 200 meters, prompting a call to emergency services.

Search Operation and Recovery

The toddler's disappearance sparked a massive search effort involving police dogs, helicopters, and roughly 1,300 volunteers across the Suffolk-Essex border.

On September 16th, Metropolitan Police divers located Noah's body inside Decoy Pond. Connick confirmed he was found "approximately five metres from the bank and within submerged tree roots" at a depth of around 1.8 meters.

Paramedics officially confirmed his death at 4:31 p.m., and his mother, Charlie Peck, formally identified him at Ipswich Hospital later that evening. A post-mortem examination at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge recorded the medical cause of death as pending further investigation. Police have confirmed that the death is not being treated as suspicious.

Tributes From Family and Community

In a statement released through police, Noah's family described him as a "happy, cheeky, playful" boy who "loved to laugh, loved to giggle and who brought joy wherever he went."

The family shared details about Noah's development and daily life:

"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."

"Every Tuesday since the day he was born Noah went to the park with a treasured relative. They had the most wonderful relationship, they loved playing chase together, running around, and exploring the play equipment."

"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."

Noah's mother, Charlie Peck, offered a message to other parents:

"If there is one thing we could ask of people, it is to hold their children a little tighter, cherish every moment, and never take those precious memories for granted."

His father, Rhys Woods, described him in a community Facebook post as the "sweetest and most innocent little boy, with nothing but love to give", adding: "We are going to miss him so very much."

The tragedy has prompted widespread community support, with a local fundraiser raising over £100,000. Players from Everton and Ipswich Town also honored Noah by wearing black armbands during a recent match.

A date for the full inquest hearing will be set in due course.