Santo Domingo — A 31-year-old New York Police Department officer with Dominican roots has died following breast implant removal surgery at a Dominican clinic, triggering an active official investigation into the circumstances that led to her unexpected passing.
Rebecca DePaula traveled to the Caribbean nation roughly seven days before the procedure to undergo the operation, according to official reports. To date, authorities have declined to release the public identity of the medical facility or the operating surgeon that carried out the treatment.
A joint probe is being led by the Dominican National Police and the nation’s Public Ministry, with the investigative process currently in a holding pattern while teams await results from autopsy and forensic testing completed by the National Institute of Forensic Sciences, known locally as INACIF. Only after receiving these formal results will officials confirm an official cause of death and assess whether any form of medical negligence contributed to the fatality.
National Police spokesperson Diego Pesqueira emphasized that investigators will not jump to unsubstantiated conclusions about what led to DePaula’s death, noting the case file remains open as forensic work is finalized.
Family members of the fallen officer have shared preliminary accounts that DePaula developed serious health complications immediately after her surgery, including intense, persistent diarrhea. Relatives also added that treating physicians raised the possibility of a dangerous bacterial infection as a contributing factor. Despite these anecdotal claims, official investigators have stressed that none of these allegations have been verified through the ongoing forensic review, and all potential causes remain on the table.
DePaula was a serving member of the NYPD’s 46th Precinct based in New York City. Beyond her law enforcement career, she also served as a pastor alongside her husband. She leaves behind her spouse and three children, who are currently in New York making arrangements to receive her remains for repatriation and burial.