An NYPD officer who had just begun her career on the force has died in the Dominican Republic following cosmetic surgery, and her family is calling for answers, NBC New York reports. Local outlet Noticias Sin reports 31-year-old Rebecca De Paula, a married mother of three and pastor who worked out of the 46th Precinct in the Bronx, suffered complications after a procedure; relatives now want authorities to examine whether safety protocols were followed. Her mother says she was told De Paula was in serious condition but arrived to find she had already died. De Paula was reportedly undergoing a breast implant removal, the New York Post reports. The complications that caused her death reportedly involved bacteria, People reports.
De Paula had been with the NYPD for only 18 months and was recently recognized as her precinct's officer of the month, according to the New York Daily News. "Our hearts are heavy with the loss of our sister P.O. Rebecca DePaula," New York City PBA President Patrick Hendry said, asking the public to keep her loved ones in their thoughts. The New York Dominican Officers Organization called her death "a tremendous loss." The name of the clinic has not been made public. Noticias Sin notes several recent patient deaths have prompted investigations and facility closures in the country, amid broader concerns about the risks Americans face when traveling abroad for less expensive cosmetic procedures. The investigation into De Paula's death is ongoing. (A woman died in the Bronx after an "anti-aging" treatment at a wellness center.)
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