The Complete Guide to Hazing Lawsuits & Fraternity Accountability for Red River County, Texas Families

A Parent’s Worst Nightmare: When “Tradition” Turns to Trauma in Texas

Imagine you’re a parent in Red River County. Your child, bright-eyed and excited, left for college to build a future. Then, the late-night call comes. Their voice is weak, confused. They’re in pain, talking about “mandatory” events, extreme exhaustion, and pressure they can’t escape. They mention a fraternity house, a “Big Brother” night, or a Corps “tradition” that went too far. You feel helpless, hundreds of miles away in Clarksville, Bogata, or Avery, while your child is suffering in a system that seems designed to protect itself.

This is not hypothetical. Right now, in Texas, we are fighting one of the most serious hazing cases in the country. We represent Leonel Bermudez, a University of Houston student who pledged the Pi Kappa Phi Beta Nu chapter in fall 2025. What was sold as brotherhood became a nightmare of systematic abuse that nearly killed him. The allegations are horrific: forced consumption of food until vomiting, followed by immediate sprints; being sprayed in the face with a hose “similar to waterboarding”; hog-tying of another pledge; and the “pledge fanny pack” rule requiring humiliating items be carried at all times. This culminated in Mr. Bermudez developing rhabdomyolysis (severe muscle breakdown) and acute kidney failure, passing brown urine, and requiring a four-day hospitalization. The chapter is now shut down, and we have filed a $10 million lawsuit against the university, the national fraternity, and individual members.

If you are a parent in Red River County—from the agricultural communities around Detroit to the quiet neighborhoods of Clarksville—this case proves that the hazing epidemic reaches every corner of Texas. Your child may attend the University of Texas at Austin, Texas A&M University, or a regional campus like Texas A&M University-Commerce. Wherever they are, the same dangerous dynamics exist. This comprehensive guide is written specifically for Red River County families to understand what hazing really looks like in 2025, how Texas law protects your child, and what legal options you have when institutions fail.

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:

  • Get medical attention immediately, even if the student insists they are “fine.”
  • Preserve evidence BEFORE it’s deleted:
    • Screenshot group chats, texts, DMs immediately.
    • Photograph injuries from multiple angles.
    • Save physical items (clothing, receipts, objects).
  • Write down everything while memory is fresh (who, what, when, where).
  • Do NOT:
    • Confront the fraternity/sorority.
    • Sign anything from the university or insurance company.
    • Post details on public social media.
    • Let your child delete messages or “clean up” evidence.

• Contact an experienced hazing attorney within 24–48 hours. We can help preserve evidence and protect your child’s rights. Call 1-888-ATTY-911 for immediate consultation.

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

For families in Red River County, hazing might conjure images of outdated movie scenes. The reality in 2025 is more insidious, more digital, and often disguised as “team building” or “tradition.” Hazing is any forced, coerced, or strongly pressured action tied to joining, keeping membership, or gaining status in a group, where the behavior endangers physical or mental health, humiliates, or exploits. Critically, a student saying “I agreed to it” does not make it legal or safe when there is overwhelming peer pressure and power imbalance.

The Modern Hazing Playbook: Four Dangerous Categories

1. Alcohol and Substance Hazing: This remains the most common and deadliest form. It includes forced chugging, “lineup” drinking games, “Big/Little” nights with handles of liquor, and “Bible study” or trivia games where wrong answers mean drinking. The goal is often rapid incapacitation.

2. Physical Hazing: Beyond paddling, this now includes “smokings” (extreme, punitive calisthenics), sleep deprivation for days, food/water restriction, exposure to extreme elements, and dangerous “tests” like blindfolded tackles. In the Bermudez case, this included 100+ push-ups and 500 squats in a single session.

3. Psychological & Sexualized Hazing: This involves humiliation, verbal abuse, isolation, forced nudity, simulated sexual acts, and degredation with racial or sexist overtones. The “pledge fanny pack” with condoms and sex toys is a prime example of designed humiliation.

4. Digital Hazing: A 2025 evolution. Pledges are monitored 24/7 via GroupMe or WhatsApp, required to share live locations, forced to post embarrassing content on social media, and subjected to “challenges” shared in group chats. Evidence is often digital, but deleted quickly.

These acts don’t just happen in fraternity houses. They occur in sororities, Corps of Cadets programs, athletic teams, spirit groups, marching bands, and other campus organizations. The common threads are secrecy, power imbalance, and the exploitation of a desire to belong.

The Texas Law & Liability Framework: What Red River County Families Need to Know

Texas has strong legal tools to combat hazing, but they only work if families understand and use them. The governing law is the Texas Education Code, Chapter 37, Subchapter F.

