NYC Department of Corrections captain Tandra Bowser-Williams plastic surgery operation Hector Cabral

Publish date: 2024-06-04

An NYC Corrections captain has died after going under the knife in the Dominican Republican at the hands of a plastic surgeon who had been prosecuted in New York illegally carrying out procedures in the United States.

Tandra Bowser-Williams, 49, who worked on Rikers Island suffered a 'small stroke' one day after her fat transfer procedure at Dr. Hector Cabral's Centro Internacional de Cirugia Plastica Avanzada clinic in Santo Domingo on May 13. 

Dr. Cabral pleaded guilty to one count of unauthorized practicing of medicine in October 2011 in New York and then returned to the Dominican Republic, where he still practices.

Butt lifts and fat transfers are some of the clinic's specialties. 

Dept. of Correction Captain Tandra Bowser-Williams, 49, who worked on Rikers Island died after undergoing a plastic surgery procedure in Dominican Republic

Dept. of Correction Captain Tandra Bowser-Williams, 49, who worked on Rikers Island died after undergoing a plastic surgery procedure in Dominican Republic

Bowser-Williams underwent a fat transfer, operated on by Dr. Hector Cabral, pictured

Bowser-Williams underwent a fat transfer, operated on by Dr. Hector Cabral, pictured

Tragically she died before her devastated husband Curtis Williams could fly out to the clinic in the island nation to be by her side. 

Days earlier, his companion of 26 years had promised him that he was going to love the results of her procedure but then he received a call from a nurse at the United Hearts Clinic that his wife had suddenly taken ill. 

'Her exact words to me were "You're gonna love Dr. Cabral's work." I didn't care one way or another. I accepted my wife the way she was,' Williams told the Daily News. 

'They brought my wife out of the medically induced coma so she could unlock her phone, so that's how she was able to get in touch with me,' he explained.

Williams was told by her surgeon that a stroke had 'swallowed her brain.' 

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Share Husband, Curtis Williams, left, was told his wife had suffered a 'massive stroke' but was unable to be by her bedside before she passed away

Husband, Curtis Williams, left, was told his wife had suffered a 'massive stroke' but was unable to be by her bedside before she passed away

'Her exact words to me were "You're gonna love Dr. Cabral's work." I didn't care one way or another. I accepted my wife the way she was,' Williams said. They had been together 26 years

'Her exact words to me were "You're gonna love Dr. Cabral's work." I didn't care one way or another. I accepted my wife the way she was,' Williams said. They had been together 26 years

'I heard my wife in the background, and she was complaining about her stomach and her butt.' 

Williams told the News that his wife was a dedicated mother had 'nerves of steel,' and was raising her own son together with her two sisters, a young nephew, and three foster kids.

Cabral had previously been prosecuted in 2011 for unauthorized practicing of medicine in New York

Cabral had previously been prosecuted in 2011 for unauthorized practicing of medicine in New York

'Everybody is distraught. She was the heart, the lifeline of the family. The heartbeat,' he said.

Her co-workers on Rikers also paid tribute to Bowser-Williams.

'She was always a good captain, never tried to escape work, always worked in the jails, always worked with inmates,' said President of the Correction Captains union, Patrick Ferraiuolo to the Daily News. 'It's a real loss. She certainly didn't deserve this. She was a trooper.'

It does not appear that Bowser-Williams' death is under investigation, but Cabral had been in trouble with the law before having been indicted in 2011 by then-New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman.

Cabral avoided jail after making a deal with prosecutors and had to pay a $5,000 fine, $23,055 in restitution and conduct 250 hours of community service in the Dominican Republic

Cabral avoided jail after making a deal with prosecutors and had to pay a $5,000 fine, $23,055 in restitution and conduct 250 hours of community service in the Dominican Republic

Cabral had examined at least 10 women in the Washington Heights area of Manhattan in local health spas and beauty parlors without a license before luring them to the Dominican Republic for operations.

Some of the women were left disfigured legal papers revealed.

Cabral avoided jail after making a deal with prosecutors and had to pay a $5,000 fine, $23,055 in restitution and conduct 250 hours of community service in the Dominican Republic.

Cabral's clinic has been shut down on numerous occasions due to allegations of faulty procedures which have caused deaths, before reopening. 

In 2017, at least four women also died during surgeries with Cabral at the same clinic while eight New Yorkers who underwent surgery at his clinic contracted skin infections.

In July 2018, Katherine Jacqueline Pérez Minaya traveled from the U.S. to Cabral's clinic and suffered a deadly heart attack during surgery.

In May 2019, following the death of patient Altagracia Díaz, Cardi B took to Instagram account to offer her condolence to Díaz's family and shared her own close brush with Cabral explaining how she had previously scheduled a surgery with before backing out. 

'I was once going to operate with him, but I had a feeling and I did it with another doctor,' the Grammy Award-winning rapper said.

'You realize that when God opens your eyes it is for a reason. ... I am sad and it hurts because I know that the family is very hurt right now, but it could be my family that was suffering. This was like God giving me a sign.' 

In May 2019, rapper Cardi B said she had a feeling about the doctor and backed out of an appointment to have cosmetic operation

In May 2019, rapper Cardi B said she had a feeling about the doctor and backed out of an appointment to have cosmetic operation

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