Noah Woods, a three-year-old boy, has not been found since Tuesday afternoon, when he became separated from a relative at a playground in Suffolk. He was last seen at the small park on Merriam Close in Brantham, where he was with a family member at about 15:00 BST.
Noah has partial hearing loss, autism, and does not speak. The police said he was separated from his relative as they departed the park. According to reports, he then ran down an alleyway leading toward a new housing development.
Searches and Descriptions
Emergency services conducted door-to-door inquiries into the evening, while more than 100 people joined searches for Noah. Suffolk Police described him as white, with curly ginger hair, and noted that he would not respond to his name being called.
The man was dressed in a white Bluey T-shirt, shorts and black Vans trainers bearing a white stripe. The police reported that search operations were still underway overnight, and they urged members of the public not to conduct their own independent searches.
“We are grateful for the support from the public, however ask people not to undertake independent searches overnight. It’s important that any public searches are coordinated with police.”
Helicopters Over Brantham
A helicopter was observed passing over the area by the River Stour estuary. The park is positioned near the Essex border, and local residents were asked to examine their gardens, sheds and outbuildings for the youngster.
Train passengers travelling between Manningtree and Ipswich were informed that their services would be slowed down because of the searches. Teams searching for people have been going from house to house in the neighbourhood.
Supt Pete Partridge said on Tuesday: “We have deployed specially trained officers to assist with our search of the area today, including helicopters and drones.” Suffolk Police posted on its Facebook page: “It is overwhelming to read the support people are offering.”
Coastguard Support
The representative for HM Coastguard stated: “We are assisting Suffolk Constabulary with an incident at Brantham by sending an HM Coastguard helicopter and Coastguard Rescue Teams from Felixstowe and Holbrook.”
Suffolk Police are still searching, and they have asked people to wait and work together, warning against anyone going out on their own at night to look for anything. The public reaction has been large, with Suffolk Police calling it a huge amount of help from people who care.
The simple question at hand is where Noah is. Searches continue, and the community watches closely.
What We Know So Far
- Noah Woods, three years old
- Last seen Tuesday at about 15:00 BST
- Missing from Merriam Close playground, Brantham
- Partially deaf, autistic, non-verbal
- White, curly ginger hair
- Wearing white Bluey T-shirt, shorts, black Vans trainers with white stripe
- More than 100 people searching
- Helicopter and drone searches ongoing
- Coastguard rescue teams involved
The Case So Far
Noah’s inability to speak, hear well or respond when his name is called makes him harder to find.
That he ran down an alleyway toward newbuild housing gives the scene a sense of urgency. The searches have involved hundreds of volunteers and multiple agencies, making the hunt wide-ranging.
The Coastguard’s role stands out here. Rescue teams from Felixstowe and Holbrook are working with the operation, joined by the HM Coastguard helicopter.
Suffolk Police continue to search for the missing person, asking for patience and coordination while warning against independent searches overnight. The public response has been strong, with Suffolk Police describing the support as overwhelming.
The community watches closely as the searches continue. For now, the question remains simple: where is Noah?
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