Texas Hazing Law (Plain English Summary)

Definition: Hazing is any intentional, knowing, or reckless act, on or off campus, that endangers the mental or physical health of a student for the purpose of initiation, affiliation, or membership in any organization.

Key Provisions for Red River County Families:

• Criminal Penalties: Hazing is a Class B misdemeanor. It becomes a Class A misdemeanor if it causes injury requiring medical treatment, and a STATE JAIL FELONY if it causes serious bodily injury or death. Individuals can also be charged for failing to report hazing they knew about.
• Organizational Liability: The fraternity, sorority, or club itself can be prosecuted and fined up to $10,000 per violation if it authorized or encouraged the hazing.
• Consent is NOT a Defense: Texas law is crystal clear in §37.155: “It is not a defense to prosecution that the person against whom the hazing was directed consented to the hazing activity.” This directly counters the “they wanted to do it” argument.
• Immunity for Good-Faith Reporting: A person who reports hazing in good faith to university or law enforcement is immune from civil or criminal liability resulting from the report. This encourages bystanders and victims to call for help.

Criminal vs. Civil Cases: Two Paths to Accountability

It’s crucial to understand the difference, as both often proceed simultaneously.

• Criminal Cases: Brought by the State of Texas (e.g., Red River County District Attorney or county attorney). The goal is punishment: jail time, fines, probation. Charges can include hazing, furnishing alcohol to minors, assault, and in fatalities, manslaughter.
• Civil Cases: Brought by the victim or their family. The goal is compensation for damages and institutional accountability. This is where a law firm like ours proves vital. We build cases for negligence, gross negligence, wrongful death, negligent supervision, and emotional distress against all responsible parties.

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

Federal law adds another layer of protection and reporting requirements:

• Stop Campus Hazing Act (2024): Requires colleges receiving federal aid to report hazing incidents more transparently and maintain public hazing data, strengthening prevention.
• Title IX: If hazing involves sexual harassment or gender-based hostility, the university has specific, mandatory response obligations.
• Clery Act: Requires reporting of certain crimes on campus; hazing incidents often overlap with assault or alcohol crimes that must be disclosed.

Who Can Be Held Liable in a Civil Hazing Lawsuit?

A thorough investigation identifies every potentially responsible entity, which is why our Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine is so critical. Targets can include:

1. Individual Students: Those who planned, executed, or covered up the hazing.
2. Local Chapter: The fraternity/sorority chapter as an entity.
3. National Headquarters: For failing to supervise, enforce policies, or act on prior knowledge. In the Bermudez case, Pi Kappa Phi national is a defendant.
4. The University: For negligent supervision, deliberate indifference to known risks, or failure to enforce its own policies. The University of Houston and its Board of Regents are named defendants.
5. Alumni/Housing Corporations: Separate legal entities that own property or support the chapter. The Pi Kappa Phi Beta Nu Housing Corporation is also a defendant.
6. Third Parties: Landlords of off-campus houses, bars that overserved alcohol, or security companies.

National Hazing Case Patterns: The Scripts That Keep Repeating

The tragic cases below are not ancient history. They are the blueprint for what happens when hazing is tolerated. They also show the legal precedents and settlement ranges that Texas families can reference.

The Alcohol Poisoning Death Pattern

• Timothy Piazza – Penn State, Beta Theta Pi (2017): Died from traumatic brain injury after a bid-acceptance night of forced drinking. Brothers delayed calling 911 for hours. Result: Dozens of criminal charges, civil settlements, and Pennsylvania’ “Timothy J. Piazza Anti-Hazing Law.”
• Max Gruver – LSU, Phi Delta Theta (2017): Died from alcohol poisoning after a “Bible study” drinking game. Result: Felony convictions and the Max Gruver Act in Louisiana. His family later won a $6.1 million verdict.
• Stone Foltz – Bowling Green State, Pi Kappa Alpha (2021): Died after being forced to drink a bottle of alcohol. Result: Multiple convictions and a $10 million total settlement ($7M from national Pike, ~$3M from BGSU).
• Andrew Coffey – Florida State, Pi Kappa Phi (2017): Died from acute alcohol poisoning during a “Big Brother” event.

The Physical & Ritualized Hazing Pattern

• Chun “Michael” Deng – Baruch College, Pi Delta Psi (2013): Died from brain injury during a blindfolded “glass ceiling” ritual at a retreat. Result: The national fraternity was criminally convicted and banned from Pennsylvania for 10 years.

