Imani Smith, a former little one actress who starred as Younger Nala in Broadway’s The Lion King from September twenty seventh, 2011, to September twenty third, 2012, was killed in a stabbing on December twenty first. She was 26 years previous.
The stabbing occurred in an Edison, New Jersey house, and Smith was pronounced useless after being taken to Robert Wooden Johnson College Hospital. In line with the Middlesex, New Jersey County Prosecutor’s Workplace (by way of Deadline), Smith’s boyfriend, 35-year-old Jordan D. Jackson-Small, has been arrested in reference to the loss of life. He has been charged with first-degree homicide, second-degree endangering the welfare of a kid, third-degree possession of a weapon for an illegal function, and fourth-degree illegal possession of a weapon.
The Prosecutor’s Workplace solely stated that “Smith and Jackson-Small knew one another previous to the incident, thus it was not a random act of violence.” Nonetheless, a GoFundMe arrange by Smith’s aunt, Kira Helper, described Jackson-Small as Smith’s boyfriend.
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“Imani had her complete life forward of her. She was a vivacious, loving and fiercely gifted individual,” reads the GoFundMe web page. “A real triple-threat performer, she most notably performed the position of Younger Nala on Broadway in Disney’s Lion King — an expertise that mirrored the enjoyment, creativity, and lightweight she put into the world.” As of this writing, the fundraiser has reached $65,981 out of a goal $75,000 — up from its authentic $55,000 purpose when first launched.
The GoFundMe is meant to cowl funeral and authorized bills, in addition to to assist Smith’s dad and mom, Monique Rance-Helper and Rawni Helper, with elevating the three-year-old son and beloved canine, Kuro, she leaves behind. Smith can be survived by her two youthful siblings.
