By Justin Fenton, The Baltimore Sun

R&B singer Mario, the Baltimore-born performer whose struggle with his heroin-addicted mother formed the basis of an MTV documentary, was arrested early Friday after she told police that he struck her and destroyed their Fells Point apartment.

The 24-year-old, whose full name is Mario Dewar Barrett, was charged with one count of second-degree assault and released after posting $50,000 bond.

An attorney representing the singer called the arrest "an unfortunate incident between a loving son and a mother who continues to struggle with a devastating addiction."

Police were called to the 900 block of Fell St. about 12:50 a.m. where they met 45-year-old Shawntia Hardaway in the lobby. She was crying and told the officers that her son was destroying property in the apartment they share and had pushed her, causing "minor pain," according to a police report.

When police went up to the apartment, they found a broken china cabinet and glass strewn across the floor, records show. A mirror was broken, and there was a hole in a closet door.

Source: articles.baltimoresun