Former Broadway child star Imani Dia Smith, 26, best known for playing Young Nala in Disney’s The Lion King (2011-2012), was fatally stabbed in her Edison, New Jersey home on December 21, 2025.
Her boyfriend, 35-year-old Jordan D. Jackson-Small, has been charged with first-degree murder, child endangerment, and weapons offenses. The couple knew each other, and the incident was not random.
Smith, a devoted mother to her 3-year-old son, is remembered as vibrant and talented. Her family launched a GoFundMe for funeral costs, therapy, and child support. The investigation continues.
