The Complete Guide to Hazing Lawsuits & Campus Accountability for Matagorda County, Texas Families

If Your Child Was Hazed at a Texas University, You Are Not Alone

It begins with excitement. Your child from Bay City, Palacios, or anywhere across Matagorda County gets a bid to join a fraternity, sorority, or campus organization at their Texas university. You’re proud—this is part of the college experience. Then, the phone calls change. They’re exhausted, secretive, and defensive. You notice unexplained injuries during a visit home to Matagorda County. They justify extreme behavior as “tradition” or “earning their place.” Then, the worst happens: a late-night call from a hospital in Houston, College Station, or Austin. Your child has been hospitalized with alcohol poisoning, severe muscle breakdown, or traumatic injuries. The university’s response is slow and bureaucratic. The organization closes ranks. You feel powerless against a system designed to protect itself.

This is the reality facing Texas families right now. In November 2025, our firm filed a $10 million hazing and abuse lawsuit on behalf of Leonel Bermudez, a University of Houston student who suffered rhabdomyolysis and acute kidney failure after relentless hazing by the Pi Kappa Phi Beta Nu chapter. His urine turned brown. He was hospitalized for four days. The alleged conduct included forced consumption of milk, hot dogs, and peppercorns until vomiting, being sprayed in the face with a hose “similar to waterboarding,” extreme physical workouts, and around-the-clock humiliation through a mandatory “pledge fanny pack.”

If you are a parent in Matagorda County—in Bay City, Palacios, Sargent, or any of our coastal communities—whose child has been injured in connection with fraternities, sororities, Corps programs, athletics, or other campus organizations, this guide is for you. We will explain what hazing looks like today, your legal rights under Texas law, and how our firm builds cases that hold powerful institutions accountable.

IMMEDIATE HELP FOR HAZING EMERGENCIES IN MATAGORDA COUNTY:

• 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:
  • Get medical attention immediately at Matagorda Regional Medical Center in Bay City or transfer to a Houston-area trauma center if needed.
  • Preserve evidence BEFORE it’s deleted: Screenshot group chats (GroupMe, WhatsApp), photograph injuries, save any physical items.
  • Write down everything while memory is fresh (who, what, when, where).
  • Do NOT:
    • Confront the fraternity/sorority directly.
    • Sign anything from the university or an insurance company.
    • Let your child delete messages or “clean up” evidence.
• Contact our experienced hazing attorneys within 24–48 hours. Evidence disappears fast. We serve families across the Texas Gulf Coast, including Matagorda County, and can help you navigate this crisis. Call 1-888-ATTY-911 for an immediate, confidential consultation.

Hazing in 2025: What It Really Looks Like on Texas Campuses

Hazing is not a relic of the past. It has evolved, leveraging digital tools and psychological pressure while maintaining the same core: the abuse of power under the guise of tradition. For Matagorda County families, understanding these modern tactics is the first step in recognizing the danger.

The Three Tiers of Modern Hazing

1. Subtle Hazing: Behaviors that emphasize power imbalance but are often dismissed as “harmless.” This includes mandatory servitude (chauffeuring members, cleaning), social isolation, being “on call” 24/7 via group chat, and required attendance at events that interfere with academics.
2. Harassment Hazing: Causes emotional or physical discomfort. This includes sleep deprivation, forced consumption of unpleasant substances (hot sauce, excessive milk), verbal abuse, and extreme, punitive calisthenics (“smokings”).
3. Violent Hazing: High potential for serious injury or death. This includes forced alcohol consumption (lineups, drinking games), physical beatings/paddling, sexualized acts, exposure to extreme elements, and dangerous physical tests.

The Digital Transformation of Hazing

The smartphone has become a central tool. Hazing now operates in GroupMe, WhatsApp, and Discord groups where pledges are monitored 24/7. Evidence includes geolocation tracking, forced social media humiliation, and digital dares. Ironically, these digital trails also create the evidence that can win a case—if preserved before deletion.

