TMZ is reporting that multiplatinum R&B heartthrob Mario has been arrested in Baltimore for “pushing his mom around with his hands and forearms” and “ busting up items” in the apartment they share together.
His mother, Shawntia Hardaway, is a former heroin addict, which was publicly revealed when the singer tried to help her in 2008 on a reality show about addiction. MTV aired the special, “I Won’t Love You to Death: The Story of Mario and His Mom.”
Hardaway allegedly called the cops on her 24-year-old son, stating Mario had attacked her earlier in the week — in which he pushed her “eight feet into a living room wall,” where she hit her head on the wall.
According to TMZ, cops found several broken items inside the apartment, including a broken china cabinet, a busted mirror and a hole in the closet door.
Mario was inspired to compose the song “Do Right” back when he attempted to rescue his mother from the ravages of drugs (and dedicated the entire Go! album to her). His Do Right Foundation was also born out his experience, which makes it hard to believe that there’s not much more to this story.
To go from a public display of love to violence — against your mother, no less — is not an everyday occurrence. More details are sure to surface.
–gerald radford
