New Miss Georgia Quits Day After Winning Crown

COLUMBUS, Ga. (AP) - A second Miss Georgia has been crowned in two days.

One day after winning the title Saturday night at the annual pageant in Columbus, Gwinnett County school teacher Kristina Higgins relinquished the post, now filled by the runnerup, Emily Cook, a Marietta law student.

Higgins said she stepped down because her responsibilities as a middle school would not leave her time she would need to serve as Miss Georgia.

Cook was informed Sunday that she was the winner after Higgins turned down the prize.

The 22-year-old Cook is a recent graduate of the University of Miami and had been accepted into University of Georgia’s Law School. Instead she’ll be competing for the Miss America crown in January in Las Vegas.