Where Hazing Happens: Beyond the Fraternity House

While fraternities and sororities are frequently implicated, hazing pervades many groups:

• Corps of Cadets and ROTC programs.
• Athletic teams, from football to cheerleading.
• Marching bands and performance groups.
• Spirit organizations (like Texas Cowboys).
• Academic and cultural clubs.

For a student from Matagorda County, the risk may exist in any organization that values “tradition” over safety.

Texas Hazing Law & Liability: What Matagorda County Families Must Know

Texas has specific laws governing hazing, but navigating them requires understanding both criminal penalties and civil liability.

Texas Education Code Chapter 37: The Criminal Framework

Texas law defines hazing broadly as any intentional, knowing, or reckless act that endangers the mental or physical health of a student for the purpose of initiation, affiliation, or membership. Key provisions for Matagorda County families include:

• § 37.151: Definition includes acts both on and off campus. Mental or physical harm counts.
• § 37.155: Consent is NOT a defense. Even if your child “agreed,” it is still legally hazing.
• Penalties: Ranges from a Class B misdemeanor to a state jail felony if serious bodily injury or death occurs.
• Immunity: Good-faith reporters who seek medical help are generally protected from prosecution.

Civil Liability: Holding All Responsible Parties Accountable

A criminal case, handled by the state, seeks punishment. A civil lawsuit, which we file on behalf of victims, seeks compensation for damages and institutional accountability. The liable parties often include:

1. Individual Members & Officers: Those who planned, executed, or covered up the hazing.
2. The Local Chapter: As an organization that authorized or failed to stop the conduct.
3. The National Fraternity/Sorority Headquarters: For failing to enforce their own policies, provide adequate supervision, or act on known patterns of abuse across chapters.
4. The University: For negligent supervision, deliberate indifference to known risks, or Title IX violations (if the hazing was sexualized).
5. Property Owners & Third Parties: Landlords of off-campus houses, alumni advisors, or event venues.

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

Federal laws create additional avenues for accountability:

• Title IX: If hazing involves sexual harassment or assault, universities have specific investigative duties.
• Clery Act: Requires universities to report certain crimes, including hazing-related assaults.
• Stop Campus Hazing Act (2024): Requires increased transparency and public reporting of hazing incidents by 2026.

National Hazing Cases: The Patterns That Repeat in Texas

The tragic cases that make national headlines are not isolated. They reveal patterns that repeat on Texas campuses, making them foreseeable and preventable. Understanding these patterns is key to proving negligence.

The Alcohol Poisoning Pattern

• Timothy Piazza (Penn State, Beta Theta Pi, 2017): Death after a bid-acceptance night with extreme drinking; hours-long delay in calling for help.
• Max Gruver (LSU, Phi Delta Theta, 2017): Death from a “Bible study” drinking game; led to Louisiana’s felony hazing “Max Gruver Act.”
• Stone Foltz (Bowling Green State, Pi Kappa Alpha, 2021): $10 million settlement after a pledge died from being forced to drink a bottle of alcohol.
• Andrew Coffey (Florida State, Pi Kappa Phi, 2017): Death during a “Big Brother” night, leading to a temporary Greek life shutdown at FSU.

The Physical & Ritualized Abuse Pattern

• Chun “Michael” Deng (Baruch College, Pi Delta Psi, 2013): Fatal traumatic brain injury during a blindfolded “glass ceiling” ritual at a retreat; the national fraternity was criminally convicted.
• Danny Santulli (Univ. of Missouri, Phi Gamma Delta, 2021): Pledge suffered permanent, catastrophic brain damage from forced drinking; confidential multi-million-dollar settlements with 22 defendants.

The Athletic Hazing Pattern

• Northwestern University Football (2023-2025): Widespread allegations of sexualized and racist hazing leading to multiple lawsuits and confidential settlements.

