Hazing Incident & Fraternity Lawsuit Guide for Elmore County, Alabama Families

A Parent’s Worst Nightmare: When College “Tradition” Turns into Trauma

Imagine you drop your son off at his college dorm in Birmingham or Tuscaloosa, proud of his journey. Weeks later, you receive a call in the middle of the night. Your child, eager to belong, is at an off-campus fraternity house participating in what begins as a team-building exercise and devolves into something dangerous. The laughter of older members turns to shouting. Your child is being forced to complete extreme physical tasks or consume dangerous amounts of alcohol to “prove his commitment.” Someone records it on their phone. When he collapses, there’s hesitation—a frantic debate about calling for help versus “getting the chapter in trouble.” This is the moment when tradition becomes trauma, and the nightmare begins for families in Elmore County, Montgomery, and across Alabama.

This scenario is not hypothetical. Right now, our firm is fighting one of the most serious hazing cases in the country. In Texas, we represent Leonel Bermudez in a $10 million hazing and abuse lawsuit against the University of Houston, the Pi Kappa Phi fraternity’s Beta Nu chapter, its national headquarters, housing corporation, and 13 fraternity leaders after a fall 2025 pledge period that left him with rhabdomyolysis (severe skeletal muscle breakdown) and acute kidney failure.

The abuse Bermudez endured included carrying a degrading “pledge fanny pack” 24/7, enduring hours-long forced workouts at locations like Yellowstone Boulevard Park, being sprayed in the face with a hose “similar to waterboarding,” forced consumption of food until vomiting, and a November 3 workout of 100+ push-ups and 500 squats that sent him to the hospital for four days with brown urine and critically high creatine kinase levels. The chapter has since been shut down. This active, high-stakes litigation is what we do, and it demonstrates the level of institutional fight that families in Elmore County—whether your child is at an Alabama university or a school across the country—may face when seeking accountability.

This comprehensive guide is written for parents and families in Elmore County, Wetumpka, Millbrook, and across central Alabama who need to understand the harsh realities of modern hazing, the legal landscape, and how to protect their children. We will explain what hazing looks like today, the applicable laws, the patterns seen in national fraternities and sororities, what to do if it happens to your family, and how experienced legal counsel can help you navigate this crisis.

IMMEDIATE HELP FOR HAZING EMERGENCIES

If your child is in danger RIGHT NOW:

• Call 911 for medical emergencies.
• Then call Attorney911: 1-888-ATTY-911 (1-888-288-9911). We provide immediate help—that’s why we’re the Legal Emergency Lawyers™.

In the first 48 hours:

1. Get Medical Attention: Even if your child insists they are “fine,” seek a professional evaluation. Conditions like rhabdomyolysis or internal injuries may not be immediately apparent.
2. Preserve Evidence BEFORE It’s Deleted: Screenshot all group chats (GroupMe, WhatsApp, iMessage), texts, and DMs immediately. Photograph injuries from multiple angles. Save any physical items involved.
3. Document Everything: Write down everything your child tells you—names, dates, locations, and specific acts—while memories are fresh.
4. Do NOT:
   • Confront the fraternity, sorority, or team directly.
   • Sign any documents from the university or an insurance company.
   • Post details on public social media.
   • Allow your child to delete messages or “clean up” their phone.

Contact an experienced hazing attorney within 24–48 hours. Evidence disappears rapidly. We can help you preserve it and protect your child’s rights. Call 1-888-ATTY-911 for a confidential, immediate consultation.

Hazing in 2025: What It Really Looks Like Beyond the Stereotypes

Hazing is no longer just about silly pranks or harmless initiation. It is a calculated pattern of coercion and abuse that exploits a young person’s desire to belong. For parents in Elmore County, understanding its modern forms is the first step in recognition.

A Modern Definition of Hazing

Hazing is any forced, coerced, or strongly pressured action tied to joining, maintaining membership in, or gaining status within a group, where the behavior endangers physical or mental health, humiliates, or exploits. The critical legal and psychological point is that “I agreed to it” or “I wanted to fit in” does not make it acceptable or legal when powerful peer pressure and a steep power imbalance are at play.

