'Lion King' Star Imani Smith Dies at 26 – Details

A former child star has been brutally slain, a father is behind bars, and a toddler is left motherless, all in a shocking act of domestic violence that's torn a family apart just before the holidays.

Imani Smith, the radiant young actress who once lit up Broadway as Young Nala in Disney's "The Lion King," was found fatally stabbed in her Edison, New Jersey home early on the morning of Sunday, December 21, 2025. She was just 26 years old.

Police rushed to the scene on Grove Avenue after receiving a frantic 911 call at 9:18 a.m. What they found inside was horrifying: Smith had suffered multiple stab wounds. She was rushed to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, but despite their best efforts, she was pronounced dead shortly after arrival.

Father of Her Child Charged with Murder

Authorities have arrested Jordan D. Jackson-Small, 35, of Edison, the man now accused of taking Smith's life. He was taken into custody without incident and remains behind bars at the Middlesex County Adult Correctional Center.

He is now facing a slew of serious charges:

• First-degree murder
• Second-degree endangering the welfare of a child
• Third-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose
• Fourth-degree unlawful possession of a weapon

A pre-trial detention hearing is pending, but for now, he remains in custody.

What makes this tragedy even more chilling is who was left behind — Smith's 3-year-old son, the child she shared with Jackson-Small. Miraculously, the boy was not physically harmed during the deadly attack. Prosecutors have been quick to confirm, "It was not a random act of violence."

Broadway Mourns as Mother and Grandparents Step In

The loss has shaken the Broadway community to its core. Smith starred as Young Nala from September 27, 2011, to September 23, 2012, a breakout role that highlighted her triple-threat talent and sparkling stage presence.

Her mother, Monique Rance-Helper, is no stranger to the entertainment world either. A sought-after hair stylist in theatre, TV, and film, she has worked on productions like "Eclipsed," "Once On This Island," "POSE," and "In the Heights."

Now Smith's mother and her partner, Rawni Helper, are left to raise their daughter's young son, while still caring for their two younger children — all while navigating unspeakable grief.

Family's Desperate Plea for Help as They Face the Aftermath

A GoFundMe campaign launched by Smith's aunt, Kira Helper, lays bare the crushing burden now placed on the grieving family.

"It is with a tragic and heavy heart that we share the loss of my niece, Imani Dia Smith, who was senselessly killed by her boyfriend on the morning of Sunday, December 21st, just ahead of Christmas," she wrote.

She remembered Smith as "a vivacious, loving and fiercely talented person." Calling her a "true triple-threat performer," Helper said Smith brought "joy, creativity, and light" wherever she went.

The fundraiser seeks to support funeral costs, memorial services, crime scene cleanup, trauma therapy for the children, and time off for grieving parents, not to mention the long-term costs of raising a child suddenly left without his mother.

It also highlights one heartbreaking detail: the family now needs help caring for Smith's beloved dog, Kuro, yet another soul left behind by the tragedy.

Online Outrage Builds as Investigation Continues

On social media, netizens have erupted with anger and sorrow over Smith's death. One person posted on X, "Imani Smith had her whole life ahead of her. This has to stop."

The Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office is urging anyone with information to come forward. Contact Detective Kevin Kirsh of the Edison Police Department at 732-718-8064 or Detective Olivia Ankudowicz at the Prosecutor's Office at 732-745-8083.

Family Faces Legal Battle as Another Young Life Is Lost

As the Smith family prepares to bury their daughter and face the long road ahead, prosecutors remind the public that Jackson-Small is presumed innocent until proven guilty. Still, the legal battle to come promises to reopen wounds again and again.

And in a gut-wrenching twist, just hours after Smith's death, a 13-year-old girl was gunned down in a separate act of violence, another young life stolen before the year's end.

Thirteen-year-old Jaleeyah Tune was fatally shot in broad daylight on Sunday, December 21, 2025, in what authorities are calling a deliberate and devastating act of violence.

Goldsboro Police officers rushed to the 200 block of Alpha Court around 4:35 p.m. after frantic 911 calls reported gunfire. There, they discovered the lifeless body of the seventh-grade student, struck by a bullet and pronounced dead at the scene.

Police Say Teen Trio Ambushed Innocent Girls

In the hours that followed, three teenage boys — one just 15 and the others only 16 — were swiftly arrested. All three are now facing first-degree murder and felony conspiracy charges.

The city's Criminal Investigations Division is continuing to unravel what led to the shocking slaying of a child in what should have been the most joyful season of the year.

'She Is My Miracle Baby': Mother Speaks Through Tears About Her Christmas Angel

While others were wrapping gifts and lighting trees, Jaleeyah's mother, Whitney Brown-Tune, found herself making funeral arrangements for her youngest daughter.

"She is my miracle baby," Brown-Tune told ABC11, her voice heavy with grief. "She was born premature. She came home in 2012 right before Christmas, and now she's leaving right before Christmas."

Still beneath her tree sit unopened presents, haunting reminders of a daughter who will never unwrap them. Described as a bubbly, smart, and kind-hearted helper, Jaleeyah, lovingly nicknamed "Lee Lee," was remembered by family as a tiny fighter who defied the odds at birth, weighing just two pounds.

"She just had this personality that we aren't going to get back," her mother said.

'There Was Blood All on My Hands': Teen Sister's Devastating Account of Her Final Moments

Jaleeyah's older sister, 14-year-old J'Sheeyah Tune, recounted the harrowing moment her world changed forever.

The sisters had gone out to grab food and were walking home when, without warning, a group of unfamiliar boys jumped out from behind nearby bushes and opened fire.

"I held her in her last moments," J'Sheeyah bravely shared. "She looked so scared. I was scared myself. I hate to see her like that. There was blood all on my hands. I didn't want to wipe it off. I still felt her presence. I felt her still with me."

Wearing her sister's favorite hoodie, J'Sheeyah said . "She didn't deserve this at all. People are very cruel. Now, I have to live on without my sister."

Community Mourns as GoFundMe Surpasses $12K for Burial and Tribute

As the city reels from the tragic loss, a GoFundMe campaign in Jaleeyah's honor has already raised more than $12,000 of its $14,000 goal.

Describing her as a "bright and loving 13-year-old," the page mourns a life "tragically cut short by gun violence just days before Christmas." It calls her death "especially devastating during a time that should be filled with love and togetherness."