What This Means for Matagorda County: These national patterns prove that specific hazing methods—forced drinking games, violent rituals, cover-ups—are known dangers. When a Texas chapter repeats these known, deadly scripts, the national organization and university cannot claim ignorance.

Texas University Focus: Where Matagorda County Students Attend

Matagorda County families send their children to universities across the state, from local institutions to major flagship campuses. Each has its own Greek ecosystem and history of hazing incidents.

For Matagorda County Families: Local & Regional Campus Connections

Many students from our county attend schools close to home or within the region:

• Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi: A common choice for Gulf Coast students, with active Greek life and its own set of fraternities and sororities.
• Wharton County Junior College: Students often begin here before transferring to four-year programs, but clubs and organizations can still pose risks.
• University of Houston-Victoria: Accessible to our region, with student organizations that require scrutiny.

However, a significant number of Matagorda County students also attend the major Texas universities with the largest and most tradition-bound Greek systems.

The University of Houston (UH) & The Flagship Pi Kappa Phi Case

Our firm’s ongoing lawsuit against UH and Pi Kappa Phi’s Beta Nu chapter serves as a critical, current example for all Texas families, especially those in the Greater Houston region accessible to Matagorda County.

The Leonel Bermudez Case: A Blueprint for Institutional Failure
In fall 2025, Leonel Bermudez, a UH student, pledged Pi Kappa Phi. The hazing he endured—and which led to rhabdomyolysis and acute kidney failure—included:

• A degrading “pledge fanny pack” he was forced to carry 24/7.
• Forced consumption of milk, hot dogs, and peppercorns until vomiting.
• Being sprayed in the face with a hose “similar to waterboarding.”
• Extreme workouts at the chapter house and Yellowstone Boulevard Park.
• Sleep deprivation and around-the-clock servitude.

When he began passing brown urine and could not stand, he was hospitalized. The chapter was suspended and then voted to surrender its charter. UH called the conduct “deeply disturbing.” This case, covered by Click2Houston and ABC13, exemplifies how multiple entities (individuals, chapter, national headquarters, university) can share liability.

Texas A&M University & The Corps of Cadets

For Matagorda County families with children in College Station, the combination of a massive Greek system and the Corps of Cadets creates unique risks.

• Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE) Chemical Burns Case (2021): Pledges allegedly doused with industrial cleaner, causing severe chemical burns requiring skin grafts. A lawsuit sought $1 million.
• Corps of Cadets “Roasted Pig” Lawsuit (2023): A cadet alleged being bound between beds in a degrading, simulated sexual position as hazing.

University of Texas at Austin

UT maintains a public hazing violations log, offering a window into persistent issues:

• Pi Kappa Alpha (2023): Sanctioned for forcing new members to consume milk and perform strenuous calisthenics.
• Sigma Alpha Epsilon (2024): Facing a lawsuit after an alleged assault left an exchange student with a dislocated leg and broken bones.
• Various spirit groups and other fraternities appear regularly on the violation log for alcohol hazing and physical abuse.

Southern Methodist University (SMU) & Baylor University

These private universities have their own significant Greek cultures and histories of hazing incidents, from paddling allegations to athletic team misconduct, often handled through internal processes that lack public transparency.

The Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine: How We Map the Organizational Landscape

One of our firm’s distinct advantages is a proprietary, data-driven investigation system. We don’t start from scratch. We maintain a detailed directory of Greek-life organizations across Texas to immediately identify all potentially liable entities. For Matagorda County families, this means we can quickly trace connections from a local chapter to its national headquarters, housing corporation, and insurance coverage.