The Main Categories of Hazing Today

1. Alcohol and Substance Hazing
This remains the most common and deadliest form. It includes forced chugging, “lineup” drinking games, “Big/Little” nights where a pledge is given a handle of liquor, and trivia games where wrong answers mandate drinking. The goal is often rapid, dangerous intoxication.

2. Physical Hazing
This involves physical punishment or extreme exertion, such as paddling, beating, “smokings” (punitive, exhaustive calisthenics), sleep deprivation, food/water restriction, and exposure to extreme temperatures. The recent Texas case involved pledges lying in vomit-soaked grass and performing hundreds of squats until their muscles broke down.

3. Psychological and Humiliating Hazing
This includes verbal abuse, threats, isolation from non-members, forced confessions, public shaming, and being assigned degrading identities or tasks designed to strip away dignity.

4. Sexualized Hazing
This involves forced nudity, simulated sexual acts, sexually degrading positions or costumes, and in the worst cases, sexual assault. It is among the most traumatic forms of abuse.

5. Digital Hazing
A product of our time, this includes coercion via group chats (e.g., mandatory 3 AM check-ins), forced participation in humiliating social media “challenges,” cyberstalking via location-sharing apps, and the creation or sharing of compromising media.

Where Hazing Happens

While fraternities and sororities are often the focus, hazing permeates many groups:

• Fraternities and Sororities (Interfraternity Council, Panhellenic, National Pan-Hellenic Council, multicultural groups).
• Athletic Teams (from football and basketball to cheerleading and swimming).
• Military-Style Groups (ROTC, Corps of Cadets).
• Performance Groups (marching bands, spirit squads, dance teams).
• Academic, Service, and Cultural Clubs.

The common threads are social status, a claim of “tradition,” and a code of silence that keeps these practices alive even when everyone knows they are wrong and illegal.

Law & Liability Framework: Alabama, Federal, and Civil Justice

Understanding the legal environment is crucial for Elmore County families. Hazing operates at the intersection of criminal law, civil liability, and institutional duty.

Alabama Hazing Law

Alabama has its own specific hazing statute. Alabama Code § 16-1-23 makes hazing a crime. The law defines hazing as any willful act directed against a student for the purpose of initiation into, admission into, affiliation with, or as a condition for continued membership in an organization, where the act:

• Endangers the mental or physical health of the student.
• Involves brutality of a physical nature, forced consumption of any substance, or forced physical activity that could adversely affect physical health.
• Involves any activity that would subject the student to extreme mental stress.

Consent is not a defense under Alabama law. Penalties can include fines and imprisonment. Furthermore, organizations that knowingly permit hazing can lose official recognition and funding from public institutions.

Criminal vs. Civil Cases: Two Paths to Accountability

Criminal Cases:

• Brought by the state (local district attorney or prosecutor).
• Goal: Punishment for society (fines, probation, jail time).
• Charges can include hazing, assault, furnishing alcohol to minors, and in fatal cases, manslaughter.

Civil Cases:

• Brought by the victim or their family.
• Goal: Compensation for damages and accountability.
• Focuses on negligence, wrongful death, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and premises liability.

These two paths can run simultaneously. Importantly, you do not need a criminal conviction to pursue a civil case. A civil lawsuit is often the only way to uncover the full truth, as it allows for discovery of internal fraternity, sorority, and university documents.

The Federal Overlay: Title IX, Clery, and the Stop Campus Hazing Act

Title IX prohibits sex-based discrimination at schools receiving federal funds. When hazing involves sexual harassment or assault, it triggers Title IX obligations for the university to investigate and address a hostile environment.

The Clery Act requires colleges to report certain campus crimes and maintain safety statistics. Hazing incidents that involve assaults, alcohol crimes, or other reportable offenses fall under Clery.

The Stop Campus Hazing Act (2024) is a new federal law that will require colleges, by 2026, to report hazing incidents more transparently in their annual security reports and to strengthen hazing prevention education. This will create a clearer public record of institutional failures.

Who Can Be Held Liable in a Civil Hazing Lawsuit?

