Former Broadway child actor Imani Smith, remembered for her early role in The Lion King, was reportedly stabbed to death by her boyfriend. Authorities confirmed that the 26-year-old died in New Jersey on Sunday.
According to reports, police in Edison responded to a call and found Smith suffering from several stab wounds, according to a joint statement from Middlesex County Prosecutor Yolanda Ciccone and Edison Police Chief Thomas Bryan.
Smith was pronounced dead after being rushed to the hospital. Smith’s boyfriend, Jordan D. Jackson-Small, has since been arrested for the murder, per the statement. He faces multiple charges, including first-degree murder. Prosecutors confirmed the killing was not random, noting that Smith and Jackson-Small knew each other for some time prior to the incident. However, the motive has not yet been established.
Smith was best known for her time on Broadway as Young Nala in Disney’s The Lion King, a role she performed from September 2011 to 2012. At the time, she was a child actor appearing in one of the most recognisable stage productions in the world.
In the days following her death, her aunt, Kira Helper, described Smith as a gifted and passionate performer in a message shared through a GoFundMe campaign created to assist the family. “Imani had her whole life ahead of her,” Helper wrote, calling her “vivacious, loving and fiercely talented.” She added that Smith was a “true triple-threat performer” whose Broadway experience reflected the energy and joy she brought to those around her.
Helper also wrote that Smith was “senselessly killed by her boyfriend”, a statement shared as part of the fundraiser’s explanation. The campaign was organised to help Smith’s parents, Monique Rance-Helper and Rawni Helper, as they navigate both their grief and new responsibilities. According to Helper, they are now preparing to raise Smith’s 3-year-old son while continuing to care for their two other children, Smith’s younger siblings.