Hazing in Tarrant County, Texas: A Complete Legal Guide for Fort Worth Families

For parents in Fort Worth, Arlington, Keller, and across Tarrant County, the college dream can turn into a nightmare with one phone call. The text message you hoped would be about grades or weekend plans instead describes something darker: forced drinking, brutal workouts, humiliation, injury. Your child, who you sent to a Texas university to build their future, is now in a hospital bed with kidney failure, trauma, or worse. This is not a hypothetical fear—it is the reality facing Texas families right now. In November 2025, our firm filed a $10 million lawsuit on behalf of Leonel Bermudez, a University of Houston student who suffered catastrophic injuries during his Pi Kappa Phi fraternity pledge period. His story—involving a degrading “pledge fanny pack,” forced overconsumption leading to vomiting, extreme physical hazing, and a hospitalization for rhabdomyolysis and acute kidney failure—is your proof that severe, life-altering hazing is happening now at Texas universities.

This comprehensive guide is written specifically for Tarrant County families. We will explain what modern hazing truly looks like, break down your legal rights under Texas law, reveal the national fraternity histories behind the organizations on your child’s campus, and provide a practical roadmap for seeking accountability. Whether your student is at Texas Christian University here in Fort Worth, the University of Texas at Arlington, or has ventured to Texas A&M, UT Austin, or beyond, the institutions and organizations responsible for their harm can be held liable.

IMMEDIATE HELP FOR TARRANT COUNTY FAMILIES:

• If your child is in danger RIGHT NOW: Call 911, then call us at 1-888-ATTY-911.
• In the first 48 hours: Preserve all evidence—screenshot group chats (GroupMe, texts), photograph injuries, save physical items. Do not delete anything.
• Contact our firm: We serve Tarrant County from our Houston, Austin, and Beaumont offices. Call 1-888-ATTY-911 for a free, confidential case evaluation.

The Hazing Reality for Tarrant County Students: A Local Case Study

The allegations in the lawsuit we filed for Leonel Bermudez against the University of Houston and Pi Kappa Phi read like a parent’s worst fears. As reported by Click2Houston and ABC13, Bermudez’s pledge period in fall 2025 involved systematic abuse: carrying a humiliating “pledge fanny pack” 24/7, enduring forced dress codes and overnight driving duties, and suffering extreme physical hazing at locations including the Pi Kappa Phi house and Yellowstone Boulevard Park.

The physical abuse escalated to being sprayed in the face with a hose “similar to waterboarding,” forced consumption of milk, hot dogs, and peppercorns until vomiting, and a November 3rd workout involving 100+ push-ups and 500 squats under threat of expulsion. The medical result was catastrophic: rhabdomyolysis (severe muscle breakdown) and acute kidney failure. Bermudez passed brown urine, could not stand without help, and was hospitalized for four days with critically high creatine kinase levels, facing ongoing risk of permanent kidney damage.

This case is not an anomaly. It is a flagship example of the brutal hazing culture that exists within numerous national fraternities and sororities that also operate on campuses attended by Tarrant County students. For families in Fort Worth, Southlake, Grapevine, and Mansfield, this underscores a critical truth: the university your child attends does not have to be in Houston for them to face similar risks. The same national organizations, with the same dangerous traditions, recruit members at TCU, UT Arlington, and every major Texas school.

The Tarrant County Greek Ecosystem: A Web of Organizations

Tarrant County is at the heart of one of the nation’s most concentrated Greek life landscapes. According to our Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine—built from IRS public filings, university data, and metro-level intelligence—the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington metro area is home to approximately 510 Greek-related organizations. These are not just social clubs; they are legal entities with Employer Identification Numbers (EINs), mailing addresses, and often complex corporate structures designed to manage property and limit liability.

When a hazing incident occurs, identifying every potentially liable entity is the first strategic step. Our firm maintains a proprietary directory of these organizations. For Tarrant County families, this means we start an investigation with knowledge, not guesswork. Below is a snapshot of the type of public records we analyze, showing the depth and reach of the Greek system that touches your community.

