Celeste Rivas Hernandez’s family is speaking out after D4vd’s attorneys suggested the 14-year-old may have died by suicide or behaved violently before her death.
“The family was horrified,” their attorney, Patrick Steinfeld, told reporters outside a Los Angeles courthouse after the singer was ordered to face trial. Steinfeld accused the defense of introducing claims without supporting evidence during a five-day preliminary hearing.
“It seems that the defense attorneys are stopping at nothing in an attempt to discredit the prosecution’s evidence,” he said.
D4vd, born David Anthony Burke, faces charges of murder, continuous sexual abuse of a child under 14 and unlawful mutilation of human remains. The defense has maintained that Burke believed Celeste was 18.
Steinfeld challenged that account, saying a sheriff’s deputy conducted a welfare check at Burke’s home on Feb. 17, 2024, and informed him that Celeste was 13.
D4vd was seen apologizing for a "smell" in his home, 2 months after he allegedly murdered and dismembered Celeste Rivas Hernandez in that same house.
— TMZ (@TMZ) May 1, 2026
Credit: Twitch / sakurashymko pic.twitter.com/TtBn9Bke1x
“He had direct knowledge of Celeste’s age and continued in their sexual relationship,” Steinfeld alleged. “I find it abhorrent that the defense attorneys are trying to put any blame whatsoever on this young child.”
Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman said the evidence shown at the preliminary hearing was only a “small but illustrative” sample of the prosecution’s entire case.
Hochman also addressed the emotional toll on Celeste’s loved ones.
3 months before the alleged crime happened D4vd was on stream showing off his kn*fe skills pic.twitter.com/WaIgcWFIor
— 212 (@212mediaTV) August 2, 2026
“This has been a parent’s worst nightmare,” he said, referring to the graphic testimony surrounding her death.
Burke’s next court appearance is scheduled for August 31, when he is expected to be arraigned following the preliminary hearing.