Text messages and explicit photographs recovered from a cellphone found in his home reveal that singer D4vd impregnated a teenage girl when she was 13 and she later underwent an abortion, according to prosecutors presenting evidence at a preliminary hearing in Los Angeles.
Text Messages Detail Relationship and Abortion in 2024
Cell phone records shared by prosecutors during a preliminary hearing in Los Angeles shed light on the relationship between singer D4vd—whose legal name is David Burke, and also referred to as David Anthony Burke—and Celeste Rivas Hernandez. According to prosecutors, the pair began a sexual relationship in November 2023, when the victim was 13 years old and the musician was 18. Testimony from Los Angeles Police Department detectives detailed extensive communications extracted from a phone recovered from Burke’s residence, which also contained a trove of alleged child sex abuse material.
Among the digital records presented in court were multiple text messages discussing an abortion that Rivas Hernandez allegedly had in January 2024. LAPD Detective Corey Farrell, testifying as the last witness at the hearing, read the text messages aloud from the witness box. Transcripts documented an exchange in early January 2024 where Burke apologized for putting her through this.
Burke later asked if the baby was his, to which she replied, of course it’s yours David.
it’s okay tho neither one of us are capable of watch or taking care of a baby.
— Celeste Rivas Hernandez
Forensic Evidence and Forensic Pathologist Testimony
The preliminary hearing, designed to help a judge determine whether the case proceeds to a formal trial, also featured detailed medical examiner testimony regarding the teenager’s death. Dr. Grant Ho of the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner took the stand to present autopsy findings.
Ho testified that the victim died from multiple penetrating injuries. Because her remains were heavily decomposed when discovered, he said the exact time of death couldn’t be determined, though she had likely been deceased for at least weeks.
Her remains were found in September in the trunk of a Tesla that belongs to the singer, which was parked near his rented Los Angeles home.
Prosecutors have alleged that Burke murdered Rivas Hernandez on April 23, 2025, after she allegedly threatened to go public with the abuse and expose their relationship to damage his lucrative career as a rising music star. Testimony on Friday included evidence of blood stains on various items from his garage and mentions of chainsaw purchases. Los Angeles Police Department criminalists and detectives testified that blood stains on various items at his home were a potential match for Celeste.
Digital Trove and Defense Challenges
During the hearing, prosecutors introduced a substantial volume of digital media. LAPD Detective Corey Farell and Los Angeles County Deputy Dist. Atty. Beth Silverman displayed hundreds of pictures and texts. Farell described dozens of images depicting Burke’s alleged relationship and reviewed nearly 50 explicit photographs recovered from the singer’s devices that authorities categorized as child sexual abuse material. Images displayed to the court included photographs of the pair together, an engagement ring, and tattoos bearing their names.
Defense attorneys used the proceedings to cross-examine law enforcement witnesses and challenge the collection and analysis of the physical and forensic evidence. Burke has pleaded not guilty and denied wrongdoing through his attorneys to charges including first-degree murder, continuous sexual abuse of a child under 14, and unlawful mutilation of human remains.
Next Steps in the Judicial Process
The preliminary hearing serves to establish whether sufficient probable cause exists to bind the defendant over for trial. Celeste Rivas Hernandez, who was from Lake Elsinore, California, is remembered by family as a cheerful teenager. A judge is weighing whether there’s enough to move forward with a trial.
Worth a look
