Raz-B, a member of the early 2000s R&B group B2K, and his wife Mona Li have announced the death of their three-month-old son, Astro Monte Thornton. Sources close to the family told TMZ on Thursday that the infant's death was unexpected and sudden, with the cause of death not yet clear.
A spokesperson for the family confirmed the news, stating, "It is with heavy hearts that we announce the unexpected passing of Astro Monte Thornton, beloved son of Mona and De'Mario 'Raz B' Thornton of the R&B supergroup B2K. The family asks for privacy as they navigate this difficult time. They truly appreciate your love and support."
Raz-B, whose real name is De'Mario Thornton, had announced his wife was expecting their second child on Instagram on May 18. He shared a family photo from the hospital, captioning it, "Right now we’re at the hospital getting ready to welcome our newest addition, Astro [rocket and baby emojis] another baby boy to the Thornton family."
The couple's other child is a 23-month-old son named Versai Carter Thornton. Mona Li also has a daughter from a previous relationship. The couple made their red carpet debut as a couple in April 2023.
In September 2024, Raz-B revealed he was married and expecting his first child with Li. This news came as he reunited with the original lineup of B2K for the "Boys 4 Life" tour, celebrating the group's 25th anniversary. The tour, co-headlined by Bow Wow, ran from February 12 to April 19. Li was seen supporting him throughout the tour while heavily pregnant.
B2K, also known as the Boys of the New Millennium, was active from 1998 to 2004 and was one of the prominent boybands of the early 2000s. The group's self-titled debut album reached No. 2 on the Billboard 200 in 2002 and topped the U.S. Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. The group reunited briefly in 2018-2019 and reformed again in 2025. In July 2026, B2K released their first new music in over two decades, a single titled "Mileage," which reached No. 1 on Apple Music and debuted on Billboard's Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart.
