Dr Gabrielle Henry sues Miss Universe organisation over 2025 fall

Former Miss Universe Jamaica Dr Gabrielle Henry has filed a lawsuit against the Miss Universe Organisation and two of its parent companies, nearly a year after she fell from the pageant stage during the 2025 Miss Universe competition in Thailand. PEOPLE magazine reported that Henry filed the lawsuit on Monday, September 21, in Delaware Superior Court, bringing five claims against the defendants, including negligence, premises liability, negligent hiring, retention and supervision, and negligent and intentional infliction of emotional distress. According to the complaint, Henry was following rehearsed choreography during the preliminary competition on November 19, 2025, when she fell about five feet through an “unmarked and uncovered opening in the stage”.

The suit alleges that the opening contained lighting equipment and concrete. Henry also alleges that intense lighting directed towards her during her rehearsed walk impaired her visibility and contributed to the fall. According to the lawsuit, Henry lost consciousness upon impact and suffered a traumatic brain injury, including acute subarachnoid haemorrhage, frontal lobe haemorrhagic contusion and subdural haemorrhage.

She was hospitalised from November 19 to December 10, 2025. The complaint describes the incident as the “most traumatic moment” of Henry’s life and alleges that the media attention surrounding the fall caused continuing emotional distress in addition to the effects of her physical injuries. READ: Miss Jamaica Universe withdraws from pageant after suffering head injury in fall Henry, who was practising as an ophthalmologist at the time, alleges that her injuries prevented her from resuming her medical residency and have resulted in ongoing neurological and cognitive symptoms requiring continued care, rehabilitation and follow-up.

The lawsuit further alleges that other contestants had raised concerns about the lighting and staging conditions. It claims that following Henry’s fall, the stage was modified to add bright white lights along its edge, PEOPLE reported. In a statement to PEOPLE, the Miss Universe Organisation said it had not been served with, nor received, any lawsuit, claim, demand letter or subpoena from Henry or anyone acting on her behalf and therefore could not comment on claims it had not seen.

The organisation said the host and production entities, Miss Grand International (MG…