Public Records: Fraternities, Sororities & Greek Organizations Connected to Tarrant County

The following are real entities recorded in IRS and public data filings. This illustrates the complex network behind the Greek letters your child might see on campus.

• Beta Upsilon Chi Fraternity, EIN 74-2911848, 12650 N Beach St #30, Suite 114, Fort Worth, TX 76244 (IRS B83 & Cause IQ Metro Listing)
• Texas Kappa Sigma Educational Foundation Inc, EIN 74-1380362, PO Box 470061, Fort Worth, TX 76147-0061 (IRS B83 Filing)
• Fort Worth Alumni Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Incorporated, EIN 75-2755600, PO Box 581, Fort Worth, TX 76101-0581 (IRS B83 Filing)
• Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, EIN 75-2609909, 1205 Monroe St, Commerce, TX 75428-2561 (IRS B83 Filing)
• Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc, EIN 45-3325054, PO Box 1312, Mansfield, TX 76063-0169 (IRS B83 Filing)
• Kappa Sigma Fraternity, EIN 75-6067776, 3128 Waits Ave, Fort Worth, TX 76109-2330 (IRS B83 Filing)
• Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity Texas Gamma Chapter, EIN 91-1981478, 2609 S University Dr, Fort Worth, TX 76109-1149 (IRS B83 Filing)
• Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Incorporated – Sigma Gamma Chapter, EIN 39-2352450, PO Box 540026, Houston, TX 77254-0026 (IRS B83 Filing)
• Kappa Alpha Order – Gamma Sigma Chapter, Canyon, TX (Cause IQ Metro Listing for West Texas A&M)
• Delta Tau Delta Fraternity – Gamma Iota Chapter, Austin, TX (Cause IQ Metro Listing for UT Austin)

This is merely a sample from a database tracking over 1,400 Greek organizations across 25 Texas metros. For a family in Burleson, Colleyville, or North Richland Hills, this data is power. It means that when hazing occurs, we can immediately begin mapping the organizational chart—from the local chapter officers, to the chapter housing corporation (like the “Beta Nu Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity Housing Corporation Inc” in Frisco, EIN 46-2267515), to the national headquarters and its insurers. We don’t start from zero.

Where Tarrant County Families Send Their Students: Campus Connections

Students from Tarrant County attend universities across the state, each with its own Greek life landscape and history of hazing incidents. Our legal strategy is informed by deep knowledge of these specific campuses.

Local and Regional Campuses:

• Texas Christian University (Fort Worth): A private university with a significant Greek life presence. Incidents have involved numerous fraternities and sororities over the years.
• University of Texas at Arlington (Arlington): A large public university with active IFC, NPHC, and multicultural Greek councils.
• Tarleton State University (Stephenville): Part of the Texas A&M System, with Greek life that includes historical hazing concerns.
• University of North Texas (Denton): A major university with extensive Greek life adjacent to Tarrant County.
• Texas Wesleyan University (Fort Worth): A smaller private campus with Greek organizations.

Major Statewide University Hubs:
Tarrant County students also populate the flagship campuses where some of the most severe hazing has occurred:

• University of Houston: Site of our active Leonel Bermudez/Pi Kappa Phi lawsuit.
• Texas A&M University (College Station): Notorious for high-risk traditions in the Corps of Cadets and fraternities, including lawsuits over severe physical and sexualized hazing.
• University of Texas at Austin: Maintains a public hazing violations log, showing repeated sanctions against fraternities like Pi Kappa Alpha for forced drinking and strenuous calisthenics.
• Baylor University (Waco): Has faced hazing scandals within its athletic programs.
• Southern Methodist University (Dallas): Has suspended fraternities like Kappa Alpha Order for paddling and forced drinking.