The path to justice often involves holding multiple parties accountable:

• Individual Students: Those who planned, carried out, or actively covered up the hazing.
• The Local Chapter: The fraternity, sorority, or club itself as a legal entity, and its elected officers.
• The National Organization: The fraternity or sorority headquarters that sets policies, collects dues, and supervises chapters. Their liability often hinges on what they knew or should have known about dangerous patterns.
• The University: The school may be liable for negligent supervision, deliberate indifference to a known risk, or violations of Title IX. Public universities like those in the University of Alabama System have certain immunities, but exceptions exist.
• Third Parties: Landlords of off-campus houses, property owners where events were held, or alcohol providers.

Every case is fact-specific, but experienced hazing attorneys investigate all potential sources of liability and insurance coverage.

National Hazing Case Patterns: The Scripts That Repeat

The tragic cases that make national headlines are not random tragedies. They follow predictable scripts. Understanding these patterns is critical because the same national fraternities and sororities operate at Alabama campuses.

The Alcohol Poisoning Death Pattern

• Stone Foltz – Bowling Green State University, Pi Kappa Alpha (2021): A 20-year-old pledge died after being forced to consume a bottle of alcohol during a “Big/Little” event. The result was a $10 million settlement ($7M from the national fraternity, ~$3M from the university) and criminal convictions.
• Max Gruver – Louisiana State University, Phi Delta Theta (2017): Died from alcohol toxicity after a “Bible study” drinking game. This led to Louisiana’s Max Gruver Act, a felony hazing statute.
• Andrew Coffey – Florida State University, Pi Kappa Phi (2017): Died from alcohol poisoning at a “Big Brother” night. The case highlighted the deadly formula of traditional fraternity drinking events.

Takeaway for Alabama Families: The “Big/Little” or “bid acceptance” drinking night is a known, repeated, and deadly script. National fraternities have been on notice for years.

The Physical and Ritualized Hazing Pattern

• Chun “Michael” Deng – Baruch College, Pi Delta Psi (2013): Died from traumatic brain injury after a violent, blindfolded “glass ceiling” ritual at a retreat. The national fraternity was criminally convicted and banned from Pennsylvania for 10 years.
• Texas A&M Sigma Alpha Epsilon (2021): Pledges were allegedly doused with industrial-strength cleaner among other substances, causing severe chemical burns requiring skin graft surgeries, leading to a lawsuit and chapter suspension.

Takeaway: Extreme physical tests and off-campus “retreats” are high-risk environments where oversight disappears and abuse escalates.

The Athletic Hazing Pattern

• Northwestern University Football (2023-2025): Widespread allegations of sexualized and racist hazing led to multiple lawsuits, the firing of the head coach, and confidential settlements, proving hazing is not confined to Greek life.

What These National Cases Mean for Elmore County

These patterns show common threads: forced consumption, humiliation, violence, delayed medical care, and institutional cover-ups. The national organizations involved in these cases—Pi Kappa Alpha, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, Phi Delta Theta, Pi Kappa Phi—all have chapters in Alabama. Their national histories establish foreseeability, meaning they knew or should have known the risks of their rituals. This is powerful evidence in civil litigation for Alabama families.

The Hazing Reality at Alabama Universities: Where Elmore County Students Go

Elmore County families send their children to universities across Alabama and the Southeast. Understanding the landscape at these schools is essential.

The University of Alabama (Tuscaloosa)

Campus Snapshot: A flagship SEC school with a massive, tradition-rich Greek system. Over 11,000 students are involved in fraternities and sororities.
Official Policy: UA has a strict anti-hazing policy prohibiting acts that endanger mental/physical health, require excessive fatigue, involve substance abuse, or involve cruel or humiliating activities. Reporting is through the Office of Student Conduct.
Documented Incidents: The university has faced hazing allegations within Greek life over the years, including a 2021 incident where the Sigma Alpha Epsilon chapter was suspended for hazing and alcohol violations. National headlines in 2023 involved a Sigma Alpha Epsilon lawsuit at UA where a pledge allegedly suffered a traumatic brain injury during hazing.
For Elmore County Families: A UA hazing case would involve the University of Alabama Police Department and potentially the Tuscaloosa County court system. Civil suits can target the local chapter, the national fraternity (which has a known pattern of incidents), and potentially the university.

