A former star of “The Lion King” has been killed at 26 and her boyfriend has been charged with murder, according to multiple reports.
Imani Dia Smith, who played young Nala in Broadway’s “The Lion King,” died Sunday after being fatally stabbed in New Jersey, according to NBC. First responders found her with multiple stab wounds at a home in Edison, N.J., and she was taken to an area hospital where she was later pronounced dead.
USA Today reports Jordan Jackson-Small, 35, was arrested soon after without incident. The Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office said he and Smith “knew each other” and a GoFundMe page identified Jackson-Small as Smith’s boyfriend.
“It was not a random act of violence,” the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office said in a statement Tuesday.
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. He was being held at the Middlesex County Adult Correctional Center pending the results of his Pre-Trial detention hearing.
Smith was a child actor in “The Lion King” on Broadway, playing Nala, opposite Simba, between 2011 and 2012. According to Playbill, her mother is a hair stylist who has worked on theater, Broadway and television productions including “The Lion King” show and the film adaption of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s “In the Heights.”
Smith leaves behind a 3-year-old son, her parents, her two younger siblings, and extended family and friends, the GoFundMe page said. More than $65,000 has been raised to help with funeral costs, crime scene cleanup, therapy for Smith’s son and family, and additional expenses.
“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,” her family wrote.
According to USA Today, the Edison Police Department is encouraging anyone with information about Smith’s death to call them at (732) 718-8064 or the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office at (732) 745-8083.
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