NYPD Officer Dies After Complications from Breast Implant Removal in Dominican Republic

NYPD officer Rebecca De Paula, 31, was named officer of the month at her Bronx precinct before traveling to Santo Domingo for breast implant removal surgery. Post-operative complications caused a bacterial infection that proved fatal, and she died early on Sunday. Her mother rushed to the clinic after hearing her daughter was in critical condition, only to be told she had already died.

Police Benevolent Association President Patrick Hendry and De Paula’s family have asked Dominican authorities to investigate whether malpractice or negligence occurred. De Paula, who also served as a pastor with her husband, leaves three children behind. Her remains are being held at the National Institute of Forensic Sciences before repatriation to the United States for burial. The incident highlights ongoing concerns about the safety of cosmetic surgeries performed on U.S. patients abroad, with the CDC reporting 93 related deaths between 2009 and 2022.