Los Angeles prosecutors have revealed that singer D4vd, charged with the murder of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez, was in possession of a significant amount of child sexual abuse imagery. The images were allegedly discovered on the iCloud account of the 21-year-old musician, whose legal name is David Anthony Burke.
The discovery was made during the investigation into the killing of Celeste, whose dismembered and decomposed remains were found in September in the trunk of a Tesla registered to Burke, abandoned in the Hollywood Hills. Burke has pleaded not guilty, with his legal team asserting that he did not kill the girl and that evidence would demonstrate he was not the cause of her death.
During a court appearance on Thursday, prosecutor Beth Silverman alleged that police uncovered the child sexual abuse material after executing a search warrant on Burke's phone and iCloud storage, as first reported by the Los Angeles Times. The case, which had progressed quietly for months since the discovery of Celeste's remains, escalated dramatically last week when Burke was arrested. On Monday, he was charged with first-degree murder, continuous sexual abuse of a child under 14, and unlawful mutilation of human remains.
Nathan Hochman, the Los Angeles district attorney, stated during a Monday press conference that Burke engaged in a sexual relationship with Celeste that began when she was 13. Authorities believe he killed her to prevent her from reporting the relationship and to protect his lucrative music career. The teenager went to Burke's home on April 23, 2025, and was never seen again, according to Hochman. A criminal complaint alleges that Burke killed Celeste with a sharp object and dismembered her body approximately two weeks later.
Burke faces first-degree murder with special circumstances, including lying in wait, allegedly killing the teen for financial gain, and murdering a witness to an investigation. The Los Angeles County medical examiner revealed on Wednesday that Celeste died from penetrating injuries, with significant wounds to her torso, including one that penetrated the liver. The condition of her remains delayed the determination of her cause of death, and her body was so degraded that examiners could not determine her eye color.
Burke's attorneys have urged the prosecution to publicly present the evidence against him quickly. The singer took the unusual step of exercising his right to have a judge decide within 10 court days of arraignment whether sufficient evidence exists to proceed to trial. Few defendants choose to exercise this right. A judge set a hearing for next week, where prosecutors are expected to outline the evidence against Burke publicly.
Silverman stated that the prosecution is eager to present evidence, noting that investigators collected approximately 40 terabytes of data in the case. However, sharing this vast quantity will take time, particularly due to the sensitive materials found on Burke's phone. 'I cannot turn that type of materials over,' Silverman said. The evidence includes the contents of Burke's phone and iCloud accounts, items seized from numerous search warrants, extensive forensic material, and witness testimony given to grand juries.
Celeste's remains were discovered a day after she would have turned 15. Her family had reported her missing from her hometown of Lake Elsinore, about 70 miles from Los Angeles, in 2024. The seventh-grader had run away, returned home, and then left again, according to police. On Tuesday, Celeste's parents, Jesus Rivas and Mercedes Martinez, issued their first public statement, describing their daughter as 'a beautiful, strong girl who loved to sing and dance.' They said, 'We love her very much and she always told us that she loved us. We miss her deeply. All we want is justice for Celeste.'
The Associated Press contributed to this report. In the US, call or text the Childhelp abuse hotline at 800-422-4453 or visit their website for more resources and to report child abuse. For adult survivors of child abuse, help is available at ascasupport.org. In the UK, the NSPCC offers support to children on 0800 1111, and adults concerned about a child on 0808 800 5000. The National Association for People Abused in Childhood (Napac) offers support for adult survivors on 0808 801 0331. In Australia, children, young adults, parents, and teachers can contact the Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800, or Bravehearts on 1800 272 831, and adult survivors can contact Blue Knot Foundation on 1300 657 380. Other sources of help can be found at Child Helplines International.
