D4Vd Faces New Civil Suit In Celeste Rivas Hernandez Case – Family Files Wrongful Death Claim

New Civil Action Lands on D4vd’s Doorstep

Los Angeles–area singer D4vd now faces another legal front in the tragedy surrounding Celeste Rivas Hernandez. The family has filed a wrongful death lawsuit that names the artist and multiple people and companies tied to him, coming a year after authorities discovered Celeste’s dismembered remains in the trunk of D4vd’s Tesla.

The civil suit moves beyond the criminal court calendar – it asks a judge to weigh civil responsibility for the teen’s death and the circumstances that led to her being at the center of this investigation.

Who’s Named in the Lawsuit

Defendants and connections

According to TMZ, the complaint targets D4vd, whose given name is David Anthony Burke, along with his manager Josh Marshall, his mother Colleen Burke, and his live-in security guard Sheldon Jacques. The family also points a finger at Mogul Vision, which they say leased D4vd’s Los Angeles home and helped secure Jacques’ security role.

As laid out in the filing, the family alleges that D4vd arranged in early 2024 for Celeste to travel to and from his home after she repeatedly left her family’s residence. They claim D4vd recruited Jacques to remove Celeste from her house and bring her to his Hollywood Hills home – a detail that brings the fight from private disputes into the L.A. spotlight.

“He’s painted himself as broke, but the records we’ve seen don’t line up with that story,” said the family’s attorney, signaling that finances will be central to the civil case.

Claims and Causes of Action

What the lawsuit alleges

The complaint lists 12 causes of action in all, with nine directed at D4vd. The family alleges people and companies around the singer knew or should have known about his alleged sexual exploitation of Celeste – and that they failed to protect her, supervise him, or stop the alleged abuse.

The new civil case runs alongside an active and serious criminal prosecution. D4vd faces charges that include murder of the 14-year-old, lewd and lascivious acts with a child under 14, and mutilating a body. He has pleaded not guilty to those counts.

Money, Property and Legal Maneuvers

Financial questions on the table

The lawsuit also scrutinizes D4vd’s finances. Family attorney Patrick Steinfeld criticized D4vd’s claim that he is broke, and outlets say they obtained records suggesting otherwise. Those records show D4vd’s father, Dawud Burke, sold a three-bedroom, two-bathroom Houston home for $229,000 in early July, while D4vd transferred two Texas homes to his mother in October 2025.

Amid the civil filing and criminal exposure, D4vd has changed legal counsel and is now represented by a public defender – a move that could affect both criminal and civil strategies as the cases proceed.

Where the cases go next

Trial orders, penalties and the family’s stance

A judge ordered D4vd to stand trial in July after a five-day preliminary hearing, and prosecutors have said the death penalty remains an option should a conviction follow. The family has publicly supported seeking the death penalty, describing the defendant as a person “without conscience,” according to reports.

As the legal battles continue in both civil and criminal courtrooms, the family marks a painful milestone – Celeste would have turned 16 on Monday. The new wrongful death suit ensures that the case will stay very much in the public eye as Los Angeles watches how both courts handle these grave allegations.