Inquest hears Noah Woods, 3, left playground 'through a gap in the fence' before lake death

An inquest into the death of Noah Woods, the three-year-old found dead in Suffolk, opened and adjourned on Friday. Detective Chief Inspector Matthew Connick told Suffolk Coroner’s Court that Noah left the play area at Merriam Close, Brantham, “through a gap in the fence leading to the memorial garden where he left through an open gate” on 15 September.

Noah was “being closely followed by his relative who was trying to keep up with him” towards Decoy Pond. The relative “shouted after him” but he could not be seen after 200 metres, and “a large-scale search operation began”.

CCTV showed Noah playing at the park between 2.13pm and 2.37pm. His body was recovered the next day by a Metropolitan Police diver, five metres from the bank within submerged tree roots, in water 1.8 metres deep. Death was confirmed at 4.31pm by paramedics, and his mother, Charlie Peck, confirmed his identity at Ipswich Hospital that evening. The death was not being treated as suspicious; a post-mortem recorded the medical cause of death as pending further investigation.

1,300 members of the public joined the search for Noah, who was non-verbal, partially deaf and being assessed for autism, undiagnosed. Assistant coroner Jyoti Gill adjourned the six-minute hearing, which the family did not attend. Ms Peck said: “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.” A fundraiser has raised more than £100,000.

Sources

• Radio X (Sky News / PA), “Noah Woods died after getting out of play area through ‘gap in the fence’, inquest hears” — https://www.radiox.co.uk/news/uk-world/noah-woods-got-out-of-play-area-through-gap-i/
• The Times, “Noah Woods ‘went missing from playground through gap in fence’” — https://www.thetimes.com/article/noah-woods-missing-death-inquest-brantham-suffolk-ht8l93dvs
• Clacton & Frinton Gazette, “Noah Woods ‘got through gap in fence’ before he was found in lake, inquest told” — https://www.clactonandfrintongazette.co.uk/news/national/26581378.noah-woods-got-gap-fence-found-lake-inquest-told/
• The Sun, “Noah Woods, 3, was found caught in tree roots by lake divers after leaving play area through gap in fence, inquest hears” — https://www.thesun.ie/news/17672038/noah-woods-drowned-lake-running-playground/