Former Broadway actress Imani Dia Smith was found dead in her NJ home; her boyfriend was arrested on murder charges.

Imani Dia Smith, the 25-year-old former Broadway actress known for playing Young Nala in "The Lion King," was found dead with multiple stab wounds at her Edison, New Jersey, home on December 21, 2025. She was pronounced dead at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital. Her boyfriend, Jordan D. Jackson-Small, 35, was arrested on December 23 and charged with first-degree murder, endangering a child’s welfare, and unlawful weapon possession. Authorities confirmed the two had a prior relationship, and the case remains under investigation. Smith, a mother to a 3-year-old son, is survived by her parents, siblings, and extended family. A GoFundMe campaign has been launched to support her family with funeral, legal, and trauma-related expenses.