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Silento‘s family is banding together on the heels of his arrest for allegedly murdering his cousin … and they’re addressing reports the rapper’s been battling mental health issues.
A rep for Silento, Chanel Hudson, tells TMZ … the family’s trying to move forward as a close-knit group. As we reported, the rapper’s facing a murder charge in Georgia for the fatal shooting of his cousin, Frederick Rooks.
We’re told the family is reeling from both events — Rooks’ death on Jan. 21, and then Silento’s arrest 11 days later.
Hudson claims Silento’s been suffering from a “series of mental health illnesses” for years, including depression and we’re told the family echoes her concern about his well-being.
Silento is being held without bail in DeKalb County Jail and his entertainment attorney, Bernie Lawrence-Watkins, tells TMZ … he needs a psychiatric evaluation ASAP and should be watched closely.
She told us they don’t think he would take his life behind bars, but admits “anything is possible,” and they want to make sure the jail is taking proper precautions.
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Silento had an opportunity to get mental health treatment in 2019 after he appeared on “The Doctors” to talk about depression — however we’re told he never followed through. Folks on his team feel that’s when things started to unravel.
The 23-year-old was arrested twice last year … once for allegedly doing 143 MPH, and another time for threatening people with a hatchet.