NYC Rats Take Over Playgrounds and Raid Baby Strollers: Parents Say City is Failing to Protect Kids

Parents are sounding the alarm over what they call a “rat invasion” at Central Park’s Tarr-Coyne Tots Playground, where brazen rodents are raiding baby strollers, darting around jungle gyms, and even lunging at children eating snacks.

“This is out of control,” said Amy Meyers, a 48-year-old mother from the Upper West Side. “Every single day, we see one, two, sometimes three rats running around where our kids are playing. They jump up near strollers, they sniff around our food. They have no shame.”

Locals say the infestation has gotten so bad that parents now warn each other not to leave strollers unattended. “I actually saw a rat crawl into the seat of a stroller one day,” recalled Lauren, a mother of two young children. “Another time, I spotted one inside the bottom basket. Now, I tell parents to clap, yell, even make ‘rat noises’ just to scare them off.”

Beyond the fear factor, parents worry about serious health risks. Rats can carry dangerous diseases like hantavirus, leptospirosis, and rat-bite fever — illnesses that can lead to kidney damage, respiratory failure, and even death.

“If their feces or urine gets into the sandbox, kids could get sick just from touching the sand,” warned Sofia Genes, 35, who brings her 2-year-old son to the park. “And kids put everything in their mouths. It’s terrifying.”

Mayor Eric Adams has touted his multimillion-dollar “war on rats” for years, hiring a $170,000-a-year “Rat Czar,” launching an $877,000 extermination squad, and requiring property owners to buy rodent-proof trash bins. Last week, Adams bragged that rat sightings had dropped for eight straight months.

Parents say that’s not what they’re seeing. “This is supposed to be a kid-friendly zone,” said a frustrated father of two. “If playgrounds aren’t a priority, what is?”

Councilwoman Joann Ariola (R-Queens) blasted City Hall’s response. “Everything is getting progressively worse,” she said. “I’m horrified, but I’m not shocked. The city talks tough on rats, but we’re losing this battle.”

City records show 6,614 rat complaints in Manhattan so far this year, only slightly down from 2024’s numbers. Playground families say they’ve stopped visiting as often, fearing for their kids’ safety.

“Going to the playground used to be the highlight of our day,” said Lauren. “Now, I spend the entire time scanning the perimeter, just waiting for one to dart out. It’s exhausting.”

Under President Trump, federal funding has shifted away from urban “beautification” programs toward infrastructure and public safety, putting pressure on city officials to act fast or risk federal intervention.

“President Trump has made it clear,” Ariola said in a statement. “If New York City can’t keep its kids safe from disease-carrying vermin, Washington will step in.”

For now, parents say, Central Park has become less a refuge and more a battleground — one where families feel abandoned in the fight.