Home / Crime and Justice / Broadway Star Imani Smith Fatally Stabbed
Broadway Star Imani Smith Fatally Stabbed
24 Dec, 2025
Summary
- Former Lion King Broadway actress Imani Dia Smith was fatally stabbed.
- Her boyfriend, Jordan D. Jackson-Small, has been arrested and charged.
- A GoFundMe was established to support her young son and family.

Tragedy has struck the Broadway community with the murder of Imani Dia Smith, a former child star most recognized for her role as Young Nala in Disney's The Lion King. The 25-year-old actress was discovered with fatal stab wounds at a residence in Edison, New Jersey, on Sunday, December 21st. Despite attempts to save her life, she was pronounced deceased at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital.
Authorities have arrested and charged Smith's boyfriend, 35-year-old Jordan D. Jackson-Small, in connection with the stabbing death. He faces multiple charges, including first-degree murder and endangering the welfare of a child. The attack occurred just days before Christmas, leaving Smith's young son, parents, and siblings to mourn her loss.