The Catastrophic Injury Pattern

• Danny Santulli – Univ. of Missouri, Phi Gamma Delta (2021): Suffered permanent, severe brain damage from forced drinking. Result: Settlements with 22 defendants, requiring lifetime 24/7 care.
• Texas A&M Sigma Alpha Epsilon (2021): Pledges suffered severe chemical burns requiring skin grafts after substances including industrial cleaner were poured on them. A $1 million lawsuit was filed.

What This Means for Red River County: These cases prove that hazing deaths and injuries are foreseeable. National fraternities know these “traditions” are lethal. When they fail to eradicate them, they can be held accountable. The settlements and verdicts—ranging from $375,000 to over $14 million—show what is possible when families fight back with experienced counsel.

Texas University Focus: Where Red River County Students Are at Risk

Red River County students proudly attend universities across Texas. Understanding the specific landscape at these schools is the first step toward protection and accountability.

For Red River County Families: Your Child’s Likely Pathways

Students from our county often pursue higher education at a mix of regional and flagship institutions:

• Regional & Nearby Campuses: Texas A&M University-Commerce, the University of Texas at Tyler, and Texas Tech University are common choices for their proximity and programs.
• Major Statewide Hubs: Many Red River County families have children at Texas A&M University in College Station, the University of Texas at Austin, the University of Houston, Texas Tech University in Lubbock, and Baylor University in Waco.
• Other Texas Schools: Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, Midwestern State University in Wichita Falls, and others also draw from our community.

The hazing risk exists at all of them. Below, we focus on the major hubs with significant Greek and organizational life.

University of Houston (UH) – A Case Study in Crisis

The ongoing Bermudez case makes UH a critical focus. The alleged hazing occurred at the Pi Kappa Phi house, a Culmore Drive residence, and Yellowstone Boulevard Park. This was not a hidden secret; it was a system. UH called the conduct “deeply disturbing” after the chapter was shut down. For families, this underscores that even in a major urban university, dangerous hazing persists. UH has multiple fraternities and sororities, and prior incidents—like a 2016 Pi Kappa Alpha case where a pledge suffered a lacerated spleen—show a pattern.

Texas A&M University – Corps Culture and Greek Life

Texas A&M’s unique Corps of Cadets culture and massive Greek system present dual risks. In a 2023 lawsuit, a cadet alleged being bound in a “roasted pig” position with an apple in his mouth. The 2021 Sigma Alpha Epsilon chemical burn case shows severe physical hazing in the Greek system. For Red River County families with Aggies, understanding that hazing can exist in both the Corps and fraternities is vital.

University of Texas at Austin – Transparency and Repeated Violations

UT Austin maintains a public Hazing Violations page, which is more transparent than most. Entries show repeated patterns: Pi Kappa Alpha (2023) sanctioned for forcing new members to drink milk and perform strenuous calisthenics; other groups punished for forced workouts and alcohol hazing. This public record is a powerful tool for proving a chapter or organization’s prior knowledge of problems.

Baylor University & Southern Methodist University (SMU)

At these private institutions, hazing persists within tightly knit communities. Baylor suspended baseball players for hazing in 2020. SMU’s Kappa Alpha Order chapter was suspended in 2017 for paddling and forced drinking. The private status of these schools can make internal investigations less transparent, increasing the need for independent legal discovery.

The Organizations Behind the Letters: A Data-Driven Look for Red River County

National histories matter because they show patterns of known, reckless behavior. When a chapter at UT or A&M repeats the same dangerous “tradition” that killed a student at another school, it demonstrates foreseeability and negligence. Our firm maintains a Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine built from public records to track these entities. This is not speculation; it’s data.

Public Records Directory: Fraternities, Sororities & Greek Organizations Connected to Texas Campuses

As a service to Red River County parents, we are sharing a fraction of the public data we track. This illustrates the complex web of legally registered entities behind Greek life. These are recorded in IRS filings (B83 organizations) and commercial databases, showing the infrastructure that exists in Texas.