Public Records: The Greek Organizations Connected to Texas Campuses

Using IRS filings (Form B83), university records, and commercial databases, we track over 1,400 Greek-related entities across 25 Texas metros. This includes house corporations, alumni chapters, and educational foundations that often hold assets and insurance. For example, our data includes entities like:

• Beta Nu Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity Housing Corporation Inc (EIN 46-2267515, Frisco, TX)
• Pi Kappa Phi Delta Omega Chapter Building Corporation (EIN 37-1768785, Missouri City, TX)
• Kappa Sigma – Mu Camma Chapter Inc (EIN 13-3048786, College Station, TX)
• Sigma Chi Fraternity Epsilon Xi Chapter (EIN 74-6084905, Houston, TX)

This intelligence allows us to immediately subpoena records, identify insurance policies, and uncover prior incident reports that show a pattern of negligence. When we take a case for a Matagorda County family, we already know how to find the organizations behind the letters.

Building a Hazing Case: Evidence, Strategy, and Damages

Winning a hazing case requires a meticulous, strategic approach that anticipates defense tactics from well-funded institutions. Our process is built on experience from complex litigation against corporations like BP.

Critical Evidence Collection

The digital age means evidence is plentiful but fragile. We act swiftly to secure:

1. Digital Communications: Forensic recovery of deleted GroupMe, WhatsApp, and text messages that show planning, coercion, and cover-ups.
2. Social Media & Photos: Posts, Stories, and videos that document events, injuries, or boasts about hazing.
3. Internal Organizational Records: Pledge manuals, “big brother” assignments, meeting minutes, and correspondence with national headquarters.
4. University Records: Prior conduct violations for the same organization, obtained through discovery or public records requests.
5. Medical Documentation: Comprehensive records linking injuries directly to hazing events, including toxicology reports and psychological evaluations for PTSD.

Overcoming Common Institutional Defenses

We know how fraternities, sororities, and universities will fight back. Our strategy is designed to dismantle their standard defenses:

• Defense: “The Pledge Consented.” Our Counter: Texas law states consent is not a defense. We demonstrate coercion through power imbalance and social pressure evidence.
• Defense: “This Was a Rogue Chapter.” Our Counter: We use national hazing databases and our Texas Intelligence Engine to show pattern evidence—the same dangerous traditions occurring in chapters nationwide, proving foreseeability.
• Defense: “It Happened Off-Campus.” Our Counter: We establish duty through sponsorship, funding, and control. Nationals and universities cannot escape liability by turning a blind eye to off-campus houses.
• Defense: “Insurance Doesn’t Cover Intentional Acts.” Our Counter: We argue negligent supervision and training—failures that are covered. Our co-founder, Mr. Lupe Peña, is a former insurance defense attorney who knows exactly how insurers try to deny claims.

Understanding Damages: What Can Be Recovered

The goal is full accountability and compensation for all harm suffered, which may include:

• Economic Damages: All medical bills (past and future), lost wages, lost educational costs (tuition, scholarships).
• Non-Economic Damages: Pain and suffering, emotional distress, humiliation, loss of enjoyment of life.
• Wrongful Death Damages (if applicable): Funeral costs, loss of companionship and financial support for families.
• Punitive Damages: In cases of especially reckless or malicious conduct, to punish the wrongdoer and deter future behavior.

We work with life-care planners, economists, and medical experts to build a comprehensive picture of the lifelong impact of catastrophic hazing injuries.

A Practical Guide for Matagorda County Parents & Students

For Parents: Warning Signs and Action Steps

Warning Signs:

• Unexplained injuries (bruises, burns, limping).
• Extreme exhaustion or sleep deprivation.
• Sudden secrecy about organizational activities.
• Personality changes: anxiety, depression, withdrawal.
• Constant, anxious phone use related to group chats.
• Requests for large sums of money with vague explanations.

What to Do If You Suspect Hazing:

1. Prioritize Safety & Health: Seek medical attention immediately.
2. Preserve Evidence: Help your child screenshot ALL relevant messages and photos. Do not delete anything.
3. Document: Write down everything your child tells you with dates, times, and names.
4. Consult an Attorney BEFORE Reporting: An experienced hazing lawyer can guide you on how to report to the university or police while protecting your child from retaliation and preserving legal claims. Call us at 1-888-ATTY-911.
5. Do Not Confront the Organization: This triggers evidence destruction and witness coordination.

