Imani Smith, an actress who starred as young Nala in The Lion King on Broadway in 2011 and 2012, has died at the age of 26. Police confirmed her death in a press release after officials responded to a 911 call about a stabbing in Edison, New Jersey, on December 21.
Smith was transported to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, where she was pronounced dead. Per the press release, 35-year-old Jordan D. Jackson-Small was arrested and 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. Jackson-Small is currently being held at Middlesex County Adult Correctional Center.
The victim and suspect “knew each other prior to the incident, thus it was not a random act of violence,” according to officials. According to a GoFundMe created by Smith’s aunt, the actress was allegedly “senselessly killed by her boyfriend.”
The aunt confirmed that Smith is survived by a 3-year-old son, as well as her parents, two siblings, “and an extended family, friends, and community who loved her so very much.”
GoFundMe
“Imani had her whole life ahead of her,” Smith’s aunt continued. “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 experience that reflected the joy, creativity, and light she put into the world.”
She noted that she created the GoFundMe to raise money for funeral expenses, crime scene cleanup, trauma therapy for Smith’s son and family, legal and administrative costs, and more.
She added, “In addition to their grief, [Smith’s parents] Monique and Rawni are trying to hold their family together — comforting their children, navigating the sudden responsibility to raise their grandson, and finding a way forward while their world has been shattered. Monique works as a Broadway and TV/film hairdresser, and like so many in the freelance and artistic fields, time away from work means lost income during an already devastating period.”
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