Celeste Rivas' Ex Says 'Her Mom Did Not Treat Her Well' in Explosive Interview

An exclusive TMZ interview with Celeste Rivas' former middle-school boyfriend alleges her mother 'did not treat her well', renewing scrutiny of the teen's troubled history as investigators continue to probe her death.

The claim comes from 15-year-old Damien Hernandez, who told TMZ he and Celeste dated when she was in Year 7 and he was in Year 8, and that she frequently spoke of running away.

Hernandez said Celeste was 'kind' but unhappy at home and that she sometimes joked about escaping her Lake Elsinore household; he told the outlet he now feels regret for not doing more. These recollections appear in a TMZ video and exclusive written publication on 30 September 2025.

TMZ Exclusive: 'No One Cared,' Says Former Boyfriend

Damien Hernandez and his mother spoke directly to TMZ, describing a young relationship and a home life he characterised as 'troubled'. In the interview, he said Celeste 'was looking for something serious' and that she 'joked about running away' from her Lake Elsinore home.

When asked about the reaction to news of Celeste's death, Hernandez offered a short, anguished summation: 'Like, no one cared. I don't know, I should have done something.' The remark is at the emotional centre of the TMZ clip and has been widely shared across social platforms since the outlet published the exclusive.

Corroboration, Context, and Caution

Public reaction to Hernandez's account has been swift, with fans and commentators drawing connections between the former boyfriend's recollections and other fragments of Celeste's life that have circulated online — old videos, social posts, and witness comments that allegedly point to instability.

Those observations remain speculative and, importantly, unverified by law enforcement. Social-media commentary is not a substitute for investigative evidence.

A careful reading of official records and reporting shows that investigators and medical examiners have not confirmed an abusive pattern as fact. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner has listed Celeste Rivas Hernandez's cause of death as 'deferred' while lab and toxicology tests continue; the matter remains an open investigation.

The Los Angeles Police Department has said only that the body was located in the front-boot (frunk) area of a Tesla registered to David Anthony Burke, the musician known as D4vd, and that detectives are examining 'every aspect' of the case. Those official statements underscore the difference between witness memory and forensic determination.

Investigation Timeline and What Officials Say

Public reporting, corroborated by police statements and local news outlets, places a concise timeline around the discovery and handling of evidence. Parking enforcement reportedly marked the Tesla on 27 August 2025; a citation for 72-hour parking rules was issued on 03 September 2025; the vehicle was impounded shortly thereafter, and a foul odour prompted officers to discover human remains on 08 September 2025. The decomposed remains were later identified by the Medical Examiner as Celeste Rivas Hernandez.

LAPD officials, including a named captain quoted in reporting, have said the car had been parked for several weeks and that 'Celeste Rivas Hernandez died and someone placed her body in the front trunk area of David Burke's Tesla'.

The department has stressed it is treating the matter as an active and thorough investigation; as of the latest reports, no suspects or persons of interest have been publicly named. That restraint by authorities is consistent with the medical examiner's ongoing work to determine cause and manner of death.

Hernandez's account is a reminder of the human cost behind headlines — a young life, remembered by friends and classmates, now at the centre of a high-profile inquiry and a swirl of online conjecture.