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The parents of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez have been officially cleared of child neglect allegations following a comprehensive review by Riverside County child welfare officials and law enforcement. The determination, finalized in late April 2026, concludes a secondary investigation that ran parallel to the capital murder case against singer-songwriter David Burke, known professionally as D4vd.
The inquiry into Celeste’s home life began shortly after her dismembered remains were discovered in the trunk of Burke’s Tesla in September 2025. Because the teenager had been reported as a “runaway” on multiple occasions starting in early 2024, investigators sought to determine if any parental negligence or domestic instability contributed to her disappearance and subsequent presence at Burke’s Hollywood Hills residence.
However, a detailed timeline presented by the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office during Burke’s April 2026 hearings painted a picture of a family that was actively and desperately trying to protect their child from a “predatory” situation. Prosecutors revealed that when Celeste first returned home in February 2024, her parents immediately took away her cellphone to cut off contact with Burke. In response, Burke allegedly drove to Lake Elsinore and paid one of Celeste’s friends $1,000 to smuggle a secret phone to the 13-year-old so they could continue communicating in private.
“The parents did exactly what any responsible guardian would do when they discovered their child was in danger,” noted a source close to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department. “They reported her missing, they monitored her devices, and they cooperated fully with detectives. The tragedy here was not a lack of parental care, but the sophisticated level of grooming and interference by an adult with significant financial resources.”
In their first public statement since Burke’s arraignment, released on April 21, 2026, Celeste’s parents described her as a “beautiful, strong girl” who loved movie nights and family time. Their attorney, Patrick Steinfeld, emphasized that the family has been “devastated” not only by their loss but by the scrutiny they faced while grieving.
With the neglect investigation now closed, the legal focus shifts entirely to the prosecution of David Burke, who faces the death penalty on charges of first-degree murder, child sexual abuse, and mutilation of remains. For the Rivas Hernandez family, the clearance serves as a formal acknowledgement of their efforts to save their daughter from the circumstances that ultimately led to her death.