Auburn University

Campus Snapshot: Another major SEC institution with a prominent Greek life presence and a strong Corps of Cadets program within the ROTC.
Official Policy: Auburn’s Student Hazing Policy aligns with Alabama law, defining prohibited acts and emphasizing that consent is not a defense. Reports go to the Office of Student Conduct or the Auburn University Department of Campus Safety and Security.
Documented Incidents: Auburn has suspended fraternities for hazing violations, including a 2018 suspension of the Phi Gamma Delta (FIJI) chapter following hazing allegations. The Corps of Cadets also maintains strict regulations to prevent hazing within its ranks.
For Elmore County Families: Given Auburn’s proximity, many local students attend. Cases here would involve Auburn campus police and Lee County courts.

Other Alabama Institutions

• University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB): While more commuter-focused, it has active Greek life and athletic programs.
• University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH): Has fraternities and sororities under the umbrella of Alabama’s hazing laws.
• Troy University, University of South Alabama, Jacksonville State University: All have Greek systems and are subject to Alabama’s anti-hazing statute.

Common Thread: The major national fraternities and sororities with documented hazing histories across the country—Pi Kappa Alpha, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, Phi Delta Theta, Kappa Sigma, etc.—have chapters at these Alabama schools. The risk patterns are national, not local.

Fraternities & Sororities: National Histories Matter in Alabama Courts

When a chapter at the University of Alabama or Auburn repeats a dangerous ritual that caused death or injury at another campus, that history becomes crucial evidence. It shows the national organization was on notice.

Why National Headquarters Are Critical Defendants

National fraternities and sororities are not passive entities. They:

• Collect dues from members.
• Issue charters and set policies.
• Provide risk management training (because they know the risks).
• Maintain records of prior incidents across their chapters.

When a local chapter hazes, plaintiffs can argue the national organization was negligent in its supervision or that it fostered a culture where such behavior was foreseeable. Their deep-pocketed insurance policies are often the source of meaningful compensation for victims.

Connecting National Brands to Alabama Campuses

• Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE): With chapters at UA and Auburn, SAE has a national history including the aforementioned traumatic brain injury lawsuit at UA, a chemical burns case at Texas A&M, and a history of alcohol-related hazing deaths.
• Pi Kappa Alpha (Pike): Present at multiple Alabama schools, Pike’s national history includes the $10 million Stone Foltz death at Bowling Green.
• Phi Delta Theta: This fraternity’s history includes the Max Gruver death at LSU that prompted a felony hazing law.
• Pi Kappa Phi: The fraternity at the center of our active Leonel Bermudez lawsuit at the University of Houston also has chapters nationally and a history that includes the Andrew Coffey death at Florida State.

The Legal Strategy: In a civil lawsuit, we don’t just look at the local incident. We investigate the national organization’s entire history of similar incidents, their enforcement (or lack thereof) of anti-hazing policies, and their response to prior warnings. This pattern evidence is powerful for proving negligence and, in some cases, justifying punitive damages.

Building a Hazing Case: Evidence, Damages, and Strategic Leverage

For families in Elmore County facing this crisis, understanding how a case is built demystifies the legal process and highlights the urgency of action.

The Evidence That Wins Cases

1. Digital Communications: The #1 source of evidence. This includes GroupMe, WhatsApp, iMessage, Discord, and social media DMs showing planning, coercion, boasting, or cover-up attempts. Deleted messages can often be recovered through forensic experts.
2. Photos & Videos: Content filmed by participants, security footage from houses, Ring doorbell cameras, and social media posts that document events or injuries.
3. Internal Organization Documents: Pledge manuals, “tradition” lists, emails between officers, and national fraternity risk management guides.
4. University Records: Prior conduct violations for the same chapter, disciplinary letters, Clery Act reports, and internal investigation files obtained through discovery or public records requests.
5. Medical Records: ER reports, hospitalization records, toxicology results, lab work (like CK levels for rhabdomyolysis), and psychiatric evaluations documenting PTSD, depression, or anxiety.
6. Witness Testimony: Other pledges, former members, roommates, resident advisors (RAs), and bystanders.