Sample Texas-Registered Greek Entities (IRS B83 Data):

• Beta Nu Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity Housing Corporation Inc – EIN 462267515 – 10601 Big Horn Trl, Frisco, TX 75035 (IRS B83 filing)
• Pi Kappa Phi Delta Omega Chapter Building Corporation – EIN 371768785 – 4102 Eastshore St, Missouri City, TX 77459 (IRS B83 filing)
• Kappa Sigma – Mu Camma Chapter Inc – EIN 133048786 – 3007 Earl Rudder Fwy S, College Station, TX 77845 (IRS B83 filing)
• Sigma Chi Fraternity Epsilon Xi Chapter – EIN 746084905 – 4300 Martin Luther King Blvd, Houston, TX 77204 (IRS B83 filing)
• Texas Kappa Sigma Educational Foundation Inc – EIN 741380362 – PO Box 470061, Fort Worth, TX 76147 (IRS B83 filing)
• Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi – EIN 900293166 – 114 Henderson Hall 4233 TAMU, College Station, TX 77843 (IRS B83 filing for Texas A&M)
• Alpha Sigma Phi Fraternity Inc – EIN 475370943 – 5019 Calhoun Rd, Houston, TX 77204 (IRS B83 filing, Theta Delta chapter)
• Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity Texas Gamma Chapter – EIN 911981478 – 2609 S University Dr, Fort Worth, TX 76109 (IRS B83 filing)

Metro-Level Greek Presence (From Cause IQ Data):

• The Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington Metro has over 510 Greek-related organizations.
• The Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land Metro has 188 such organizations.
• The Austin-Round Rock Metro has 154, and the San Antonio Metro has 86.

This data matters because each entity—whether a housing corporation, alumni chapter, or educational foundation—can hold insurance, assets, and legal responsibility. When we take a case, we don’t just sue the obvious names; we use this intelligence to identify every entity with potential liability.

National Patterns of Key Organizations at Texas Schools

• Pi Kappa Alpha (ΠΚΑ): National pattern of alcohol hazing deaths (Stone Foltz, David Bogenberger). Present at UH, A&M, UT, SMU, Baylor.
• Sigma Alpha Epsilon (ΣΑΕ): Multiple hazing deaths and severe injury lawsuits nationwide, including the chemical burn case at Texas A&M and a traumatic brain injury suit at University of Alabama.
• Pi Kappa Phi (ΠΚΦ): Andrew Coffey’s death at FSU; now the subject of our active Bermudez lawsuit at UH.
• Phi Delta Theta (ΦΔΘ): Max Gruver’s death at LSU led to felony hazing law.
• Kappa Alpha Order (ΚΑ): History of paddling and physical hazing; suspended at SMU in 2017.

For Red River County parents, the takeaway is this: the fraternity or sorority your child is joining has a national history. That history can be used to prove the organization knew the risks and failed to prevent them.

Building a Hazing Case: Evidence, Strategy, and Damages

When a family from Red River County comes to us, we follow a meticulous, evidence-driven process honed over decades of complex litigation, including our work on the BP Texas City explosion cases. We fight institutions with the same intensity.

The Evidence That Wins Cases

1. Digital Communications: GroupMe, WhatsApp, iMessage, Discord, and social media DMs. We use digital forensics to recover deleted messages.
2. Photos & Videos: Content filmed by members, security footage, Ring camera data.
3. Internal Documents: Pledge manuals, “tradition” lists, emails between officers and nationals.
4. University Records: Prior conduct files, Clery reports, internal investigation documents obtained via discovery.
5. Medical Records: ER reports, toxicology, psychiatric evaluations for PTSD, records documenting conditions like rhabdomyolysis.
6. Witness Testimony: Other pledges, former members, roommates, RAs.

Categories of Recoverable Damages

In a civil lawsuit, the law allows families to seek compensation for:

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

Cases with severe injury or death have resulted in settlements and verdicts from $1 million to over $14 million, depending on the facts.

Overcoming Institutional Defense Tactics

Universities and national fraternities have sophisticated defenses. Our insider knowledge is key:

• Mr. Lupe Peña, our associate attorney, spent years as an insurance defense attorney for national firms. He knows exactly how insurance companies will try to deny coverage, undervalue claims, and drag out cases.
• We anticipate arguments like “the student consented,” “it was off-campus,” or “it was a rogue chapter.” Texas law and prior case history help us defeat these.
• We identify all insurance policies—from nationals, housing corporations, and universities—to ensure maximum coverage is pursued.

Practical Guides & FAQs for Red River County Parents and Students

For Parents: Warning Signs and Action Steps

Warning Signs:

• Unexplained injuries, bruises, or burns.
• Extreme fatigue, sleep deprivation.
• Sudden secrecy or withdrawal from family.
• Personality changes: anxiety, depression, irritability.
• Constant, anxious phone use for group chats.
• Financial drains for unexplained “fines” or purchases.

What to Do:

1. Talk Calmly: Ask open-ended questions. “Has anything made you uncomfortable?” “Do you feel safe?”
2. Preserve Evidence: If they share texts, screenshot immediately. Photograph injuries.
3. Seek Medical Care: Even if they resist. Document everything.
4. Contact an Attorney Before Reporting: We can guide you on how to report to the university or police without compromising evidence or your position.
5. Do Not Confront the Organization: This triggers evidence destruction and witness coaching.

