Miss Universe Jamaica 2025 Gabrielle Henry filed a negligence lawsuit against Miss Universe Organization (MUO) over her 2025 fall from the pageant stage, which caused her severe head injuries.
Henry lodged the case against MUO and its parent companies, JKN Legacy Inc. and Legacy Holding Group USA, on Monday, Sept. 21 in Delaware Superior Court. According to the copy of the complaint obtained by PEOPLE, the beauty queen alleged negligence, premises liability, negligent hiring, retention and supervision, as well as negligent and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
Henry said in her complaint that she was following rehearsed choreography during the Miss Universe preliminary competition on Nov. 19, 2025, when she fell about five feet through an ‘unmarked and uncovered opening’ on the stage that contained lighting equipment and concrete.
The Jamaican beauty queen said she had to be hospitalized from Nov. 19 to Dec. 10, 2025 after the fall left her with ‘traumatic brain injury with acute subarachnoid hemorrhage, frontal lobe hemorrhagic contusion, and subdural hemorrhage.’
Henry-who is an ophthalmologist-described the event as the ‘most traumatic moment’ of her life, adding that she was unable to resume her medical residency at the time due to her injuries.
In her complaint, she also cited accounts from other 2025 Miss Universe delegates who had supposedly complained as well about the lighting and staging conditions.
The MUO said it has yet to be notified of any lawsuit. It nonetheless pointed out that the production of the 2025 Miss Universe competition was under the responsibility of then host and production entities, MGI and Miss Universe Thailand.
‘Responsibility for the production of the 74th Miss Universe competition in Thailand, including the venue, the stage, and on-site safety, rested with the host and production entities, MGI and Miss Universe Thailand, under the direction of Mr. Nawat Itsaragrisil,’ MUO said in a statement shared to PEOPLE. ‘When those parties failed to cover Ms. Henry’s hospital expenses and left her unattended, the Miss Universe Organization stepped in and paid them, despite having no obligation to do so.’
‘The Organization also covered her treatment at a specialized hospital in Jamaica following her return home. Since then, the Organization has not received any request or claim for additional medical expenses,’ it added. ‘Going well beyond any legal responsibility, the Organization also offered Ms. Henry a place on the Miss Universe team as goodwill ambassador. We have not received a response to that offer.’
Henry has yet to comment on the organization’s statement as of this writing.
The MUO and Nawat are currently engaged in a power struggle that resulted in the pageant organization being distinguished into two factions: the Miss Universe West led by president Raul Rocha and Miss Universe Eastern led by Nawat as CEO.