For a parent in Keller whose child is at Texas A&M or a family in Arlington with a student at UT, the hazing patterns at these schools are not abstract. They are documented, repeated, and form the basis for establishing that universities and national organizations had prior knowledge of risks—a key element in proving negligence.

Texas Hazing Law: What Tarrant County Families Must Know

Texas has specific laws governing hazing, found in the Texas Education Code, Chapter 37, Subchapter F. Understanding this framework is crucial for assessing your family’s legal options.

Key Provisions of Texas Hazing Law:

• Definition (Sec. 37.151): Hazing is any intentional, knowing, or reckless act directed against a student for the purpose of initiation or affiliation that endangers mental or physical health or safety. This applies on or off campus.
• Criminal Penalties (Sec. 37.152): Hazing is a Class B misdemeanor. It becomes a Class A misdemeanor if it causes injury and a state jail felony if it causes serious bodily injury or death.
• Consent is NOT a Defense (Sec. 37.155): It does not matter if your child “agreed” to participate. The law recognizes the power imbalance and coercion inherent in these situations.
• Organizational Liability (Sec. 37.153): Fraternities, sororities, and other student organizations can be prosecuted and fined up to $10,000 if they authorize or encourage hazing.
• Immunity for Reporting (Sec. 37.154): Individuals who in good faith report hazing or seek medical assistance are immune from civil or criminal liability related to that reporting.

Civil Liability Beyond Criminal Law:
A criminal case is brought by the state to punish wrongdoing. A civil lawsuit, which our firm handles, is brought by the victim and family to recover damages and force accountability. In a civil hazing case, we can sue a broader range of parties:

1. Individual Members: Those who planned, executed, or covered up the hazing.
2. The Local Chapter: As a legal entity.
3. The National Fraternity/Sorority: For negligent supervision, failure to enforce policies, and prior knowledge of dangerous traditions.
4. The University: For negligent supervision, deliberate indifference to known risks, or Title IX violations (if sexual harassment is involved).
5. Property Owners & Third Parties: Landlords of off-campus houses, alumni advisors, or event venues.

For Tarrant County residents, these cases would typically be filed in the county where the injury occurred or where a defendant resides. We are admitted to practice in courts across Texas, including federal courts, and have the resources to litigate wherever the case demands.

Building a Hazing Case: The Attorney911 Data-Driven Advantage

When you contact our firm after a hazing incident, we deploy a methodical, evidence-based strategy honed from years of complex litigation against powerful institutions. Our lead on the Bermudez case, Ralph Manginello, was one of the few plaintiff attorneys involved in the BP Texas City explosion litigation—we are not intimidated by large defense teams.

Our Investigative Process Leverages Local Intelligence:

1. Immediate Evidence Preservation: We guide you to secure digital evidence—GroupMe chats, text threads, Instagram stories, Snapchat memories—before it’s deleted. We work with digital forensics experts to recover deleted data when necessary.
2. Organizational Mapping: Using our Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine, we identify every entity behind the chapter involved: the local house corporation (often holding insurance), the alumni advisory board, the national headquarters, and its insurance carriers.
3. Pattern Evidence Discovery: We subpoena the national fraternity’s records to uncover prior hazing incidents at other chapters. This proves “foreseeability”—that the national organization knew its members were engaging in this dangerous conduct but failed to stop it. The national history of organizations like Pi Kappa Alpha (Stone Foltz death), Sigma Alpha Epsilon (multiple injuries), and Phi Delta Theta (Max Gruver death) becomes powerful evidence in your local case.
4. University Policy Analysis: We obtain the university’s internal conduct records for the chapter in question through discovery. A history of prior warnings or minor sanctions demonstrates the school’s knowledge of a problem, strengthening claims of negligent supervision.

