Although R&B singer and actor Mario was arrested early Thursday morning for allegedly attacking his mother in the Baltimore apartment that they share, he says he still loves her and will stick by her no matter what happens.
The crooner's mom, Shawntia Hardaway, a former heroin addict, allegedly called police at 12:53 a.m. on Sept. 30 to report that a "mental-case was breaking up property" inside her apartment. Police met the distraught mom, who was sobbing uncontrollably, in the hallway of her building. Hardaway told police that her 24-year-old son, whose real name is Mario Dewar Bennett, had gone on a rampage. He had also forcefully pushed her to the point of causing bodily pain.
When Baltimore officers entered the residence, they discovered a damaged china cabinet, broken glass strewn all over the floor and a large hole in a closet door.
The shaken mom told police that Mario had also put his hands on her just three days prior. The young singer, who had in the recent past made quite a splash on season 6 of the popular TV show 'Dancing With the Stars,' allegedly pushed his mother with such force that she fell against a wall and struck her head upon impact. The investigators asked Hardaway if she feared for her life, and her response was a resounding, "Yes!"
What Hardaway failed to tell police is that the fight took place because of her drug addiction.
A source told US Weekly that Hardaway had allegedly withdrawn some money out of Mario's bank account. The former heroin addict also went on a spending spree with the crooner's credit cards. When Mario arrived at the apartment, he found that his mom had resorted to her old habit and was "cracked out on drugs."
The unidentified source stated that Mario, who was released on $50,000 bond, was absolutely blameless and that the second-degree assault charges against him could be dropped.
The only statement released by the multiplatinum singer, who started the Do Right Foundation two years ago to educate and inspire kids confronting family drug addictions was, "I will continue to support her anyway I can."
Hardaway's tearjerker story of her battle with heroin was aired back in 2007 on an MTV special, 'I Won't Love You to Death: The Story of Mario and His Mom,' when she had been sober for one year.
Ruth Manuel-Logan
