El Toro Girl Disqualified in Miss Teen USA Contest
Mindy Duncan, a 16-year-old redhead from Newbergh, Ore., was crowned Miss Teen USA on Monday night in ceremonies capping a pageant that saw the first-ever disqualification of a contestant, Miss Teen California from El Toro.
Duncan, who said she aspires to become a drug and alcohol abuse counselor, received the top honor over runners-up representing New York, Lousiana, Illinois and Alabama.
The 5-foot-3, 103-pound high school junior will receive a total of $66,000 in cash plus a personal services contract valued at an additional $18,000 and prizes, including a 5-year supply of shampoo and a new Jeep Wrangler.
The contest was marred by the disqualification of California’s entry, Alison Moreno of El Toro. Pageant officials refused to give details of her dismissal, other than to say that Moreno “violated contest rules.”
Moreno, 16, was notified of her disqualification Monday morning but was allowed to participate in the on-stage ceremonies even though she was not part of the competition, said Martha Keyser, vice president of corporate communications for Madison Square Garden Productions, sponsor of the 6-year-old pageant.
“We don’t want to say any more,” Keyser said. “We don’t want to hurt her, since she’s only 16 years old.”
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