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Broadway's Young Nala Dies at 25
25 Dec, 2025
Summary
- Young Nala actress Imani Smith tragically passed away at age 25.
- Authorities responded to a stabbing at her New Jersey residence.
- Her boyfriend, Jordan D. Jackson-Small, has been arrested and charged.
Imani Dia Smith, celebrated for her childhood role as Young Nala in Broadway's The Lion King, has tragically passed away at the age of 25. Emergency services were dispatched to her Edison, New Jersey residence on the morning of December 21 following a reported stabbing.
Upon arrival, Smith was discovered with severe stab wounds and was transported to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital. Prosecutors confirmed her death on December 23. Authorities swiftly arrested her boyfriend, 35-year-old Jordan D. Jackson-Small, who now faces charges including first-degree murder.
The Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office indicated that preliminary findings suggest the violence was not random. Jackson-Small is currently held pending a pre-trial detention hearing. Smith's family has launched a GoFundMe to support her parents and young son during this devastating time.
