LOS ANGELES (AP) — Text messages presented in court Friday between singer D4vd and Celeste Rivas Hernandez revealed that she became pregnant at 13 and underwent an abortion more than a year before her death.

In an exchange from early January 2024, D4vd, whose legal name is David Burke, apologized for “putting her through this.”

“It’s okay,” she replied in a message. “Neither of us can take care of a baby. It’s for the best, right?”

He later apologized again and asked whether the pregnancy was his. She responded, “Of course it’s yours, David.”

The messages surfaced during a preliminary hearing for the musician accused of killing and dismembering the 14-year-old girl.

The hearing will determine whether Burke stands trial for Rivas Hernandez’s death. Prosecutors contend that he began sexually abusing her when she was 13 and he was 18, and that he later stabbed her after she threatened to expose their relationship, potentially destroying a career that had generated millions of dollars.

Authorities allege he dismembered her body in his garage. A police analyst testified that blood samples collected there matched Rivas Hernandez’s DNA. Her remains were discovered in September inside the trunk of a Tesla that had been towed from the Hollywood Hills, nearly five months after investigators believe she was killed. The vehicle was registered to Burke.

Burke has pleaded not guilty to charges of murder, sexual abuse of a child and mutilation of a body. His attorneys maintain he did not commit the crimes.

Prosecution gives evidence of sexual abuse

Prosecutors spent much of Friday outlining the nature of the relationship between Burke and Rivas Hernandez. Jurors were shown photos of the pair kissing and lying in bed together. In one image, she had “David” tattooed in red ink on a finger — one of two fingers that had been severed when her body was found.

Los Angeles police detective Corey Farrell then described more than three dozen additional images that were not displayed in court because they contained explicit sexual material. Rivas Hernandez was 13 and 14 years old in those photos.

Her mother began to sob as the descriptions were read aloud, while her father kept his head down.

Deputy District Attorney Beth Silverman approached to console the girl’s mother, Mercedes Martinez, and the parents eventually left the courtroom.

Investigators recovered the images from Burke’s iPhone, seized during a search of his home. Text conversations stored in his iCloud account frequently referenced contraception and pregnancy, including the January 2024 discussion about the abortion.

Tension rises between Burke and Rivas Hernandez

Months later, in another exchange, she wrote that she regretted having “taken the innocent life of a literal baby.”

She asked Burke whether anyone knew they were having sex. He responded, “Nope, and I want to keep it that way until we’re married.”

Rivas Hernandez turned 14 in September 2024. Soon afterward, she traveled with Burke to London and later to Texas to meet his family.

Subsequent messages suggested growing strain in their relationship.

In November 2024, she texted, “I literally had sex with you for almost a year straight.” He replied that she was acting as if it were their first breakup, when it was actually their eighth.

The detective is scheduled to return to the stand Monday for what is expected to be the fifth and final day of the preliminary hearing.

Autopsy doctor details results of exam

Earlier in the proceedings, the medical examiner who conducted the autopsy testified about the circumstances of Rivas Hernandez’s death.

Dr. Grant Ho of the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner confirmed that she died from two sharp-force injuries to her upper body.

He explained that the advanced decomposition of the body limited what could be determined, making parts of the examination inconclusive.

Ho told the court he could not establish an exact time of death because of the condition of the remains.

“It’s extremely difficult to tell,” he said.

He estimated that she had been deceased for at least several weeks, possibly even months.

Prosecutors say Burke arranged for a car to pick up Rivas Hernandez on April 23, 2025, from Lake Elsinore, about 80 miles from Los Angeles. The two exchanged messages until she arrived at his residence, after which her phone stopped transmitting.

Her body was found on Sept. 8, 2025, in the front trunk of the Tesla registered to Burke — one day after what would have been her 15th birthday.

“She didn’t reach her 15th birthday, correct?” Silverman asked.

“Correct,” Ho answered.

Ho described multiple skin injuries that may have occurred after death. However, two wounds were identified as likely stab injuries with corresponding internal damage. One penetrated her liver through the abdomen, and another on the left side of her chest fractured ribs.

Defense seizes on inconclusive drug test

Ho testified that toxicology testing was performed on liver tissue because no blood samples were available. Initial results indicated the presence of benzodiazepines and methamphetamine. Further analysis ruled out benzodiazepines, and the methamphetamine finding was deemed inconclusive. Ho stated he could not determine whether drugs contributed to her death.

Defense attorney Marilyn Bednarski questioned whether decomposition could affect toxicology findings. Ho agreed that it could.

“There is not enough evidence in the toxicology report to conclude an overdose, correct?” Bednarski asked.

Ho confirmed that was correct.

Bednarski also asked whether it is helpful in an autopsy to speak with a deceased person’s friends or family to understand their mental health, possible suicidal tendencies, substance use or history of violence.

Ho responded that such information can potentially assist, but said no such interviews were conducted in this case.

Burke’s music career was on the rise

Performing under the name D4vd, pronounced “David,” Burke rose to prominence as a teenager with a style blending indie rock, R&B and lo-fi pop. He amassed large followings across streaming and social media platforms, and his breakout 2022 track “Romantic Homicide” surpassed a billion streams.

He toured as an opening act for SZA in 2023. In 2024, he appeared at the Coachella music festival and released his debut full-length album, “Withered,” two days after prosecutors say Rivas Hernandez was killed.