Family of Celeste Rivas Hernandez Files Wrongful Death Lawsuit Against Singer D4vd
The family of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez has filed a civil wrongful death lawsuit against singer D4vd, exactly one year after her dismembered remains were found in his Tesla.
The family of Celeste Rivas Hernandez has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the singer D4vd, running parallel to the ongoing criminal case against him, according to a report by TMZ. The lawsuit was filed exactly one year after the dismembered remains of 14-year-old Celeste were found in the trunk of D4vd's Tesla on September 8, 2025. D4vd, whose real name is David Anthony Burke, is charged with murder, lewd acts with a child under 14, and mutilation of a corpse, and he has pleaded not guilty.
Defendants and Allegations
According to the lawsuit, the defendants are not limited to D4vd himself. The family is also suing his manager Josh Marshall, his mother Colleen Burke, and Sheldon Jacques, a security guard who lived with him. The lawsuit also names Mogul Vision, which the family claims rented the house in Los Angeles for him and helped arrange the employment of Jacques as a live-in personal security guard.
The family claims that in early 2024, D4vd arranged for Celeste to be driven to and from his home during a period when she repeatedly left her family home. It is further alleged that he recruited Jacques to help take her out of her home and bring her to his residence in the Hollywood Hills. According to the complaint, the individuals and companies surrounding D4vd knew or should have known about the alleged sexual exploitation of Celeste, yet failed to protect her, supervise him, or stop the alleged abuse.
Legal Claims and Financial Scrutiny
In total, the lawsuit includes 12 counts, nine of which are directed against D4vd. The additional counts target his mother, the security guard, and his business managers, arguing that they also knew or should have known about the alleged exploitation and failed to take reasonable steps to protect Celeste or halt the harm against her.
«The defendants knew or should have known about the alleged sexual exploitation, yet failed to protect her or stop the abuse.»
Last week, the family's attorney, Patrick Steinfeld, attacked claims by D4vd that he is destitute. According to real estate documents obtained by TMZ, D4vd's father, Dawood Burke, sold a three-bedroom, two-bathroom house in Houston, Texas, measuring approximately 169 square meters, in early July for $229,000 (about 840,000 shekels). It was also reported that in October 2025, D4vd transferred two houses he owned in Texas to his mother. He has since changed attorneys and is now represented by a public defender.
The lawsuit comes a few days after Celeste's family stated they would support the death penalty if D4vd is convicted, describing him as a man without a conscience. In July, a judge ordered him to stand trial following a five-day preliminary hearing, and prosecutors have stated that the death penalty remains on the table. Celeste would have turned 16 on Monday.
