Ex-Miss USA Leona Gage dies

LOS ANGELES - Leona Gage, who in 1957 was named Miss USA but had the title stripped the next day when pageant officials learned she was married and a mother of two, has died in Los Angeles at 71.

Her son, Robert Kaminer, said yesterday Gage died of heart failure Tuesday.

The 18-year-old Gage also lied about her age - telling pageant officials she was 21.

She had been married twice starting at age 14 and had her second child at 16, all forbidden for a pageant contestant. - AP