For Students: Is This Hazing? How to Get Help.

If you feel pressured, coerced, or endangered to belong, it is likely hazing. Your safety comes first.

• In an Emergency: Call 911. Good-faith reporter protections exist in Texas.
• To Exit Safely: You have the right to quit any organization. Send a clear, written resignation. Inform a trusted adult or campus official.
• To Report: Options include the Dean of Students, campus police, or anonymous hotlines. Consult with an attorney to understand your rights and protections first.

Critical Mistakes That Can Harm a Hazing Case

1. Deleting Digital Evidence: The #1 mistake. Those group chats are crucial.
2. Confronting the Fraternity/Sorority Directly: This gives them a head start to destroy evidence and build defenses.
3. Signing University Resolution Papers: Universities may offer quick, low-value settlements that require waiving your right to sue.
4. Waiting Too Long: Evidence disappears, witnesses scatter, and the Texas two-year statute of limitations continues to run.
5. Talking to Insurance Adjusters Alone: Their goal is to minimize payout. Let your attorney handle all communication.

We detail these pitfalls in our video, Client Mistakes That Can Ruin Your Injury Case.

Why Attorney911 for Matagorda County Hazing Cases

When your family faces the trauma of hazing, you need advocates who understand both the human cost and the legal battlefield. The Manginello Law Firm (Attorney911) is uniquely equipped to be your guide and champion.

Our Proven Expertise in Institutional Litigation

• BP Texas City Explosion Litigation: We are one of the few Texas firms that took on BP, proving our capability against billion-dollar defendants with unlimited legal resources—just like national fraternities and major universities.
• Insurance Insider Knowledge: Our attorney, Mr. Lupe Peña (he/him), spent years as an insurance defense attorney for a national firm. He knows exactly how fraternity and university insurers evaluate claims, fight coverage, and attempt to delay. We use their playbook against them.
• Dual Civil & Criminal Capability: Founding partner Ralph Manginello is a member of the Harris County Criminal Lawyers Association (HCCLA). We understand the interplay between criminal hazing charges and civil lawsuits, allowing us to advise on all aspects of a case.
• A Dedicated Investigative Engine: We don’t just take a statement. We deploy our Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine to map organizational liability, subpoena national records, and recover deleted digital evidence.

We Speak Your Language

Mr. Peña is a fluent Spanish speaker, ensuring that Hispanic families in Matagorda County and across Texas can communicate comfortably and confidently during this stressful time. Hablamos Español.

“We Don’t Get Paid Unless We Win”

We work on a contingency fee basis for personal injury and hazing cases. This means you pay no upfront fees or hourly costs. Our fees come from a percentage of the recovery we secure for you. If we don’t win, you don’t pay. Learn more in our video, How Do Contingency Fees Work?

Take the First Step Toward Accountability: Contact Us Today

If your child from Matagorda County has been hazed, injured, or worse at a Texas university—whether at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, UT Austin, UH, or any other campus—you have the right to answers, accountability, and justice.

Call The Manginello Law Firm, PLLC (Attorney911) today at 1-888-ATTY-911 (1-888-288-9911) for a free, confidential consultation.

In your consultation, we will:

• Listen compassionately to your story.
• Explain your family’s legal rights under Texas law.
• Discuss the evidence we need to preserve immediately.
• Outline the potential legal strategies and pathways.
• Answer all your questions about the process, timeline, and costs.

We serve families across Texas from our offices in Houston, Austin, and Beaumont. Matagorda County is our community, and we are here to help you through this. Don’t let institutions silence you. Call us and let us fight for the accountability your family deserves.

Se habla Español. Contacte a Lupe Peña directamente a lupe@atty911.com.

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 Texas 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)
Direct: (713) 528-9070 | Cell: (713) 443-4781
Website: https://attorney911.com
Email: ralph@atty911.com (Ralph Manginello) | lupe@atty911.com (Lupe Peña)