A desperate hunt today continues for a non-verbal autistic three-year-old boy who disappeared from a playground. Almost 1,000 volunteers joined the search for to find little Noah Woods overnight in Brantham, Suffolk.
The youngster, who is partially deaf, vanished after becoming separated from a relative, sparking a major response from the emergency services. He is understood to have run down an alleyway towards a new-build housing estate and has not been seen since.
Police yesterday asked villagers to look in their gardens, sheds and outbuildings overnight as a coastguard helicopter was deployed to help the search and trains between Manningtree and Ipswich ran at a reduced speed because of the search.
When did Noah go missing?
Noah had been with a relative at a playground in Merriam Close in Brantham on Tuesday, but he “became separated” as they left at about 3pm. He is described as having curly ginger hair and wearing a T-shirt featuring the cartoon dog Bluey, shorts and white trainers.
Police said Noah is non-verbal, has partial hearing loss and is undergoing an assessment for autism. Due to his vulnerabilities, he will not respond to his name. Locals said the village was “flooded with hundreds of cars and people” helping.
Lara English, spent three hours searching for the boy last night, told the BBC: “It was very co-ordinated as they split us up into teams and drivers to look at different locations. I would say the police were brilliant and the water and helicopter crew.”
What have the police said?
Suffolk Police asked residents to thoroughly check their gardens, sheds, outbuildings or any potential areas where a child might hide. The force also urged people with CCTV or doorbell cameras to review the footage from 3pm on Tuesday onwards.
Motorists who drove through the village since yesterday have been asked to check their dashcams for footage. There are currently no reported sightings of Noah since he left the playground.
Superintendent Pete Partridge the force are “very concerned for Noah’s welfare”, adding: “We need to find him as a matter of urgency. A vast number of resources have been deployed by ourselves, our emergency services colleagues and volunteers from SULSAR.
“These resources have been bolstered by members of the public who have turned out in large numbers to assist and we are incredibly grateful for their help and support.
“Given that fast-moving nature of the investigation, it is important that any public searches are coordinated with police to ensure we are working together, and that our resources are directed where they can be most effective.
“We therefore ask that people do not put themselves at risk or undertake independent searches. We will continue to keep Noah’s family and the public updated on the progress of our searches and investigation.
“We know that people want to help and so we are urging local residents to carefully read our requests to check their gardens and outbuildings and review any CCTV or dashcam footage as a priority.”
What happens next?
Volunteers have been carrying out door-to-door enquiries across the village since the news broke. They were this morning briefed at the local leisure centre before heading off for a second day of searches.
Brantham Village Hall has been turned into a makeshift headquarters in the search for Noah. People have been arriving from as far away as Hampshire and Birmingham to help out. Hundreds of locals are already searching the area, many of whom know the family.
Policing team Sgt Claire Connick told volunteers to widen their searches away from the village. She asked people to avoid the village centre, suggesting people go further afield to nearby villages of East Bergholt and Manningtree and working their way back.