Civil Lawsuit Against Singer D4vd Alleges Wrongful Death, Sexual Battery and Human Trafficking

The family of Celeste Rivas Hernandez has filed a civil lawsuit against singer D4vd in Los Angeles, alleging wrongful death, sexual battery, childhood assault and human trafficking. The family filed the complaint in Los Angeles County Superior Court this week, and a report confirmed it was accepted and stamped by the court on 10 September.

The lawsuit also names the singer's mother, managers, management company, corporate entities and a live-in security guard.

The suit seeks damages over the 14-year-old's death, alleged abuse and the emotional distress suffered by her parents. It does not specify a sum, leaving the amount to be decided at trial. The allegations have not been tested in the civil courts.

What the D4vd Lawsuit Claims

The complaint targets D4vd, whose real name is David Anthony Burke, along with people and businesses connected to his personal and professional life. The lawsuit alleges that those around Burke knew, or should have known, about his relationship with Rivas Hernandez and failed to protect her.

The defendants named in the filing include David Anthony Burke (D4vd); Colleen Burke, his mother; Josh Marshall and Robert Morgenroth, his managers; Mogul Vision LLC and Mogul Vision Partners, the management company; Sheldon Jacques, a live-in security guard; and corporate entities including D4VD Entertainment LLC, Headspace Publishing LLC and Skullrose Merchandise LLC.

According to the complaint, Colleen Burke worked as her son's personal finance director. An attorney for Colleen Burke declined to comment, while attempts to contact the other individual defendants and companies were unsuccessful.

The lawsuit alleges wrongful death and that Burke fatally stabbed Rivas Hernandez, along with claims including sexual battery, childhood sexual assault, false imprisonment, intentional infliction of emotional distress and human trafficking.

The complaint also alleges human trafficking, claiming that Burke induced Rivas Hernandez to engage in commercial sex acts through money, food, shelter, gifts, travel and other benefits.

The family's lawyers argue that the people and companies surrounding Burke helped facilitate that access through transport, accommodation and security. Those are allegations in the civil complaint and have not been adjudicated. Burke has pleaded not guilty in the separate criminal case, and his family has maintained his innocence.

How the Singer Became Accused

For context, Rivas Hernandez's remains were found in September 2025 inside the trunk of a Tesla registered to Burke. The Tesla had been towed to a Hollywood impound lot after being reported abandoned.

On 8 September 2025, police responded to the lot after staff reported a foul odour from the vehicle, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. Investigators found Rivas Hernandez's remains inside.

The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner identified her on 16 September and later classified the death as a homicide, finding that she died from multiple penetrating injuries.

Prosecutors allege that Burke and Rivas Hernandez began a sexual relationship in 2023, when he was 18 and she was 13. They further allege that she threatened to expose the relationship and damage his music career.

According to prosecutors, Burke arranged an Uber to bring her from Lake Elsinore to his Hollywood Hills home on 23 April 2025. That was the last confirmed sighting of her alive, according to prosecutors.

Prosecutors allege that Burke later dismembered her body and took steps to conceal the remains. Those allegations are part of the criminal case and have not been proven at trial.

Following a five-day preliminary hearing in July, a judge ordered Burke to stand trial on charges of first-degree murder, continuous lewd and lascivious acts with a child under 14 and unlawful mutilation of human remains. Burke pleaded not guilty at a post-preliminary arraignment on 31 August.

The criminal case and civil lawsuit are separate proceedings with different legal standards and potential remedies. The criminal case requires proof beyond a reasonable doubt, while civil claims generally are decided under a lower preponderance-of-the-evidence standard.

The lawsuit also seeks to establish potential civil liability beyond Burke himself, alleging that people and companies around him knew or should have known about the alleged abuse and failed to intervene.

Family Marks Celeste's Birthday

The lawsuit was filed days after what would have been Rivas Hernandez's 16th birthday on 7 September. A vigil was held that day, as relatives and supporters remembered the teenager.

Her family previously described her as a girl who loved to sing and dance. They said movie nights were a regular part of their lives and that they wanted justice for her.

The timing gives the civil action an unavoidable human dimension. Court papers are dense, legal and often cold.

Behind this complaint is a family trying to account for a child's death while a criminal case continues to unfold.

The allegations in the civil complaint have not been adjudicated, and Burke has pleaded not guilty in the criminal case. The next stage will likely centre on whether the defendants respond in court and whether the claims proceed towards trial.

For now, the lawsuit has placed Burke's wider circle under scrutiny. The question is no longer limited to what happened inside one Hollywood Hills home, but who may have seen enough to act.