You are connecting from Lake Geneva Public Library, please login or register to take advantage of your institution's Ground News Plan.
Published 5 hours ago • loading... • Updated 3 hours ago
Noah Woods died after leaving park through gap in fence, inquest hears
Police said 1,300 people joined the search after Noah Woods left a playground through a gap in a fence and was later found in Decoy Pond.
An inquest at the Suffolk Coroner Court confirmed on Friday that three-year-old Noah Woods died after leaving a play area "through a gap in the fence" before running towards nearby Decoy Pond.
Following his disappearance on September 15, around 1,300 volunteers joined authorities in searching Brantham, as the National Police Air Service, Suffolk Fire & Rescue Service, and Suffolk Lowland Search & Rescue scoured the area near the River Stour.
Divers from the Metropolitan Police recovered Noah's body from Decoy Pond on September 16, five metres from the edge within submerged tree roots at 1.8 metres depth. A post-mortem at Addenbrooke Hospital in Cambridge "requires further investigation" before determining cause of death.
Noah's family described him as "happy, cheeky, playful," while players at the Everton and Ipswich Town Premier League match wore black armbands in his memory. Supporters raised more than £100,000 to assist the family.
Suffolk Police confirmed the death is not being treated as suspicious, though a date for the full inquest hearing has not yet been set by the Suffolk Coroner following Friday's formal launch.