Evidence presented in court yesterday at least leaves open the possibility that five-year-old Noah Thomas got into a septic tank himself — the tank where his body was found four days after he was reported missing. The new information came out in yesterday’s court hearing for Noah’s parents, Ashley White and Paul Thomas. A medical examiner testified Noah died last March from drowning and hypothermia in that septic tank behind the family’s Pulaski County home, with no sign of any serious injuries. But evidence presented yesterday suggests there is still no clear indication as to how the boy got in that tank; a sheriff’s corporal testified the lid to it was quite light and easy to move. After hearing testimony, the judge dropped the felony homicide charge against Ashley White, which means she and Paul Thomas both face child abuse and neglect charges. Investigators say the two left Noah and his baby sister alone at the home for a while on the morning he disappeared. Next up in the case: a grand jury considers the charges.
