Man with 'multiple lacerations' across his body and a bloodied knife in his pocket is found dead in Central Park playground in suspected suicide

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A man has been found dead in a Central Park playground with a bloodied knife in his pocket and wounds all over his body.

A horrified worker discovered the body and called police, who arrived at the Heckscher Playground near Center Drive and 62nd Street in New York City at 8.37am on Monday.

Police said the 36-year-old man suffered 'superficial' stab wounds to his neck, chest, and stomach and was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics.

NYPD Assistant Chief Ruel Stephenson said police's preliminary theory was 'his injuries could have been self-inflicted'.

A source told DailyMail.com the death was being treated as a suspected suicide.

A man has been found dead in a Central Park playground with a shoelace wrapped around his neck

NYPD cordoned off the area on Monday morning. A source told DailyMail.com that it was being treated as a suspected suicide

Police initially thought the man had a string or shoelace tied around his neck, but upon closer examination it was just the string of the hoodie he was wearing.

A detective addressing reporters alongside Assistant Chief Stephenson said a knife was found in the pocket of his hoodie that had blood on it.

He said the man did not appear to be homeless. 

The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner will determine the cause of death and police did not say whether they suspected foul play.

New York City had 2,314 reported crimes in the past week, down 4.93 per cent on the same time last year but 24.32 per cent higher than 2021.

These included five murders, 43 rapes - almost double the 2022 count - 344 robberies and 444 felony assaults.