LAKE ELSINORE, Calif. — Celeste Rivas Hernandez was simply one of many children in her neighborhood in Lake Elsinore, an Inland Empire group that for generations has drawn younger households searching for a bit of suburbia removed from the excessive costs and drama of the large metropolis.
She visited the nook retailer nearly each day together with her associates, sporting a backpack and her traditional lengthy, curly black hair. She acquired sweet, soda and Takis. She was a well-recognized face to neighbors and native enterprise homeowners.
However there was one thing taking part in out in her world that she saved to herself.
Final yr, she disappeared over Valentine’s Day. It was the primary of many episodes of her operating away from residence, one thing that introduced tensions in her family and fear in her group.
In accordance with Riverside County Sheriff’s Division information, Celeste was reported lacking thrice by her household, in three incidents that occurred in early 2024 and sparked a number of calls with native police.
Her mom made emotional pleas on Fb for her to return residence. Neighbors noticed lacking posts on native streets. Her household sought video surveillance from their neighborhood that would yield clues.
Neighborhood residents gathered for a vigil in Lake Elsinore.
(OnScene.TV)
She normally returned residence to Lake Elsinore and blended again into her life as a center schooler.
Then in early September, the Los Angeles Police Division introduced her decomposing physique had been discovered contained in the trunk of a Tesla owned by singer D4vd. The automobile was discovered parked on a avenue in an upscale Hollywood Hills neighborhood the place 20-year-old D4vd, whose actual title is David Anthony Burke, was renting a house.
The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Workplace stated Celeste was declared lifeless on Sept. 8, sooner or later after her birthday. However authorities imagine she had been lifeless for weeks earlier than she was found and certain didn’t see her fifteenth birthday.
Police at the moment are making an attempt to attach her life in sleepy Lake Elsinore to her demise in certainly one of Los Angeles’ celebrity-studded neighborhoods. And they’re looking for to know any connections between Celeste and D4vd.
Regulation enforcement sources stated detectives are reviewing movies that seem to indicate her alongside D4vd. They’ve additionally obtained some photographs of them apparently collectively, in accordance with the sources, who weren’t licensed to debate the main points of the case publicly.
Authorities haven’t decided how she died, and police stated Burke was cooperating.
In Lake Elsinore, individuals who knew Celeste are grieving and need solutions.
“Everyone locally is gloomy, not simply the kids,” stated Elie Naddaf, proprietor of a nook retailer in Celeste’s neighborhood. “You may see it with anybody that comes right here.”
A vigil in Lake Elsinore to recollect Celeste Rivas Hernandez.
(OnScene.TV)
How Celeste met Burke stays unclear. Regulation enforcement sources accustomed to the investigation say they met on-line. Burke gained a web based following by posting “Fortnite” clips to YouTube and pivoted to creating his personal music. He was signed to a report label by 2022.
Celeste grew up in Lake Elsinore, a first-generation daughter of immigrant mother and father from El Salvador, and attended Lakeland Village Faculty.
Burke was on tour when Celeste’s physique was discovered on Sept. 8 and he canceled the remaining dates of his North American tour when she was recognized.
Whereas Burke amassed a following on social media during the last a number of years together with his music, he has remained silent about Celeste’s demise. Representatives for Burke didn’t reply to repeated requests for remark and representatives for his music label, Darkroom and Interscope, couldn’t be reached.
It’s unclear if the Los Angeles Police Division interviewed Burke. At the moment, police say they have no idea if there’s “any legal culpability past the concealment of her physique.” Celeste’s reason for demise has been deferred pending additional exams.
Individuals who knew the household had been perplexed at what went improper.
Celeste had run away earlier than and at all times got here again, stated Rubi Alonso, a good friend of Celeste’s mom, Mercedes Martinez. However one thing modified in August. She stated she spoke to Martinez and, within the temporary dialog, Celeste’s mom instructed her she was gone.
“She’s left me once more,” Celeste’s mom instructed Alonso, whose son went to kindergarten with Celeste. She remained shut associates with the household through the years, typically speaking to Martinez and generally providing recommendation.
“I couldn’t imagine it when my son instructed me” about her demise, Alonso stated. “I acquired the textual content message and it didn’t make sense that it was her.”
The primary time she left residence, a household good friend and police information point out, was on Valentine’s Day 2024.
In a Fb submit, Martinez wrote that Celeste had final been seen on Feb. 14, 2024.
“Please share,” she wrote in Spanish. “It’s my daughter, and I’m distraught, and he or she has been lacking for twenty-four hours.”
In accordance with police information, she was reported lacking on Feb. 15, 2024. Her household known as Riverside County Sheriff officers at 9:18 a.m.
Alonso stated {the teenager} was seen in residence cameras leaving the home someday round 2 a.m. She’d additionally left a letter for her household, Alonso stated, though it’s unclear what the letter stated.
Just a few hours later that day, information present deputies had been known as to the home at 7:41 p.m. for a follow-up report.
Riverside County Sheriff officers declined to launch any information associated to the lacking individuals report, citing an ongoing investigation and information involving a minor.
Neighbors stated the household posted fliers of Celeste across the neighborhood, hoping to unfold the phrase that somebody would have info as to her whereabouts.
Human stays had been found within the trunk of a Tesla.
(KTLA)
Alonso stated Celeste returned residence, and her mom instructed Alonso that Celeste had been upset by the social media posts, fliers across the neighborhood, and the publicity that it had generated.
In accordance with information, {the teenager} didn’t keep residence lengthy. On March 19, 2024, Celeste’s household once more reported her lacking.
Naddaf stated that Celeste’s household requested him if he had any surveillance footage of the road. He shared with them a video clip that confirmed a lady with gentle pants and a darkish sweater strolling down the road. He believes the lady was Celeste and that it appeared to indicate her approaching a darkish automobile exterior the body of the surveillance video.
He shared the footage with the household, however didn’t hear again from them.
Name logs to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Division present her household known as officers at 7:57 a.m. to report her lacking. Deputies returned a few week in a while March 26 for a follow-up, however officers declined to supply details about the report.
Just a few days later, Celeste was reported lacking as soon as extra. This time, her household known as deputies on April 5, 2024. The decision, in accordance with information, got here at 9:29 p.m.
Deputies had been known as to the house once more a number of days later for a follow-up report, in accordance with name logs, on April 11, April 19 and April 20. Celeste reportedly left her residence sporting grey pants, a black sweater, a hat and Howdy Kitty sandals.
In one of many incidents that she was reported lacking, Alonso stated, Celeste had been pushed residence in a police patrol automobile.
It’s unclear when Celeste returned to the house, however neighbors locally stated they noticed the younger lady within the neighborhood later that yr, at residence together with her mother and father.
Alonso stated Celeste’s mom believes her daughter had a boyfriend however had not met him.
