NY Police Officer, 31, Dies in Dominican Republic Days After Cosmetic Procedure as Family Waits for Answers
"We ask all New Yorkers to keep her family, friends and coworkers in your prayers during this difficult time."
The New York Dominican Officers Organization (NYDO) also honored DePaula in a public statement shared on Instagram. "It is with profound sadness that we share the passing of NYDO member Police Officer Rebecca DePaula," the organization wrote.
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The organization asked supporters to keep DePaula's family, friends and loved ones in their thoughts and prayers, adding that "Her kindness, her service and memory will never be forgotten."
The Procedure That Brought Her to the Dominican Republic
DePaula traveled to Santo Domingo to undergo breast implant removal surgery. Relatives said she chose to have the implants removed because of a personal and spiritual conviction.
She wanted to continue her life without the implants as part of her Christian faith, they said, and never imagined the procedure would end in tragedy.
DePaula's relatives told the same publication that after the procedure, she developed a bacterial infection that doctors said caused severe diarrhea, further complicating her condition.
Her mother said she was initially informed that DePaula was in serious condition, but when she arrived at the clinic, she was told that her daughter had died.
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DePaula's brother, Edwin López, said the news devastated the family. "We are in shock. It hurts a lot," he said, according to Univision.
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As relatives make arrangements to return DePaula home to the United States, he said they continue trying to understand what happened. "We're still processing it, and many of us are wondering why this happened," López added.
DePaula's family has reportedly asked Dominican authorities to investigate the circumstances surrounding her death and determine whether there was medical negligence or any irregularities during the medical care she received.
Breast Implant Removal Is an Elective Procedure
According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), breast implant removal — also known as explant surgery — is performed to remove breast implants and any scar tissue that has formed around them.
The organization says the decision to undergo the procedure depends on several factors, including a patient's overall health, whether an implant is leaking or has ruptured, and personal preference.
The ASPS says surgeons should explain the procedure's potential risks before patients give informed consent. Those risks can include anesthesia-related complications, bleeding, infection, fluid accumulation, blood clots, persistent pain, poor wound healing, skin loss, scarring and the possibility of additional surgery, among other complications.
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