The entertainment community is mourning the loss of Imani Smith, a former child actress known for her role as Young Nala in the Broadway production of Disney’s The Lion King. Smith, 26, tragically passed away on December 21, 2025, following a domestic incident in Edison, New Jersey.
Authorities from the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office confirmed that police responded to a 911 call where they discovered Smith suffering from multiple stab wounds. Okay News reports that she was immediately transported to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, where she was later pronounced dead by medical personnel.
Following the incident, law enforcement officials arrested 35-year-old Jordan D. Jackson-Small, who has been identified as Smith’s boyfriend. Jackson-Small faces several serious charges, including first-degree murder, endangering the welfare of a child, and multiple weapons-related offenses. The prosecutor’s office noted that the act was not random, as the suspect and the victim were known to each other.
In the wake of her passing, a GoFundMe campaign has been established to support Smith’s family and provide for her three-year-old son. Smith is survived by her young child, her parents, and two siblings. The matter remains under investigation as local authorities proceed with the legal case against the accused.
