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Community remembers NYPD officer who passed away in Dominican Republic after surgery

nbcnewyork.com · 23h · first reportShare

On Monday, family, friends, fellow officers and church brethren gathered for the funeral services of NYPD officer Rebecca De Paula, who passed away in the Dominican Republic. De Paula died as a result of a procedure at an esthetics clinic in Santo Domingo. “As a police officer, she was a very kind woman with children,” said Luis Pimentel, a neighbor of De Paula. “She was involved in the church; everyone here in the community loved her.” According to her family, the 31-year-old officer De Paula allegedly contracted a bacterial infection after cosmetic surgery. “It’s painful for anyone to lose a loved one,” said Jorge Ycasa, a neighbor of the family. De Paula had been with the NYPD since January 2025 and worked at the 46th Precinct in the Bronx. In March of this year, she was named Officer of the Month. The officer also served as a pastor of a local church. Officer De Paula is survived by her husband and three children. Funeral services will continue on Tuesday at 10 a.m. with a Mass, fo