Miss Universe Scandal Explodes: Leadership Allegedly Blames Miss Jamaica for Horrific On-Stage Fall
The Miss Universe pageant is officially in crisis mode after shocking new allegations surfaced about how staff allegedly handled Miss Jamaica Gabrielle Henry’s terrifying fall from the stage during preliminaries in Bangkok last week.
Gabrielle, who tumbled off the stage in her evening gown and had to be carried out on a stretcher, remains hospitalized — and the fallout from the incident is getting messier by the day.
Now one contestant is speaking out, and the tea is scorching.
Miss Haiti Says Leadership Blamed Miss Jamaica for Her Own Fall
Melissa Sapini — Miss Haiti — who was present when pageant officials gathered all contestants for a meeting right after Gabrielle’s fall.
According to Melissa, the FIRST thing a senior staff member allegedly said was that the fall happened because Miss Jamaica “wasn’t paying attention.”
Melissa didn’t hold back.
“I don’t know that they handled that correctly,” she said. “The first thing he said was it’s because she wasn’t paying attention… and then he said ‘safety is our number one priority.’ Like, are you serious? That was really scary.”
Her account stunned fans who have already been questioning the pageant’s handling of Gabrielle’s medical emergency.
Pageant Officials Try to Clean It Up
The Miss Universe Organization refused to respond to PEOPLE’s requests for comment.
However, a spokesperson for the host pageant group, Miss Grand International, offered a statement insisting that Gabrielle “missed her blocking” and “may not have been looking at the runway.”
But the rep claimed no one at MGI blamed her — despite Melissa’s firsthand account.
They also emphasized that the stage was wide, clearly marked, and “safe,” and that Gabrielle’s fall was an “isolated case.”
But contestants behind the scenes felt differently.
Contestants Say the Atmosphere Was Heavy and Emotionally Draining
Melissa described the backstage energy after the fall as devastating.
She and her roommate sat together in silence, scrolling through headlines and updates, unable to even speak.
“You just see dreams and hopes lost,” she said. “That’s so sad to me.”
Between the fall, online controversies, and frantic schedule, the contestants were emotionally drained — and many felt the pageant’s leadership failed to provide proper support.
Miss Jamaica Still in ICU — Doctors Say Recovery Will Take Time
Miss Universe owner Raul Rocha tried to ease public concern with an Instagram post, saying Gabrielle has “no broken bones” and is receiving good care.
But Media Take Out confirmed through Miss Jamaica’s team that Gabrielle remains in the ICU.
Her sister, Dr. Phylicia Henry-Samuels, said Gabrielle “isn’t doing as well as we would have hoped.”
Doctors require her to stay in intensive care for at least seven days as they closely monitor her condition.
Her mother and sister remain by her side in Thailand.
The Pageant Faces a Growing Public Relations Nightmare
Between accusations of victim-blaming, unanswered questions about stage safety, and a beloved contestant still in the ICU, the Miss Universe Organization is scrambling to contain the damage.
Fans across the globe are demanding transparency and better treatment of contestants — and many are calling this year’s pageant one of the most chaotic in recent history.