Damages We Fight to Recover:
Hazing causes profound harm. We work with economists, life-care planners, and medical experts to fully document and value:

• Economic Damages: All medical expenses (ER, hospitalization, surgery, future care), lost wages, and loss of future earning capacity if injuries are permanent.
• Non-Economic Damages: Physical pain, emotional trauma, PTSD, humiliation, and loss of enjoyment of life.
• Wrongful Death Damages: In the ultimate tragedy, we seek compensation for funeral costs, loss of companionship, and the family’s profound grief.

Practical Steps for Tarrant County Parents & Students

If You Suspect or Discover Hazing:

1. Prioritize Safety & Health: If injured or intoxicated, go to the ER immediately. Tell medical staff the cause was “hazing” so it is documented.
2. Preserve Evidence: DO NOT let your child delete messages or group chats. Take screenshots. Photograph injuries. Save any physical items (pledge items, paddles, clothing).
3. Document Everything: Write down a timeline with names, dates, locations, and details while memories are fresh.
4. Seek Legal Counsel BEFORE Reporting: Contact us at 1-888-ATTY-911 before making formal statements to the university or police. We can help you navigate reporting to protect your rights and preserve evidence.
5. Beware of University “Internal Resolution”: Universities often seek quick, confidential resolutions that minimize their exposure. Do not sign any agreements or waivers without an attorney’s review.

Critical Mistakes to Avoid:

• Deleting evidence to “protect” the chapter or friends.
• Confronting the fraternity/sorority directly, which triggers their defense lawyers and evidence destruction.
• Posting details on social media, which defense attorneys will scour for inconsistencies.
• Waiting for the university to complete its investigation while the statute of limitations ticks and evidence disappears.

Why Tarrant County Families Choose Attorney911

Our firm was built for complex, high-stakes cases against well-funded institutional defendants. We bring unique advantages to hazing litigation:

• Insurance Insider Knowledge: Our attorney, Mr. Lupe Peña, spent years as a defense lawyer for national insurance companies. He knows exactly how fraternity and university insurers evaluate claims, fight coverage, and attempt to minimize payouts. We use this insider knowledge to counter their tactics.
• Proven Institutional Litigation Experience: Ralph Manginello’s experience in the BP Texas City explosion cases proves our capability against billion-dollar defendants. National fraternities and universities have deep pockets and aggressive lawyers—we have beaten them before.
• Data-Driven Investigation: We don’t start investigations from scratch. Our Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine, reflected in the public records data shared in this guide, gives us a foundational map of the Greek organizational landscape that we use to build your case.
• Dual Civil & Criminal Expertise: Ralph’s membership in the Harris County Criminal Lawyers Association (HCCLA) means we understand the criminal process that may run parallel to your civil case. We can advise on interactions with law enforcement and protect your interests in both arenas.
• Spanish-Language Services: Mr. Peña speaks fluent Spanish, ensuring all Tarrant County families can access expert legal counsel in the language they are most comfortable with.

Your Next Step: A Free, Confidential Consultation

If your child has been hazed at TCU, UT Arlington, Texas A&M, or any Texas campus, you are not alone. The path to accountability begins with a conversation.

We invite families from Fort Worth, Arlington, Mansfield, and all Tarrant County communities to contact us for a free, completely confidential consultation. In this meeting, we will:

• Listen carefully to your story.
• Review any evidence you have preserved.
• Explain your legal rights and options under Texas law.
• Outline our investigative strategy for your specific case.
• Answer all your questions about the process, timelines, and costs.

We work on a contingency fee basis for personal injury cases, meaning you pay no attorney fees unless we recover money for you.

Contact The Manginello Law Firm, PLLC / Attorney911 Today:
Call: 1-888-ATTY-911 (1-888-288-9911)
Direct: (713) 528-9070
Website: https://attorney911.com
Email: ralph@atty911.com or lupe@atty911.com
Se Habla Español: Mr. Lupe Peña provides full services in Spanish.

Let us use our experience, data, and determination to help your family find answers, secure the resources needed for recovery, and hold the responsible organizations accountable.

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)
Website: https://attorney911.com