The heartbroken mom of a former NYPD officer of the month who died following a botched implant removal operation in the Dominican Republic has claimed doctors failed to tell her that her daughter was dead when she rushed to the clinic.
Rebecca De Paula, 31, died Sunday reportedly from a bacterial infection at a Santo Domingo clinic, one week after arriving on the island for the procedure, the Dominican Republic outlet El Dia reported.
Her family has since demanded a malpractice investigation, with the cop’s mom claiming health officials were not transparent when she arrived at the clinic.
“They didn’t tell me, ‘She’s dead,’” De Paula’s mom, who hasn’t been identified, told local TV in Spanish.
“They told me she was in a serious condition. My brother rushed me there, I went upstairs and I saw the empty bed. Something was wrong, I thought. I said ‘Where is my daughter?’
“And my son told me, ‘Mommy, she’s with God.’ That was the only thing he said to me.”
Dominican authorities have not formally confirmed De Paula’s cause of death as their investigation remains ongoing.
Her remains are set to be flown back to the US.
De Paula, who was also a pastor, was an esteemed NYPD officer. She became one of New York’s Finest in January 2025 and served in the 46th Precinct in the Bronx.
In March, she was named officer of the month for her “outstanding police work and dedication to the community,” the Precinct announced online.
David Marmol, a former NYPD instructor who trained De Paula, described the cop as one of his best recruits after she received the award.
“Great person and devoted Christian,” he wrote online.
Marmol described De Paula as a “beautiful soul” as he paid tribute after news of her death emerged.
“You would say God bless you instead of hi,” he wrote on Instagram.
“You had so many good questions. You had such a bright future. You will be missed by your family, friends and colleagues. May you rest in peace.”
“Our hearts are heavy with the loss of our sister P.O. Rebecca De Paula, who passed away while off duty after only 18 months on the job,” Patrick Hendry, the New York City Police Benevolent Association President, told The Post.
“We ask all New Yorkers to keep her family, friends and coworkers in your prayers during this difficult time.”
American tourists travel to locations such as the Dominican Republic for cosmetic surgery because it’s cheaper and the wait times for procedures tend to be shorter, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have revealed.
But 93 US citizens have died between 2009 and 2022 after undergoing cosmetic surgery on the island.
There were an average of 4.1 deaths a year, but 17 were reported in 2020.
Investigators found the majority of deaths to be linked to fat or venous thromboembolism.
The risks of implant removal surgery include bleeding, deep vein thrombosis, cardiac complications, and infection, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.
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