Hazing in Montgomery County, Texas: The Definitive Guide for Families

If You Suspect Your Child Is Being Hazed, You Are Not Alone

It’s late on a Tuesday night in The Woodlands. Your phone buzzes with a text from your son, a freshman at the University of Houston. The message is cryptic, tinged with exhaustion and something else—fear. He’s “helping with a brotherhood event” and won’t be home. Earlier that week, you noticed unexplained bruises on his back he dismissed as “flag football.” In Conroe, a mother’s daughter, a Texas A&M hopeful in the Corps of Cadets, has stopped calling home altogether. When she does answer, her voice is flat, and she cuts conversations short, mentioning “mandatory training” at all hours. In Spring, parents watch their typically vibrant student withdraw, their grades plummeting, their personality hollowed out by what they only describe as “pledge responsibilities.”

This is the modern reality of hazing for families across Montgomery County—from the master-planned communities of The Woodlands to the rural stretches near Willis. It doesn’t always look like the Hollywood portrayals of fraternity parties. In 2025, hazing is digital, psychological, and often hidden in plain sight, disguised as “team building,” “tradition,” or “character development” at the very universities where Montgomery County parents trust their children’s futures.

Right now, just south of us in Harris County, our firm is fighting one of the most serious hazing cases in Texas history. We represent Leonel Bermudez, a University of Houston student who suffered catastrophic injuries—rhabdomyolysis and acute kidney failure—during his fall 2025 pledge period with the Pi Kappa Phi Beta Nu chapter. The allegations in this active $10 million lawsuit, detailed in Click2Houston and ABC13 coverage, include forced consumption of food until vomiting, hours of extreme calisthenics, sleep deprivation, and humiliation tactics like a mandatory “pledge fanny pack” filled with degrading items. This is happening here, in our region, at a major Texas university.

This guide is for you—the parents, grandparents, and families in Montgomery County, Texas, who need to understand what hazing truly looks like today, what the law says, and what options you have when the unthinkable happens to your child. We will cut through the university public relations statements and fraternity secrecy to give you the facts, the law, and the practical steps to protect your family.

Immediate Help for Hazing Emergencies in Montgomery County

If your child is in danger RIGHT NOW:

• Call 911 for medical emergencies. Do not let fear of “getting in trouble” delay care.
• Then call us: 1-888-ATTY-911 (1-888-288-9911). We are the Legal Emergency Lawyers™ for a reason.

In the first 48 hours, before evidence disappears:

1. Get Medical Attention: Even if injuries seem minor, go to the ER or urgent care. Tell doctors exactly what happened—”hazing”—so it’s documented. Montgomery County has excellent facilities like Houston Methodist The Woodlands Hospital or St. Luke’s Health – The Woodlands.
2. Preserve Digital Evidence: Screenshot EVERYTHING—GroupMe chats, texts, Instagram DMs, Snapchat messages. Follow our guide on using your phone to document evidence.
3. Document Physically: Photograph injuries from multiple angles. Save any clothing, paddles, or items involved. Write down names, dates, times, and locations while memory is fresh.
4. Do NOT: Confront the fraternity or sorority, sign anything from the university or an insurance adjuster, or post details on social media.
5. Contact a Hazing Lawyer: Evidence vanishes fast. Call us at 1-888-ATTY-911 for a confidential, immediate consultation. We serve families throughout Montgomery County and across Texas.

What Hazing Really Looks Like in 2025: Beyond the Stereotypes

For Montgomery County families, the word “hazing” might conjure images of movie scenes from decades past. The reality in 2025 is more insidious, often digital, and masked by language like “bonding” or “tradition.”

Hazing is any intentional, knowing, or reckless act—on or off campus—directed against a student for the purpose of joining, maintaining membership in, or holding office in any group, that endangers the student’s mental or physical health or safety. Under Texas law, even if your child “agreed,” it is still hazing.

The Modern Hazing Toolkit: What Montgomery County Parents Must Recognize

1. Digital Control & Psychological Hazing:

• 24/7 Group Chat Tyranny: Pledges are required to respond instantly to messages on GroupMe, WhatsApp, or Discord at all hours. Failure means punishment.
• Location Tracking: Mandatory use of Find My Friends, Life360, or Snapchat Maps so members always know where pledges are.
• Social Media Humiliation: Forced to post embarrassing content on TikTok or Instagram as “challenges.”
• Sleep Deprivation via Technology: Constant late-night “check-ins” and early-morning demands disrupt sleep and academics.

2. Disguised Physical Hazing:

• “Voluntary” Extreme Workouts: Framed as “fitness challenges” or “conditioning,” these involve hundreds of push-ups, squats, or runs until collapse, like those alleged in the UH Pi Kappa Phi case at Yellowstone Boulevard Park.
• Forced Consumption Rituals: Not just alcohol. As in the Bermudez case, pledges can be forced to eat massive quantities of specific foods (milk, hot dogs, peppercorns) until they are sick.
• Environmental Exposure: Being locked in cold rooms, left outside in inadequate clothing, or subjected to simulated “waterboarding” with a hose.

