COLUMBUS, Ga. (AP) — A new Miss Georgia will be crowned Sunday to replace the one who relinquished the title the day after the June pageant.

Emily Cook will be formally crowned at the Cunningham Center in Columbus in a ceremony that is free and open to the public.

Cook, of Marietta, was first runner-up to the winner, Miss Capital City Kristina Higgins, who said she could not fulfill the time commitment to be Miss Georgia on June 27, the day after the pageant.

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

Former Miss Georgia Chasity Hardman was to fly into Columbus to crown Cook.