Imani Smith, who once lit up the stage as a young Nala in Disney's "The Lion King" on Broadway, was found with fatal stab wounds at a home in Middlesex County, New Jersey, on Sunday, according to the Prosecutor's Office. Her life, "full of promise and potential," as described by a GoFundMe page set up by her aunt, Kira Helper, had been cut short. "She was a vibrant, loving, and fearlessly talented soul," the page reads.
On December 21st, just after 9:15 a.m., authorities in Edison, New Jersey, received a 911 call about a stabbing incident. "Upon their arrival at a residence on Grove Avenue, they discovered Imani Smith, 26, of Edison, with fatal stab wounds," the release stated. She was rushed to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
Authorities have arrested Jordan D. Jackson-Small, 35, of Edison, in connection with Smith's death. The two were reportedly acquainted prior to the incident, which was described as "not a random act of violence." Smith's father, Rawni Helper, revealed in a phone call with CNN on Saturday that Jackson-Small is the father of Smith's 3-year-old son.
Jackson-Small is facing several charges, including first-degree murder and third-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose. He is currently being held at the Middlesex County Adult Corrections Center, according to jail records. CNN has reached out to his attorney at the Middlesex County public defenders office for comment.
During her time with Disney's "The Lion King," Broadway's third-longest running show, from 2011 to 2012, Smith became a true triple-threat performer. Her role as Young Nala on Broadway reflected the joy, creativity, and light she brought into the world. She is survived by her son, "her parents, her two younger siblings, and an extended family, friends, and community who loved her dearly," the GoFundMe page said. The page has raised over $70,000 in support of her family's ongoing needs.
