Former Miss Jamaica, Dr Gabrielle Henry, has filed a lawsuit against the Miss Universe Organisation and related companies over a stage fall that left her seriously injured during the 2025 Miss Universe competition in Thailand.
Henry filed the lawsuit on September 21 in Delaware Superior Court, naming the Miss Universe Organisation, JKN Legacy Inc. and Legacy Holding Group USA as defendants. The case includes claims relating to negligence, premises liability, negligent hiring, retention and supervision, as well as negligent and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
The legal action stems from an incident on November 19, 2025, during the preliminary competition in Bangkok, where Henry was representing Jamaica. According to her complaint, she was following the choreography she had rehearsed when she fell about five feet through what she described as an unmarked and uncovered opening in the stage.
Henry alleges that the opening contained lighting equipment and concrete and that intense lighting directed towards the stage affected her ability to see the area clearly. She further alleges that adequate protective measures should have been put in place around the opening.
The fall caused Henry to lose consciousness. Reports based on her lawsuit and earlier medical statements say she suffered a traumatic brain injury and other injuries and was hospitalised in Thailand from November 19 until December 10, 2025.
Henry was pursuing medical training at the time and has said that the injuries affected her ability to resume her medical residency. Her lawsuit also alleges continuing neurological and cognitive symptoms requiring medical care, rehabilitation and follow-up.
The former beauty queen is seeking damages relating to medical treatment, rehabilitation, emotional distress, loss of earning capacity and professional opportunities. These are claims contained in the lawsuit and have not been determined by the court.
Henry has also alleged that other contestants had raised concerns about lighting and stage conditions before the incident. According to the complaint, the stage was subsequently modified to add brighter lighting around its edge.
The Miss Universe Organisation has disputed aspects of Henry's account of responsibility. In a statement reported by several outlets, the organisation said it had not been served with or received the lawsuit and therefore could not comment on claims it had not seen. It also said responsibility for the venue, stage and on-site safety at the 2025 competition rested with local host and production entities, including Miss Grand International and Miss Universe Thailand.
The organisation also said it had supported Henry following the incident, including covering hospital expenses in Thailand and later specialised treatment in Jamaica. It said it had offered her a position as a goodwill ambassador and maintained that it had not received a request for additional medical expenses.
Henry's lawsuit comes nearly a year after the accident and follows months of recovery. She returned to the Miss Universe Jamaica stage in August 2026 to crown her successor, marking a public return after the injury.
The case is now set to move through the legal process, where the competing claims over stage safety, responsibility and the extent of the injuries can be examined. At this stage, the allegations contained in Henry's lawsuit should not be treated as findings of liability against the Miss Universe Organisation or the other defendants.
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