Former Titleholder Says She Was Not Invited
The 2025 Miss Teen BVI Pageant, held at the Eileene L. Parsons Auditorium, descended into controversy on Saturday, Oct. 4, after Maya Marcellin (Contestant #1) was crowned and Seanelle Jones, the mother of first runner-up J’Seanna Barnes (Contestant #2) went onstage to challenge Pageant Director Rupert Vanterpool Jr. over an alleged pre-show remark.
As the court assembled for photographs, members of Ms. Barnes’s family came onto the stage and escorted her off while her mother addressed the audience with grievances.
The family then moved outside the building and played, over loudspeakers, an audio clip in which a voice they identified as Mr. Vanterpool said, “In their mind she should be winning, but she can’t win the show.” Mr. Vanterpool told JTV he was not in a state of mind to give a full interview at the time. However, he said he had been threatened with blackmail prior to the event.
There was a heavy police presence at the show, with one officer on stage as the winners were being announced.
Ms. Jones questioned the audience, asking, “How can you determine that before the show?” in reference to what she said the director had stated before the event. Her mother said the recording was obtained after Mr. Vanterpool did not realize his phone remained connected following a call.
In a subsequent interview with JTV, Ms. Jones elaborated on her grievances, alleging scoring irregularities tied to a video segment her daughter did not submit. “Because my daughter didn’t submit hers, he decided to [deduct] points,” she said. “We asked him about it, and he admitted that … that’s why he did it.” She also questioned the popularity vote, saying she had been told her daughter was leading and claiming a last-minute change on the night of the show: “Last night, I gave Rupert an additional $445 in cash, and tonight, now, all of a sudden, the other young lady won.” Those assertions could not be verified at press time, and organizers had not released a detailed explanation of scoring or vote procedures.
Separately, Asha Hyndman, Miss Teen BVI 2024, said she had not been invited to attend. Ms. Hyndman published a message explaining her absence: “I was not invited. In fact, I was banned,” she wrote, adding that she would not deliver a final walk or crown the new queen. Hyman was stripped of her crown shortly after he she won the Miss UVI Pageanton n allegations that she broke her contract with Miss Teen . Addressing contestants, she said, “This is your moment. Own it,” and told the winner that “the crown is a responsibility, but it is also a platform … to inspire, to lead, and to make your mark.” She concluded, “A title is temporary, but a legacy is forever.”
Ms. Barnes also received Miss Photogenic and Best Business Attire awards. Organizers and the pageant committee had not issued a statement addressing the audio, the onstage disruption, or the mother’s allegations as of late Saturday.
