Miss Delaware deemed 'too old', stripped of title
Miss Delaware has been stripped of her title as she was deemed too old to compete in Miss America pageant.
Miss America contestants are required to be between 17 and 24 years old.
Although Miss Amanda Longacre will turn 25 after the national pageant starts in September, organisers told her last week that Miss America contestants must not be 25 before December, reported Delaware Online.
"I'm just heartsick," Miss Longacre, who was crowned two weeks ago, said. "I'm just really heartbroken.
“I feel like I’m being erased."
Runner-up Brittany Lewis, who is nine months younger, was awarded the title on Thursday.
Felt the sting
Miss Longacre said she felt the pain of being placed in the same category as other dethroned beauty queens who have been disqualified for less glamorous reasons, like criminal behaviour and Internet pornography.
She claimed her age had been repeatedly verified by Miss Delaware organisers and she had been cleared to compete.
"They are making me forfeit everything," she claimed.
"It's really humiliating because I did nothing wrong."
She said she will fight to win back her title and the US$11,000 (S$13,745) she won in scholarships, reported CBS Philadelphia.
Her lawyer tried to contact the organisers but they are yet to respond, Delaware Online reported.
Sources: Delaware Online, CBS Philadelphia
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