Authorities are looking into a group of workers at a medical examiner’s office in the United States after confidential information regarding the death of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez was leaked.
An inquiry has been initiated by the Los Angeles Department of Human Resources over concerns that details about the teenager’s demise were disclosed to the media before the official release of the autopsy report.
The victim, Celeste, was discovered deceased in September 2025 inside a Tesla towed vehicle belonging to musician David A Burke, known as D4vd. Burke, aged 21, was arrested and charged with her murder in April. He has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
According to court documents filed by the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office, Burke allegedly engaged in a sexual relationship with Rivas Hernandez starting when she was 13 and he was 18. It is alleged that he murdered her when she threatened to expose their inappropriate connection.
Prosecutors claim that Burke brutally killed Rivas Hernandez by stabbing her numerous times and dismembering her body using tools in his garage. Her remains were initially difficult to identify due to the extent of the mutilation.
An autopsy report revealed that the cause of death was multiple stab wounds from a sharp object. The victim was identified by a unique tattoo on her right index finger that read “Shhh…”. Interestingly, Burke also has a matching tattoo on his own finger.
During a previous court session, prosecutors alleged that Burke possessed a significant amount of illegal material related to child sexual abuse on his mobile device.
While the medical examiner’s office refrained from commenting on ongoing investigations, the union representing the office’s investigators confirmed that some members had been contacted regarding the probe.
SEIU 721, which represents other personnel of the medical examiner’s office, emphasized its commitment to protecting victims’ privacy and ensuring patient confidentiality.
Attorneys representing Burke maintain his innocence and expressed confidence that the evidence will prove his innocence in relation to Celeste’s death.
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