Actress Imani Smith, who played the role of young Nala in Disney's Broadway production of The Lion King, has passed away at the age of 25 in an alleged homicide. According to a report by Deadline. She was found stabbed on Sunday, December 21, 2025, in Edison, New Jersey, after police responded to a 911 call.
According to Middlesex County, NJ, Prosecutor's Office, Imani Smith was rushed to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, where she was declared dead. Read on for more details.
Police investigation and arrest details
It must be noted that Imani Smith's boyfriend Jordan D. Jackson-Small has been arrested in connection with her death. As quoted by Deadline, the prosecutor's office said, "Smith and Jackson-Small knew each other prior to the incident; thus, it was not a random act of violence."
Smith's aunt, Kira Helper mentioned Jordan D Jackson-Small as Imani Smith's boyfriend. In her GoFundMe post, she wrote, "Imani had her whole life ahead of her. She was a vivacious, loving and fiercely talented person. A true triple-threat performer, she most notably played the role of Young Nala on Broadway in Disney's Lion King - an expensive that reflected the joy, creativity, and light she put into the world."
Charges filed against Jordan D Jackson-Small
According to a report by Variety, Edison police arrested Jackson without incident and charged him 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.
For the unversed, The Lion King actress Imani Smith is survived by her 3-year-old son, her parents, her aunt, and two younger siblings.
(With ANI inputs)
