Broadway's ‘Lion King’ actor Imani Smith stabbed to death, boyfriend charged with murder

Police in Edison discovered stab wounds on the actor's body after responding to a 911 call.

Updated on: Dec 25, 2025, 17:24:13 IST

By HT News Desk

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Imani Smith, known for playing Young Nala in Broadway's version of ‘The Lion King’, passed away in an alleged homicide earlier this week, New Jersey County Prosecutor’s Office said. The 26-year-old had played Young Nala in Broadway from 2011-2012.

The 26-year-old had played Young Nala in Broadway from 2011-2012. (GoFundMe)

Police in Edison discovered stab wounds on the actor's body after responding to a 911 call, Deadline reported. Following this, Smith was taken to the Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

Smith's alleged boyfriend, Jordan D. Jackson-Small, was charged with the crime and arrested. According to the presecutor's office, “Smith and Jackson-Small knew each other prior to the incident.” In a GoFundMe post, Smith's aunt Kira Helper said Small was Smith's boyfriend.

Small was charged with first-degree murder, second-degree endangering the welfare of a child, third-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose and fourth-degree unlawful possession of a Weapon, according to the Deadline report. He was arrested “without incident”.

Small is being held currently at the Middlesex County Adult Correctional Centre, Variety reported.

Imani is survived by her three-year-old son, her parents, and two younger siblings. The GoFundMe page has a target of $80,000, of which more than $58,000 has been raised with a total of 808 donations.

The GoFundMe was created to “support Imani’s parents, Monique Rance-Helper and Rawni Helper, who are now facing the unimaginable”, the page said. It further said Imani's parents were “grieving their daughter while stepping in to raise her young son and support their two other children.”

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