The Damages Families Can Seek

Civil lawsuits aim to make victims whole and hold defendants accountable through compensation for:

• Economic Damages: Past and future medical bills, lost wages, costs of psychological counseling, and diminished future earning capacity if injuries are permanent.
• Non-Economic Damages: Physical pain and suffering, emotional distress, humiliation, loss of enjoyment of life, and trauma.
• Wrongful Death Damages (for families): Funeral expenses, loss of financial support, and the profound loss of companionship, love, and guidance.
• Punitive Damages: In cases of especially reckless or malicious conduct, damages intended to punish the defendant and deter future behavior.

The Insurance Coverage Battle

Universities and national fraternities have complex insurance policies. Insurers often initially deny coverage, arguing hazing is an “intentional act” that is excluded. A key part of our strategy is navigating these coverage disputes, identifying all potential policies (chapter, national, umbrella), and fighting to secure the resources needed for our clients’ recovery. Our attorney, Mr. Lupe Peña, spent years as an insurance defense attorney—he knows exactly how these companies operate and how to counter their tactics.

Practical Guides & FAQs for Elmore County Parents and Students

For Parents: A Step-by-Step Action Plan

Warning Signs:

• Unexplained injuries, bruises, or burns.
• Extreme fatigue or sleep deprivation.
• Drastic personality changes (withdrawal, anxiety, depression).
• Sudden secrecy about group activities.
• Constant, anxious phone use for group chats.
• Requests for unusual amounts of money.

If You Suspect Hazing:

1. Talk to Your Child: Use open-ended, non-judgmental questions. “I’m concerned about you. Is anything happening that makes you feel unsafe or pressured?”
2. Prioritize Safety: If there’s immediate danger, call 911.
3. Preserve Evidence: Help your child screenshot messages and photograph injuries. Do not let them delete anything.
4. Seek Medical Care: Get a professional evaluation to document any harm.
5. Document Your Own Notes: Write down what your child tells you with dates and details.
6. Consult an Attorney Before Reporting: An experienced lawyer can help you navigate reporting to the university or police in a way that protects your child’s interests and preserves evidence.

For Students: Is This Hazing?

Ask Yourself:

• Am I being pressured or coerced?
• Would I do this if there were no social consequences for saying no?
• Is this activity dangerous, degrading, or illegal?
• Would I hide this activity from my parents, a professor, or campus officials?
• Are only new members required to do this?

If you need to exit or report:

• Your safety comes first. You have the legal right to leave any group.
• Alabama law and most university policies offer protections for good-faith reporters, even if you were involved.
• Anonymous reporting options exist through campus conduct offices and the National Anti-Hazing Hotline (1-888-NOT-HAZE).

Critical Mistakes That Can Damage a Case

1. Deleting Evidence: Preserve all messages and photos.
2. Confronting the Organization Directly: This prompts them to destroy evidence and lawyer up.
3. Signing University “Resolution” Forms: These often contain waivers of your right to sue. Have an attorney review everything.
4. Posting on Social Media: Defense teams scour social media for inconsistencies.
5. Waiting Too Long: Evidence disappears, witnesses become uncooperative, and statutes of limitations apply.

Frequently Asked Questions

“Can we sue a university in Alabama for hazing?”
Yes. While public universities have some legal protections, lawsuits can be based on claims of negligent supervision, deliberate indifference to a known risk, or Title IX violations. Private universities have fewer immunities. Each case is fact-specific.

“Is hazing a felony in Alabama?”
Under Alabama Code § 16-1-23, hazing is classified as a Class C misdemeanor for a first offense. However, if the hazing results in serious physical injury, it becomes a Class A misdemeanor. Other actions during the hazing (assault, furnishing alcohol to a minor) may be separate, more serious charges.

“What if it happened off-campus at a rental house?”
Location does not negate liability. The organization and its members can still be held responsible. Universities may also have liability if they knew or should have known about off-campus hazing traditions.

“How long do we have to file a lawsuit?”
The statute of limitations varies by claim. In Alabama, personal injury claims generally must be filed within two years from the date of injury. However, special rules can apply. Do not wait. Consult an attorney immediately to protect your rights.

“Will our case be public?”
Many civil cases settle confidentially before trial. We always prioritize our clients’ privacy and can often negotiate confidential settlement terms and sealed court records.

Why Attorney911 for Your Family’s Hazing Case

When your family in Elmore County, Millbrook, or Wetumpka faces the trauma of hazing, you need more than a local attorney—you need a firm with proven experience fighting the exact institutions you’re up against: national fraternities, sororities, and universities.

