Overview
- Police responding after 9 a.m. on December 21 found Smith gravely injured at a home in Edison, New Jersey, and she later died at a hospital.
- Authorities say she was wounded by a bladed weapon, and the case is being investigated as a homicide.
- Jordan D. Jackson-Small, 35, was arrested and charged with murder, child endangerment, and illegal possession of a weapon, according to officials.
- He is incarcerated in Middlesex County as the investigation and prosecutorial process continue.
- Smith gained early recognition playing young Nala in The Lion King on Broadway, and family members say she leaves a three-year-old son and have launched an online fundraiser.