Suffolk Police have confirmed that a body has been recovered in the search for missing three-year-old Noah Woods, who disappeared from a playground in Brantham on Tuesday afternoon.
Superintendent Tom Pearse of Suffolk Police announced that dive teams located and recovered the body of a child from a nearby pond. The death is currently being treated as unexplained, though not suspicious, he stated.
Formal identification is yet to take place, but Noah's family has been informed of the tragic development. Supt Pearse extended the force's thoughts, stating: "Our thoughts are with Noah's family and all those who knew him."
Noah Woods, who was non-verbal and partially deaf, went missing at approximately 15:00 BST on Tuesday after becoming separated from a relative at a playground in Brantham, a village near the estuary of the River Stour on the Essex border. Police had previously advised that he would not respond to shouting.
The disappearance sparked a widespread search effort, which included significant involvement from the public. Supt Pearse expressed gratitude for the community's help, saying: "We have been overwhelmed by the outpouring of public support and people putting on their boots to help."
An estimated 1,300 members of the public joined emergency services in the search, with volunteers travelling from as far afield as Birmingham and Hampshire. Search operations were coordinated from Brantham Leisure Centre and the village hall, which reportedly ran out of high-visibility vests due to the sheer number of people offering assistance.
Michael Crowley, who was working opposite the playground on Tuesday and was one of the last people to see Noah, described him as looking "happy and healthy as anything" shortly before he went missing.
Jessica Gammons, a mother-of-two from Kelvedon, Essex, was among the many volunteers. Despite being heavily pregnant, she felt compelled to join the search, explaining: "I kept thinking to myself 'If this was my son, I'd want everyone possible to help.' It's such a sad situation. I can't stop thinking about him."
The extensive search involved helicopters, dog units, and police officers. Divers from the Metropolitan Police were called in to search Decoy Pond, a fishing lake located about 350 yards (320m) from the playground where Noah was last seen. Searches had widened on Wednesday to include areas such as East Bergholt and Manningtree, across the Essex border.
Supt Pearse detailed the scale of the emergency response: "Since Noah was reported as missing, a vast number of our officers and staff have been deployed in numerous functions in the search for Noah and support for his family. We've been supported by Suffolk HART (Hazardous Area Response Team), SULSAR (Suffolk Lowland Search and Rescue), Environment Agency, HM Coastguard, Fire and Rescue Service and the ambulance service."
Reflecting on the community's efforts, he added: "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."
Supt Pearse concluded by requesting privacy for Noah's family during this difficult time: "I am sure you appreciate the family now need time, space and privacy and I thank you for your understanding in this."