Our Texas-Based National Hazing Litigation Authority

While our offices are in Houston, Austin, and Beaumont, we serve families across the country. The Leonel Bermudez vs. University of Houston & Pi Kappa Phi case is not just a example; it’s our active proof of capability. We are in the courtroom right now, facing a major university and a national fraternity, fighting for a young man who suffered kidney failure from hazing. We understand the playbook these organizations use because we are currently writing it.

Unique Qualifications That Matter for Alabama Families

1. Insurance Insider Knowledge: Our attorney, Mr. Lupe Peña (he/him), spent years as a defense attorney for national insurance companies. He knows precisely how fraternity and university insurers will try to deny, delay, and undervalue your claim. He knows their tactics because he used to implement them. This is an invaluable advantage during negotiation and litigation.
2. Complex Institutional Litigation Experience: Managing partner Ralph Manginello was one of the few plaintiff attorneys involved in the BP Texas City explosion litigation, taking on a billion-dollar corporation. We are not intimidated by the deep pockets and aggressive defense teams of national fraternities or universities. We have federal court experience and a network of experts ready to build an unbeatable case.
3. Dual Civil & Criminal Understanding: Ralph’s membership in the Harris County Criminal Lawyers Association (HCCLA) means we understand both sides of a hazing case. We can adeptly navigate situations where there are parallel criminal investigations and advise clients or witnesses on their rights.
4. Investigative Depth: We know how to find the evidence that matters: subpoenaing national fraternity records for prior incidents, recovering deleted digital messages with forensic experts, and obtaining internal university files to prove what they knew and when.
5. Spanish-Language Services: Se habla Español. Mr. Peña is fluent and can serve Spanish-speaking families with compassion and direct understanding.

Our Commitment to Elmore County and Alabama Families

We know that sending a child to college is a leap of faith. When that trust is shattered by hazing, you need advocates who combine relentless investigation with genuine compassion. Our mission is to get you answers, secure the compensation needed for healing and future security, and force the institutional changes that will protect other students.

We achieve this through meticulous preparation. We maintain a proprietary intelligence engine tracking thousands of Greek organizations. While our detailed data focuses on Texas, the same investigative rigor is applied to every case, including those in Alabama. We trace liability through the local chapter to the national headquarters and the university’s oversight structure because that’s where accountability—and insurance coverage—lies.

Your Next Step: A Confidential, No-Obligation Consultation

If hazing has impacted your family in Elmore County, Montgomery, Prattville, or anywhere in Alabama, you do not have to navigate this alone. The path forward begins with a conversation.

Contact The Manginello Law Firm, PLLC (Attorney911) for a free, confidential case evaluation.

In your consultation, we will:

• Listen carefully to your story.
• Review any evidence you have gathered.
• Explain the legal landscape in Alabama and how national precedents apply.
• Outline the practical steps involved in an investigation and potential lawsuit.
• Discuss all options, including potential claims against the individuals, the local chapter, the national organization, and the university.
• Clearly explain our contingency fee structure: You pay no attorney fees unless we win your case.

Take action to protect your child’s future and hold the responsible parties accountable.

Call us 24/7 at 1-888-ATTY-911 (1-888-288-9911)
Direct Line: (713) 528-9070 | Cell: (713) 443-4781
Email: ralph@atty911.com or lupe@atty911.com (Se habla Español)
Website: https://attorney911.com

We serve families across Alabama and nationwide from our Texas offices. Distance is no barrier to justice.

Legal Disclaimer

This article is provided for informational and educational purposes only. It is not legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship between you and The Manginello Law Firm, PLLC. Hazing laws, university policies, and legal precedents can change. The information in this guide is current as of late 2025 but may not reflect the most recent developments. Every hazing case is unique, and outcomes depend on the specific facts, evidence, applicable law, and many other factors. If you or your child has been affected by hazing, we strongly encourage you to consult with a qualified attorney who can review your specific situation, explain your legal rights, and advise you on the best course of action for your family.

The Manginello Law Firm, PLLC / Attorney911
Houston, Austin, and Beaumont, Texas
Call: 1-888-ATTY-911 (1-888-288-9911)
Website: https://attorney911.com