What Riverside County youth services say about missing teens as the Celeste Rivas Hernandez case unfolds
Garrett Hottle
RIVERSIDE, Calif. (KESQ) A verified GoFundMe is now helping the family of 15-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez, the Riverside County teen found in the trunk of a Tesla at a Hollywood tow yard earlier this month. The fundraiser lists Esmeralda Lozano as the organizer on behalf of the Rivas Hernandez family, and GoFundMe confirmed to News Channel 3 via email that money raised is going directly to the family
The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner says Celeste’s remains have been released to her family, and LAPD says the investigation remains active. Detectives served a search warrant at a Hollywood Hills home tied to the singer known as d4vd and collected evidence, but so far no arrests have been announced and no cause of death has been released.
According to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office, deputies were first dispatched on April 5, 2024, to the 33000 block of Jamieson Street in Lake Elsinore for a runaway report.
“Upon arrival, deputies spoke with the reporting party, who advised the female juvenile had left the location in an unknown direction,” the Riverside County Sheriff’s said via email. “Deputies conducted a search of the area but were unable to locate the female juvenile.”
The teen was entered into the missing person system after deputies could not locate her, police said.
On Sept. 17, 2025, the Sheriff’s Office says LAPD notified them Celeste had been located and identified as the victim in a death investigation.
The Riverside County District Attorney’s Office told News Channel 3 it typically does not get involved unless a crime is found to have occurred in its jurisdiction. At this time, the office says it does not have ownership of the case, and that any prosecution would remain in Los Angeles County unless transferred. The office also said its records do not show any cases relating to Celeste Rivas.
Records and prior reporting reviewed by News Channel 3 indicate Celeste had been reported missing in 2024, and she was identified after workers at the Hollywood tow yard discovered remains in the trunk of a towed Tesla.
In Riverside County, youth advocates say they are seeing more instability among missing teens. “Since Covid, we’ve seen an uptick in chronic runaways,” said Shawn Johnson, Director of Youth Services at Operation SafeHouse, in a Zoom interview with News Channel 3.
“Oftentimes it’s not kids just running away for the thrill of it, it’s kids fleeing an environment of which they feel unsafe,” he explained.
Verified fundraiser: “Help Celeste Rivas Hernandez’s Family” on GoFundMe. GoFundMeOperation SafeHouse (Riverside): 951-351-4418, 24-hour crisis line 800-561-6944. Operation SafehouseSafeHouse of the Desert (Coachella Valley): 760-343-3211. safehouseofthedesert.com
News Channel 3 will continue to follow the investigation and update this story with new information as it becomes available.