National

Teen Beauty Queen Dethroned After International Pageant

NASSAU, BAHAMAS – For Cameronique Evans, the journey to the Miss Teen Universe pageant was supposed to be a celebration of her hard work and her dream to represent The Bahamas on the world stage.

Published

1 year ago

November 12, 2024

Delvardo Emmanuel

NASSAU, BAHAMAS – For Cameronique Evans, the journey to the Miss Teen Universe pageant was supposed to be a celebration of her hard work and her dream to represent The Bahamas on the world stage.

But now, she’s describing a very different reality.

The 18-year-old says the ordeal began after she failed to make the top 20 in the pageant.

She allege’s shortly after she was publicly handed her a termination letter, stripping her of her title as Miss Teen Bahamas Universe.

After that moment, Cameronique says she felt abandoned.

“After receiving the letter, I had to go under the care of the mom of Miss Teen Universe Trinidad and Tobago,” she said.

“And she took very good care of me. We took a bus, the international pageant paid for the queens to take a bus to Johannesburg from Kimberley. So from there I was with them and we also got dropped off to the airport. She paid for a hotel room for me and turned out in Tobago to get some rest and shower up. And she also contacted my mom and let her know that I was in her care and I was safe.”

Her mother Marissa Tellis was overcome with emotion as she addressed the situation.

But what led to the fallout?

Franchise owner of the Bahamas International Pageants Organisation, Tia Thompson told me that the decision to release her was not made lightly, but was due to behaviour that could no longer be overlooked.

After the allegations garnered public attention, the International Pageant Organization released a statement on their Facebook page refuting claims she was abandoned.

It stated: “At no time was Ms. Evans ever left without a chaperone while in South Africa. In fact, Ms. Evans travelled with an entourage of 13. Four organization directors and 9 of Ms. Evans family members.”

This letter was also posted to their social media page stating it was from the international organization, Miss Teen Universe.

That release stated: We have gone to great lengths to ensure all contestants were accompanied by a chaperone while in our care. We can confirm that The Bahamas’ delegate was transported from our care to that of her family.