Footballers and fans have paid tribute to three-year-old Noah Woods, whose body was found after he went missing in Suffolk this week. During Everton's home match against Ipswich Town on Saturday, players wore black armbands as a mark of respect.
A photograph of Noah was displayed on the big screen before the Premier League game in Liverpool. Three minutes after kick-off, both sets of supporters stood to applaud in his memory.
Noah, who was non-verbal, partially deaf, and undergoing an assessment for autism, became separated from a relative on Tuesday afternoon after visiting a playground in Brantham, according to Suffolk police. A search involving approximately 1,300 members of the public concluded on Wednesday when police divers recovered a body from a nearby lake.
Noah's father, Rhys Woods, shared a message on a community Facebook group on Thursday, stating, “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.”
Ipswich Town captain Dara O’Shea and goalkeeper Christian Walton were part of a delegation from the club that laid flowers at the playground where Noah went missing. Town defender Leif Davis donated £2,000 to a fundraising appeal set up by Good Dads Club, which had received over £100,000 in donations from more than 6,000 supporters by Saturday evening to support Noah’s family.
Suffolk constabulary has stated that the child’s death is not being treated as suspicious, but inquiries are ongoing before a file is submitted to the coroner.