Police are probing an online post made after toddler Noah Woods was found dead in a pond following a massive search that sparked an outpouring of national grief
Police are investigating a “disgusting” social media post shared online following the tragic death of toddler Noah Woods.
The three-year-old was found dead in a pond in Brantham, Suffolk, following an urgent 24-hour search operation involving emergency services and an army of more than 1,300 local volunteers. However, shortly after the heartbreaking news was confirmed, a post appeared on Facebook which sparked fury across the nation.
The post reportedly made reference to Madeleine McCann, with its creator brushing it off as a “meme” and “dark humour.” Officers from Suffolk Police have confirmed they received “multiple reports” regarding the post and are looking into the matter.
Outraged social media users quickly blasted the post before the comments were deleted. One furious user wrote: “This is disgusting and needs dealing with. Absolutely vile human to post something like that.”
Noah went missing on Tuesday afternoon after running away from a relative during a trip to a local playground.
Following an extensive search, police divers made the heartbreaking discovery of a child’s body in Decoy Pond on Wednesday.
Noah’s heartbroken dad, Rhys Woods, paid tribute to his “sweetest and most innocent little boy,” revealing his family had been holding onto hope that “he would be hiding somewhere obvious where someone could find him.”
In a statement, Rhys added: “There are no words to describe the pain of this loss, we are all absolutely heartbroken, Noah was the sweetest and most innocent little boy, with nothing but love to give, and we are going to miss him so very much.
“It seems he has made an impact across the whole nation, you have all taken Noah into your own hearts, with all the overwhelming help, we were all just trying to bring him home to us safe and sound.”
Following the tragedy, mental health charity Good Dads Club launched an emergency JustGiving campaign to support the grieving family.
Money poured in from thousands of well-wishers across the UK, quickly smashing initial targets to top more than £80,000.
The charity said: “In light of the news regarding three-year-old Noah Woods, Good Dads Club is calling on our community to give whatever they can to ease the overwhelming burden on his family during this heartbreaking time.
“While no amount of money can undo these life altering events, every single financial contribution will go directly toward helping Noah’s family’s expenses, navigate daily bills, and take the necessary time off work to grieve without the added strain of financial worry.”
Local sports team East Bergholt United FC announced it had suspended all club fixtures out of respect.
A spokesperson said: “We believe this decision is the right thing to do, as it allows us to reflect on what has happened, pay tribute & to give those within the football club with connections to Noah and his family time and space to grieve & remember him.”
Superintendent Tom Pearse praised the massive search response, saying: “As a parent, I completely understand why people would want to help.”
He added that the effort showed “the strong sense of community and the heart-warming nature of Suffolk people that make the county such a special place.”
Suffolk Police confirmed Noah’s death is not being treated as suspicious, and a file will be prepared for the coroner.