A massive search operation to find a missing three-year-old Suffolk boy has entered its second day with his desperate father saying he “can’t go another night knowing he’s out there alone”.
Noah Woods was last seen at about 3pm yesterday afternoon (Tuesday) when he became separated from a relative after visiting a playground in Merriam Close, Brantham.
Hundreds of people have joined the search with Suffolk Police asking residents in the area to check gardens, sheds and outbuildings.
Noah is described as white, with curly ginger hair. He was last seen wearing a white Bluey T-shirt, shorts and black Vans trainers with a white stripe. He is also described as non-verbal, has partial hearing loss and is currently undergoing an assessment for autism. Because of these vulnerabilities, he will not respond to his name, police said.
His father Rhys Woods has asked people to expand their search. He said: “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.”
Noah’s dad issues update over youngster as ‘people make up own stories’
Noah’s dad Rhys has given an update on the search for the youngster while clarifying that he is “only mildly autistic and has partial hearing loss”.
He says the emergency services believe that he has gone further away than the immediate areas around the playground where he disappeared.
He wrote: “Thank every single one of you who have taken part in the search for our boy Noah. To clear things up because people really do make up their own stories, he is only mildly autistic and has partial hearing loss, he is fully capable of every day tasks.
We still have nothing, all the emergency services and all of you have shown how strong this community is, with people coming from far and wide (…).
“The emergency services are very confident that the high risk areas (Decoy pond, railway lines) are all clear.”
Rhys continued: “This means knowing our boy, he has gone even further, could I ask that all of you brilliant people out there today expand further if you are able to? Reference where I have outlined, and maybe even further than this,
“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.”
Map shows exactly where Noah went missing
A map of Brantham shows the playground where Noah went missing yesterday and a footpath from Merriam Close which he may have used.
There is a decoy pond at the end of the path. A new housing estate is nearby where residents have been urged to check in their gardens and sheds.
A map showing Brantham and where Noah went missing
On the left of the map is Brantham Village Hall which has become a focal point for the search effort with hundreds of volunteers involved as well the emergency services.
Brantham is a village in Suffolk
