Body of child found in Decoy Pond after search for missing toddler Noah Woods in Suffolk

Discovery at Decoy Pond

Suffolk Police confirmed on Wednesday afternoon that specialist dive teams recovered the body of a child from Decoy Pond in Brantham. The discovery concluded a 24-hour search operation for three-year-old Noah Woods, who vanished on Tuesday afternoon. Police superintendent Tom Pearse announced the development during a briefing at the Brantham Leisure Centre and stated that officers had informed Noah's family. Pearse explained that investigators treat the child's death as unexplained but not suspicious, with no evidence indicating criminal activity. Formal identification procedures have not yet been completed by authorities.

Pearse addressed gathered media to outline the findings and request privacy for the boy's relatives.

These five teams this afternoon have sadly found a body of a child in Decoy Pond in Brantham. Formal identification is yet to take place. The family of Noah Woods has been informed of these developments.

Disappearance from village playground

Noah was last seen on Tuesday, 15 September, at approximately 15:00 BST after visiting a play area on Merriam Close in Brantham. Security cameras recorded the three-year-old playing in the park at 14:37 BST before he became separated from a relative. According to police reports, Noah ran down an alleyway beside the playground leading toward a newly constructed housing estate. The boy was described by family and police as having curly red hair, partial hearing loss, being non-verbal, and having mild autism. When he disappeared, Noah was wearing a white T-shirt featuring the television character Bluey, shorts, and black Vans trainers with white stripes.

Multi-agency search effort

The emergency response brought together multiple regional agencies across Babergh parish along the River Stour estuary. Suffolk Police deployed dog units, drone specialists, and dedicated search teams across the village of approximately 2,300 residents. The National Police Air Service and HM Coastguard provided aerial support with helicopters scanning waterways, fields, and rail lines. Ground teams included the Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service and Suffolk Lowland Search and Rescue personnel. Authorities asked local residents and drivers who travelled through Brantham to examine dashcam footage, garden sheds, outbuildings, and private surveillance systems.

Before the recovery of the body, Noah's father, Rhys Woods, appealed publicly on social media for searchers to maintain their efforts.

I cannot go another night knowing he's out there alone. Please don't give up on him guys. He is out there somewhere and I appreciate every single one of you.

Community response in Brantham

More than 1,000 civilian volunteers joined emergency crews on Wednesday to scour fields, woods, and neighbourhood paths around the Essex-Suffolk border. Police established a central coordination post where volunteers registered before fanning out across assigned sectors. Local residents distributed supplies and assisted officers searching areas near the River Stour and surrounding villages, including Stutton, Tattingstone, and East Bergholt. Parish officials had confirmed earlier on Wednesday morning that no sightings occurred overnight despite the overnight patrols.

Rebecca Lucas, a 46-year-old volunteer who joined the search, described the collective effort of the village community.

Everybody's come together to try and do what they can. I think within the local community everyone's really close-knit and it just touches at the heartstrings, everybody just wants to get involved and see if there's anything we can do rather than just sit at home.