Imani Smith (GoFundMe).
A New Jersey man fatally stabbed his girlfriend, who starred as Young Nala when she was a child in the Broadway play The Lion King, authorities say.
The Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office said in a press release that officers responded at 9:18 a.m. Sunday for a stabbing at a home on Grove Avenue in Edison. When they entered the house, they found 26-year-old Imani Smith suffering from stab wounds. She was rushed to the hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
Shortly thereafter, cops arrested 35-year-old Jordan Jackson-Small, who her family said is Smith's boyfriend. He's facing charges of first-degree murder, endangering the welfare of a child, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose and unlawful possession of a weapon. He is being held at the Middlesex County Adult Correctional Center.
Cops have not revealed a motive for the slaying or what led up to it. The investigation is ongoing and anyone with information is asked to call Det. Kirsh of the Edison Police Department at 732-718-8064 or Det. Ankudowicz of the Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office at 732-745-8083.
According to Playbill, Smith starred as Young Nala in The Lion King from 2011 to 2012. Kira Helper, Smith's niece, started a GoFundMe page to raise money for funeral expenses, crime scene cleanup and legal costs for the family.
"Imani had her whole life ahead of her. She was a vivacious, loving and fiercely talented person," Helper wrote. "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."
Smith leaves behind a 3-year-old son who will now be raised by her parents.
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