People keep asking about the Celeste Rivas Hernandez age because the numbers don't seem to line up at first glance. It’s one of those cases that just feels heavy. You’ve probably seen the headlines or the TikToks. A young girl goes missing, and then, months later, her name is tied to a famous musician. It's messy. It's tragic.
Honestly, the confusion around her age mostly comes from how long she was missing. When she first vanished from Lake Elsinore, California, she was just a kid. By the time the LAPD made their grim discovery in the Hollywood Hills, the calendar had flipped.
How Old Was Celeste Rivas Hernandez Really?
To get straight to the point: Celeste Rivas Hernandez was 15 years old when she was officially identified. But that isn't the whole story. The timeline is what makes this so gut-wrenching for the community in Riverside County.
She was born on September 7, 2010.
If you do the math, her life was marked by a series of disappearances that started when she was 13. She was a seventh grader. Think about that for a second. While most 13-year-olds are worrying about middle school drama or Minecraft, Celeste was already being reported as a runaway.
- February 2024: First reported missing at age 13. She came home.
- March 2024: Reported missing again. Again, she returned.
- April 5, 2024: The final disappearance. She was still 13.
The search for her dragged on for over a year. During that time, she technically "turned" 14 while she was away from her family.
The September 8 Discovery
Here is the detail that sticks in everyone's throat: Her body was discovered on September 8, 2025.
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That is exactly one day after what would have been her 15th birthday. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner eventually confirmed her identity, but by then, the news had already gone viral because of where she was found.
The Connection to d4vd (David Anthony Burke)
You can't talk about the Celeste Rivas Hernandez age without mentioning why this became a national news story. Her remains were found in the "frunk" (the front trunk) of an impounded Tesla.
That Tesla belonged to David Anthony Burke, better known to millions of fans as d4vd.
It’s a bizarre, dark twist. D4vd is known for moody, indie-pop hits like "Romantic Homicide." The irony of that song title wasn't lost on anyone. Suddenly, the search for a missing 13-year-old runaway became a high-profile homicide investigation involving a rising star.
There’s been a lot of talk about their relationship. Celeste’s mom told reporters that her daughter had a boyfriend named "David." There were even rumors—and some photos—suggesting they had matching tattoos. A red "Shhh..." tattoo on the index finger.
The age gap is what has people fired up. In 2025, d4vd was 20. If they were involved back when she first went missing at 13... well, you don't need a law degree to see why the LAPD Robbery-Homicide Division is looking at this so closely.
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Misconceptions and Rumors
When a case goes this viral, the internet starts playing detective, and usually, they get it wrong.
Kinda like the rumors about her body being "frozen" or "dismembered." LAPD Captain Scot Williams actually had to go on the record with People magazine to shut that down. He basically said the "frozen" thing didn't make sense because the car had been sitting in the sweltering California heat for weeks.
The "age" of her remains was also a point of contention. Because of the state of decomposition, investigators initially struggled to pinpoint exactly when she died. Some evidence suggests she might have been alive as late as early 2025, meaning she likely lived to see her 14th birthday, but never made it to 15.
What We Know for Sure
- She was a runaway: The Riverside County Sheriff’s Office confirmed she had a history of leaving home.
- The location was abandoned: The Tesla was ticketed and eventually towed from a street near a house d4vd had been renting.
- No charges yet: As of early 2026, David Burke has been named as a suspect by some sources, but he hasn't been charged with her death.
Why This Case Still Matters
It’s easy to get lost in the "celebrity scandal" part of this. But at the center of it is a girl from Lake Elsinore who didn't get to grow up.
The community there is still reeling. Her neighbors remember her as a girl who would stop by the local corner store on her way to the bus stop. Now, that store is a spot where people leave flowers and candles.
The Celeste Rivas Hernandez age isn't just a search term; it’s a reminder of a window of time where a child was missing, and the system—or the people around her—couldn't get her back in time.
What You Can Do Now
If you're following this case, the best thing to do is stick to verified sources. The LAPD and the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner are the only ones who will have the final word on the cause of death, which is currently under a "security hold."
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- Follow official updates: Avoid "true crime" TikToks that prioritize views over facts.
- Support runaway youth programs: This case highlights how vulnerable kids become when they leave home.
- Keep the focus on justice: Regardless of the celebrity involved, a 15-year-old girl lost her life.
Stay informed by checking the Los Angeles Police Department's official press releases or reputable news outlets like the Los Angeles Times for the latest grand jury developments.