For Students: Is This Hazing?

If you answer YES to any of these, you are likely being hazed:

• Are you being pressured or forced to do something dangerous, degrading, or illegal?
• Would you do this if there were no social consequences for saying no?
• Are you told to keep secrets from the university, your parents, or outsiders?
• Are older members making you do things they don’t have to do?

Your Rights:

• You have the right to leave and quit at any time.
• Texas law protects good-faith reporters from liability.
• You can seek a no-contact order if you face retaliation.

Critical Mistakes That Can Ruin a Hazing Case

1. Deleting Evidence: Screenshot everything first. Deletion looks like a cover-up.
2. Confronting the Fraternity/Sorority: They will immediately lawyer up and destroy evidence.
3. Signing University Paperwork: Do not sign any “resolution” or waiver without an attorney.
4. Posting on Social Media: Defense attorneys monitor everything. Inconsistencies hurt credibility.
5. Waiting Too Long: Evidence disappears, witnesses graduate, and the 2-year statute of limitations passes.

Frequently Asked Questions

“Can we sue a public university like Texas A&M or UT?”
Yes. While sovereign immunity offers some protection, exceptions exist for gross negligence, Title IX violations, and when suing individual employees. These cases often result in substantial settlements.

“How long do we have to file a lawsuit?”
Generally, two years from the date of injury in Texas. However, complexities like the discovery rule or ongoing cover-ups can affect this. Act immediately.

“What if it happened at an off-campus house or Airbnb?”
Location does not shield organizations from liability. Nationals and universities can still be responsible based on their sponsorship and control. The Pi Delta Psi case that resulted in a death occurred at a remote retreat.

“Will our name be public?”
Most cases settle confidentially. We prioritize your family’s privacy and can seek sealed court records.

Why Attorney911 Is the Right Firm for Red River County Hazing Cases

When your family faces a hazing crisis, you need more than a general personal injury lawyer. You need attorneys who understand how powerful institutions fight—and how to win anyway. The Manginello Law Firm, PLLC (Attorney911) brings a unique combination of insider knowledge, trial experience, and investigative depth to hazing litigation.

Our Proven Advantages for Texas Families:

1. Insurance Insider Knowledge: Mr. Lupe Peña spent years as a defense attorney for national insurance companies. He knows exactly how fraternity and university insurers will try to deny, delay, and undervalue claims. We know their playbook because we used to run it.

2. Complex Institutional Litigation Experience: Managing Partner Ralph Manginello was one of the few Texas attorneys involved in the BP Texas City explosion litigation. We have faced billion-dollar defendants with unlimited legal budgets. We are not intimidated by national fraternities or university regents.

3. Active, High-Stakes Hazing Litigation: We are not theorizing about hazing law; we are practicing it at the highest level right now. We lead the litigation team for Leonel Bermudez in his $10 million lawsuit against the University of Houston and Pi Kappa Phi. This case is your proof of our serious capability.

4. Data-Driven Investigation: We built and maintain the Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine—a proprietary database of over 1,400 Greek organizations across 25 Texas metros, built from IRS records, university data, and public filings. We don’t start from scratch; we start with intelligence.

5. Dual Civil & Criminal Expertise: Ralph’s membership in the Harris County Criminal Lawyers Association (HCCLA) means we understand the criminal side of hazing charges, which often runs parallel to civil cases. We can advise on the full legal landscape.

6. Full-Service Personal Injury Power: Our multi-million dollar results in wrongful death, catastrophic injury, offshore, and refinery cases prove we can handle the most complex damages calculations, including lifetime care needs and economic loss.

7. Spanish-Language Services: Mr. Peña habla Español fluently. We are committed to serving all Texas families.

A Call to Action for Red River County

If you are in Clarksville, Detroit, Bagwell, or anywhere in Red River County and you suspect your child has been hazed at any Texas campus, you are not alone. The silence and fear that surround hazing are what allow it to continue. We are here to break that cycle.

We offer a free, confidential, no-obligation consultation. In that meeting, we will:

• Listen compassionately to your story.
• Review any evidence you have.
• Explain all your legal options clearly.
• Discuss our contingency fee structure—you pay nothing unless we recover money for you.
• Help you plan the next steps to protect your child and hold the responsible parties accountable.

You don’t have to navigate this nightmare alone. Contact the hazing litigation team that is fighting the battle right now.

Call Attorney911 Today: 1-888-ATTY-911 (1-888-288-9911)

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