D4vd Update: Celeste Rivas Hernandez’s Family Files a Wrongful Death Lawsuit
David Anthony Burke, better known as D4vd, is set to go to trial for the murder of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez. The criminal battle has been the main focus of headlines since D4vd’s April 2026 arrest. Now, a second legal battle is set to play out. Celeste’s family has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the disgraced TikToker and musician.
Celeste Rivas Hernandez’s family files a civil lawsuit against D4vd
The family of Celeste Rivas Hernandez filed a civil lawsuit against D4vd in Los Angeles County Superior Court on Monday, September 7. The filing comes weeks after a criminal court judge ruled that the 21-year-old would stand trial for the teen’s death. The filing came on what would have been the teen’s 16th birthday. It was also filed just a day before the first anniversary of the discovery of her remains.
According to the Los Angeles Times, the lawsuit closely mirrors the criminal case’s core allegations: that Burke arranged for Celeste to be brought to his Hollywood Hills home in April 2025, where he is accused of fatally stabbing her and later dismembering her body to dispose of it. It goes on to accuse the singer of beginning an illicit sexual relationship with the teen around the time she turned 13. The filing also theorizes that he planned the murder to prevent her from speaking out about the illegal relationship.
While the civil lawsuit makes many of the same allegations about D4vd as the criminal case, there is one key difference. D4vd is not the only person named in the filing. D4vd’s manager, his management company, a security guard, and D4vd’s mother are also named as defendants. The filing argues that they bear some responsibility for what happened by concealing the relationship.
D4vd’s criminal case is headed to trial
While the civil lawsuit against D4vd is a new development, his criminal case has been moving through the Los Angeles court system since April. Several weeks ago, a judge ruled that the prosecution had submitted sufficient evidence to move to trial. He is expected back in court on October 19. He will appear with fresh legal representation after firing his high-powered team and claiming to be indigent. The public defender’s office will represent him moving forward.
D4vd faces a flurry of charges, including first-degree murder with special circumstances, sexual abuse of a child under 14, and unlawful mutilation of human remains. He has pleaded not guilty. He is currently being held without bail at the Twin Towers Correctional Facility in Los Angeles. A trial date has not yet been set.
The family speaks out
The family of Celeste Rivas Hernandez issued a statement around the same time the civil lawsuit was filed. Still, the statement did not directly address the case itself. Instead, they focused on their desire to see the death penalty activated in D4vd’s criminal case. In a statement issued through their lawyer, they said, “If the death penalty were activated, it would be perfect for this kind of human being, devoid of feelings and emptiness inside, and without conscience, who only caused pain to our daughter, our family, and the world that supports our precious daughter.”
Celeste’s family previously spoke out about D4vd’s indigent claims, insisting the 21-year-old was hiding assets through his music, companies, and family. While that allegation remains unsubstantiated, D4vd did move homes he owned out of his name and into his mother’s name weeks after Celeste’s body was identified. It was a decision that online sleuths discussed heavily at the time.
The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office has not yet announced a plan to formally pursue the death penalty. The special circumstances surrounding the teen’s death, including lying in wait, make the charges eligible for the death penalty.
D4vd’s team has not addressed the civil lawsuit.
This is a developing story…
