Mothers Of Former Miss USA 2023 & Miss Teen USA 2023 Accuse Organization Of ‘Bullying’ Their Daughters

The mothers of Noelia Voigt, the former Miss USA 2023, and UmaSofia Srivastava, the former Miss Teen USA 2023, have come forward to shed light on their daughters’ surprise resignations. 

Jackeline Voigt, Noelia’s mother, and Barbara Srivastava, UmaSofia’s mother, expressed their concerns and called for reforms within the Miss USA pageant system in an interview with Good Morning America.

Jackeline emphasized that their daughters’ decisions were not motivated by the prizes or material gains associated with the pageant. Instead, they were prompted by their alleged mistreatment, abuse, bullying and feeling cornered. Barbara further claimed that her daughter had experienced bullying from Miss Teen USA management, which had resulted in missed opportunities. She also voiced her concerns over her daughter’s social media account and alleged that it had been subjected to surveillance and control by the pageant’s management.

Jackeline disclosed that she became aware of something amiss after an incident at a Christmas parade. 

“I saw Noellia so stressed out, and I said, ‘What happened?’ “Jackeline recalled. “And she said, ‘Mom, get in the car, get in the car.’ When I got in the car, I said, ‘What happened?’ Because I know [a man] said something, but I couldn’t get it.”

Jackeline continued, “[The man] told Noelia, ‘Are you into old [men] with money?’ And made Noelia very, very uncomfortable.”

Disturbed by the incident, Jackeline confronted Miss USA CEO and President Laylah Rose. However, Rose stated that the organization could not prevent individuals from making inappropriate comments at public appearances. Jackeline criticized Rose’s lack of empathy.

“[Not] even, ‘I’m sorry that you went through that?’ “Jackeline said. “[Noelia] was so upset. This is not what she worked so hard for.” 

After Voigt’s resignation, Barbara said her daughter knew she had to follow suit.

In response to the allegations, the Miss USA organization issued a statement to ABC News that affirmed its commitment to a healthy and supportive environment for all contestants, titleholders, and staff members. 

Both mothers called for Rose to step down as president and demanded an apology and resolution from the Miss USA pageant. They also highlighted that their daughters were bound by nondisclosure agreements, which prevented them from publicly sharing their experiences.

Jackeline and Barbara warned prospective Miss USA contestants and their parents. They advised them to reconsider whether participation in future pageants is the right decision and cited their daughters’ experiences as cautionary examples. The mothers expressed their desire to spare other families and girls from similar situations and emphasized that now is not the appropriate time to participate.