Miss Florida USA winner Genesis Davila suing beauty pageant for stripping her of crown

Pageant director cited an Instagram post showing Davila getting professional hair and makeup help

Genesis Davila, Miss Florida USA 2017 whose crown was recently taken away, wipes her eye as she speaks during a news conference (Associated Press)

A former Miss Florida USA winner is suing the pageant after organisers took her crown and accused her of cheating.

The Miami Herald reports that attorneys for 24-year-old Genesis Davila filed the suit Monday, asking a Miami-Dade circuit judge to issue an emergency injunction restoring her title. The suit also seeks $15 million for defamation.

Davila was crowned July 16 in Fort Lauderdale and then dethroned six days later. Pageant director Grant Gravitt Jr. cited an Instagram post showing Davila getting professional hair and makeup help, a violation of pageant rules.

Davila's lawyer, Richard Wolfe, presented an enlarged photo of the post during a Monday news conference. It showed the photo was dated more than a week before the contest.

Miss Florida USA released a statement saying they couldn't comment on pending litigation.

AP