Broadway alum Imani Dia Smith found dead at 26 in New Jersey, boyfriend faces murder charge

Imani Dia Smith, a Broadway performer who once starred as a child actor in The Lion King, has passed away at 26 in New Jersey. The Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office shared that the authorities have arrested and charged her boyfriend in connection with her death.

Police discovered Smith on Sunday in a home located in Edison, New Jersey, with multiple stab wounds. She was taken to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick and was confirmed dead. Prosecutor Yolanda Ciccone and Edison Police Chief Thomas Bryan released a joint statement about the ongoing investigation.

Imani Smith’s boyfriend, Jordan D. Jackson-Small, is in custody after being charged with first-degree murder. He is also facing other charges, such as 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. Officials explained that Jackson-Small was arrested without any issues and is now being held at the Middlesex County jail while awaiting court hearings.

Imani Smith, 26, who played Young Nala in Disney’s The Lion King on Broadway from 2011-2012, died after being stabbed by her boyfriend Jordan D. Jackson-Small, 35, on December 21. Jackson-Small was arrested “without incident” and charged with first-degree Murder.… pic.twitter.com/eqwC13pXAF

— Lipstick Alley (@lipstickalley) December 25, 2025

New Jersey man faces charges in the murder of ex-Broadway child star Imani Smith

Prosecutors have charged a New Jersey man with killing Imani Smith, his girlfriend, who acted in The Lion King on Broadway as a child. The Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office shared this update.

Officials said Edison police officers went to a home on Grove Avenue, where they found Smith with stab wounds. Police stated the case did not seem random. Prosecutors revealed that Smith and the suspect, Jackson-Small, were acquainted. According to her family, the two had been in a relationship.

Playbill reported that Smith performed as Young Nala in Disney’s The Lion King on Broadway. She took on the role from September 27, 2011, until September 23, 2012. This role was one of the first big moments in her journey as a stage actress.

Her family shared on a GoFundMe page that she leaves behind her 3-year-old son, her parents, two younger siblings, and other relatives.

“Imani had her whole life ahead of her. She was a vivacious, loving and fiercely talented person,” the page reads. “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.”

The page also states that Smith leaves behind “a 3-year-old son, her parents, her two younger siblings, and an extended family, friends, and community who loved her so very much.”

Authorities are still investigating as Jackson-Small prepares for his upcoming court date.