Former Lion King Broadway Child Actress Imani Smith Dies After Stabbing, Boyfriend Arrested

Imani Smith, a former child actress best known for portraying Young Nala in Disney’s The Lion King on Broadway, has died after a fatal stabbing on December 21, PulseNets learnt.

Information obtained by PulseNets shows that the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office confirmed Smith died from stab wounds sustained during the incident, while her boyfriend, Jordan D. Jackson-Small, 35, has been arrested in connection with her death.

According to details released by prosecutors and reported by PulseNets, emergency services were alerted in the early hours of December 21 following a distress call.

“At about 9:18 a.m. on December 21, authorities received a 911 report of a stabbing. When officers arrived at a residence on Grove Avenue, they found Imani Smith, 26, of Edison, suffering from multiple stab wounds,” the statement explained.

Prosecutors further disclosed that Smith was rushed to a nearby medical facility but later succumbed to her injuries.

“Smith was taken to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, where she was later pronounced dead despite medical intervention,” the release added.

PulseNets reported that investigators subsequently arrested Smith’s boyfriend, who is now facing multiple serious charges.

“Jordan D. Jackson-Small 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,” prosecutors stated.

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The Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office noted that investigations into the circumstances surrounding the killing are ongoing as authorities continue to piece together events leading up to the fatal stabbing.