Crime
Former ‘Lion King’ Broadway Child Star Dead at 25 As Boyfriend Is Charged With Murder
Imani Dia Smith, who starred as Young Nala in the Broadway musical The Lion King, has died at 25. Her boyfriend was charged with first-degree murder in connection to her death.
A press release issued Tuesday, December 23, by the Middlesex County prosecutor’s office in New Jersey stated that Smith was discovered on December 21 with stab wounds. She was transported to a nearby hospital where she was pronounced dead.
Jordan D. Jackson-Small, 35, was later arrested, according to the release, and has been 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.”
The prosecutor’s office stated that they “knew each other prior to the incident, thus it was not a random act of violence.”
In a GoFundMe set up to help Smith’s family, her aunt Kira Helper claimed that the former Broadway actress was “senselessly killed by her boyfriend.”
“She 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,” the GoFundMe stated. “Imani had her whole life ahead of her. 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,” the campaign message continued.
The GoFundMe — which has received over $47,000 of its $55,000 goal at time of publication — will help the family with funeral and memorial expenses, the “crime scene cleanup at Imani’s home,” trauma therapy for her son, care for her “beloved dog, Kuro” and other unexpected costs.
Judy Kuhn, a Broadway actress who voiced the singing voice of Pocahontas in the 1995 Disney animated film, appears to be among the people who have donated to the GoFundMe.
The investigation into Smith’s death remains active and ongoing, according to authorities.
