By Daily Mail (U.S.) | Created at 2026-08-04 04:05:40 | Updated at 2026-08-04 04:43:27
42 minutes ago
A New York City Police Department (NYPD) officer has died after undergoing breast implant removal surgery in the Dominican Republic.
Rebeca De Paula, 31, died early Sunday morning in the country's capital, Santo Domingo, local outlet Noticias Sin reported.
The police officer's relatives told the outlet that De Paula had traveled to the country about one week ago to undergo surgery because of a recommendation for her health.
Shortly after the procedure, which was conducted at a clinic near the city's National Palace, De Paula contracted an infection that caused health complications including severe diarrhea, doctors told Noticias Sin.
De Paula's mother told the outlet that she rushed to the clinic after being told that her daughter was in critical condition, but by the time she arrived, the NYPD officer was already dead.
De Paula leaves behind her three children and her Christian pastor husband. She too had been serving as a pastor for the last four years and had joined New York City's police force less than two years ago.
The officer's family has demanded that Dominican authorities launch an investigation into her death to determine whether the clinic engaged in medical malpractice or negligence.
De Paula was an officer with the NYPD's 46th Precinct in the Bronx, where in March she had been named Officer of the Month 'for outstanding police work and dedication to the community,' according to the precinct's Facebook page.
NYPD Officer Rebeca De Paula died in the Dominican Republic after undergoing breast implant removal surgery. She was honored as Officer of the Month at her precinct in March
De Paula leaves behind a Christian pastor husband and their three children. She and a fellow officer are pictured with a gun they removed from the street
'Our hearts are heavy with the loss of our sister P.O. Rebecca DePaula, who passed away while off duty after only 18 months on the job,' Police Benevolent Association President Patrick Hendry said in a statement to the New York Post.
'We ask all New Yorkers to keep her family, friends and coworkers in your prayers during this difficult time,' Hendry added.
NYPD instructor David Marmol called De Paula 'One of my best recruits' and a 'devoted Christian' in the comments of the 46th Precinct's announcement that she had earned Officer of the Month.
In a Facebook post of his own after De Paula died, Marmol mourned her and said: 'Horrible news. You was such a beautiful soul. You would say God bless you instead of hi.
'You had so many good questions. You had such a bright future. You will be missed by your family, friends and colleagues. The most difficult part of being an instructor is losing the people you train. May you rest in peace.'
De Paula's remains are being kept at the National Institute of Forensic Sciences while awaiting return to the US.
De Paula's family has demanded an investigation of the clinic to determine whether it engaged in medical malpractice or negligence. She is pictured (right) with loved ones
Although De Paula's family did not say precisely why she decided to undergo her surgery, breast implants can lead to complications such as increased risk of cancer and swollen lymph nodes, according to the US Food and Drug Administration.
In October of last year, another member of the NYPD who was also a mother of three traveled outside of the country for a cosmetic procedure and died due to medical complications.
Detective Alicia Stone, 40, went to Cali, Colombia, for a liposuction and gluteal fat transfer, commonly known as a butt lift, and died a week later. Doctors told her husband at the time that she had likely suffered a heart attack or blood clot.
