Gabrielle Henry sues Miss Universe Organization over 2025 stage fall

Former Miss Universe Jamaica Dr. Gabrielle Henry has filed a lawsuit against the Miss Universe Organization and two of its parent companies, nearly a year after suffering serious injuries in a fall from the pageant stage during the 2025 Miss Universe competition in Thailand.

Henry filed the lawsuit on Sept. 21 in Delaware Superior Court, according to PEOPLE. The complaint names the Miss Universe Organization, JKN Legacy Inc. and Legacy Holding Group USA as defendants and brings five claims, including negligence, premises liability, negligent hiring, retention and supervision, and negligent and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

The lawsuit stems from an incident on Nov. 19, 2025, when Henry fell about five feet through what the complaint describes as an “unmarked and uncovered opening in the stage” during the preliminary competition.

According to the lawsuit, Henry was following rehearsed choreography when she fell. It alleges that the opening contained lighting equipment and concrete and that intense lighting directed toward her impaired her visibility.

Henry alleges that she lost consciousness after the fall and suffered a traumatic brain injury, including an acute subarachnoid haemorrhage, frontal lobe haemorrhagic contusion and subdural haemorrhage. She was hospitalised from Nov. 19 to Dec. 10, 2025.

Henry, who was practising as an ophthalmologist at the time, alleges that her injuries prevented her from resuming her medical residency. She also claims to have experienced continuing neurological and cognitive symptoms requiring medical care, rehabilitation and follow-up.

The lawsuit seeks damages related to her medical treatment, emotional distress, loss of earning capacity and professional opportunities.

Lawsuit alleges stage safety failures

Henry's complaint alleges that other contestants had raised concerns about the lighting and staging conditions before her fall. It also claims that the stage was modified after the incident, with bright white lights added along its edges.

The lawsuit also names Miss Grand International (MGI) in connection with its allegations about the staging, lighting and safety arrangements. Henry alleges that MGI's failure to properly oversee stage safety contributed to her injuries, while also alleging that the Miss Universe Organization retained and exercised control over those areas.

The Miss Universe Organization has disputed responsibility for the incident.

In a statement to PEOPLE, the organisation said it had not been served with or received a 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 MGI and Miss Universe Thailand, under the direction of Nawat Itsaragrisil, were responsible for producing the 74th Miss Universe competition, including the venue, stage and on-site safety.

The Miss Universe Organization also said it paid Henry's hospital expenses following the incident and later covered treatment at a specialised hospital in Jamaica. It said it had not received any further request for medical expenses and had offered Henry a position as a goodwill ambassador, but had not received a response.

Dispute over what caused the fall

Henry's lawsuit comes nearly a year after the incident drew widespread attention.

Following the fall, Miss Universe Haiti Melissa Sapini told PEOPLE that contestants were gathered for a meeting in which she alleged a staff member appeared to blame Henry for the incident, saying she had not been paying attention.

The Miss Universe Organization did not respond to PEOPLE's requests for comment on Sapini's claims at the time.

MGI also disputed the suggestion that stage safety was responsible. The organisation previously said the incident occurred primarily because Henry had missed her blocking and may not have been looking at the runway while walking. MGI denied that anyone from the organisation had blamed her.

An MGI representative also said the runway was more than five metres wide and had clear, oversized white borders, adding that no other contestant had experienced an accident on the runway.

The Miss Universe Organization said in December 2025 that it had assumed expenses related to Henry's treatment, accommodation, airline rebooking, transportation and support for her family.

Henry returned to Jamaica on Dec. 20, 2025, nearly a month after the accident.

The lawsuit is now set to bring the circumstances surrounding the fall into a legal proceeding, with Henry alleging that unsafe stage conditions and failures by those responsible for the production contributed to her injuries. The defendants have disputed those allegations.