3. Coerced Alcohol & Substance Hazing (The Most Deadly):

• The “Big/Little” Night: A classic script where a pledge is given a handle of liquor to finish. This killed Stone Foltz at Bowling Green (Pi Kappa Alpha) and Andrew Coffey at Florida State (Pi Kappa Phi).
• Drinking Games as Punishment: “Bible study” or trivia where wrong answers mandate drinking. This killed Max Gruver at LSU (Phi Delta Theta).
• Lineups & Shots: Forced, rapid consumption in a group setting to prove loyalty.

Where Hazing Happens: It is not confined to social fraternities. Montgomery County students face risks in:

• Sororities
• Corps of Cadets & ROTC Programs
• Athletic Teams (from football to cheerleading)
• Spirit & Tradition Groups (like Texas Cowboys or Aggie Bonfire)
• Marching Bands & Performing Arts Groups
• Academic or Cultural Clubs

Texas Law & Liability: What Montgomery County Families Need to Know

Texas has specific laws governing hazing, found in the Education Code, Chapter 37, Subchapter F. Understanding this framework is your first step toward accountability.

The Texas Hazing Statute (Plain English Summary)

The law defines hazing broadly and includes critical provisions:

• Criminal Penalties: Hazing is a Class B Misdemeanor. If it causes injury requiring medical treatment, it’s a Class A Misdemeanor. If it causes serious bodily injury or death, it becomes a State Jail Felony.
• Consent is NOT a Defense: Texas law (§37.155) is explicit: “It is not a defense to prosecution that the person against whom the hazing was directed consented to the hazing activity.” The power imbalance and coercion inherent in pledging make true consent impossible.
• Individual & Organizational Liability: Both the people who commit hazing and the organization that authorizes or knowingly permits it can be held criminally and civilly liable.
• Immunity for Good Faith Reporting: The law protects those who report hazing in good faith. Many universities also have “medical amnesty” policies to encourage calling 911 without fear of minor-in-possession charges.

Criminal vs. Civil Cases: Two Paths to Accountability

Criminal Case:

• Brought by: The State of Texas (DA’s Office).
• Goal: Punishment (jail time, fines, probation).
• Charges: Can range from hazing and furnishing alcohol to a minor to assault, or even manslaughter in a death.
• Outcome for Families: While justice is important, a criminal case does not provide financial compensation for medical bills, trauma, or future care.

Civil Lawsuit:

• Brought by: The injured student or their family.
• Goal: Financial compensation (damages) and institutional accountability.
• Claims: Negligence, gross negligence, wrongful death, negligent supervision, premises liability, intentional infliction of emotional distress.
• Outcome for Families: Can recover costs for medical care, therapy, lost educational opportunities, pain and suffering, and in wrongful death cases, funeral expenses and loss of companionship. A civil suit can also force policy changes and public exposure.

These cases can proceed simultaneously. You do not need to wait for a criminal conviction to file a civil lawsuit.

Federal Laws That Apply on Texas Campuses

• The Stop Campus Hazing Act (2024): Requires colleges receiving federal funds to report hazing incidents more transparently and maintain public hazing data by 2026.
• Title IX: If hazing involves sexual harassment, assault, or gender-based discrimination, the university has specific federal obligations to respond.
• Clery Act: Requires universities to report certain crimes, including some hazing-related assaults, in annual security reports.

A Texas-Size Problem: Hazing at Our Major Universities

Montgomery County families send their children to universities across the state. The following major hubs, where our kids congregate, have documented histories of hazing incidents and litigation.

1. University of Houston: A Case Study from Our Backyard

For Montgomery County Families: UH is a direct commute for many of our students. The 2025 Pi Kappa Phi case is not an isolated incident but a symptom of a broader culture.

The Leonel Bermudez / Pi Kappa Phi Beta Nu Case (Our Active Litigation):
In late 2025, we filed a $10 million lawsuit on behalf of UH student Leonel Bermudez. As reported by Click2Houston and Hoodline, the hazing included:

• A degrading “pledge fanny pack” rule.
• Extreme physical workouts leading to rhabdomyolysis and kidney failure.
• Forced food consumption and simulated waterboarding.
• The chapter was suspended and then voted to surrender its charter in November 2025.

This case demonstrates the severe physical and psychological harm hazing can cause and the complex web of liability involving individual members, the local chapter, the national fraternity, the housing corporation, and the University of Houston itself.

UH’s Hazing Landscape: Beyond this case, UH has suspended chapters for hazing violations involving alcohol, physical abuse, and endangerment. Their Office of Dean of Students investigates reports, but internal discipline often lacks the transparency and accountability families seek.

2. Texas A&M University: Tradition, Corps, and Heightened Risk

For Montgomery County Families: Many Aggies hail from our county. The culture of tradition in College Station can sometimes mask abusive behaviors.

The Corps of Cadets Hazing Lawsuit (2023):
A former cadet filed a lawsuit alleging severe hazing, including being bound in a “roasted pig” position with an apple in his mouth and subjected to simulated sexual acts. The lawsuit sought over $1 million, highlighting that hazing extends far beyond Greek life.

Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE) Chemical Burns Case (2021):
Pledges alleged they were doused with a mixture containing industrial-strength cleaner, raw eggs, and spit, causing severe chemical burns requiring skin graft surgeries. The chapter was suspended, and a lawsuit was filed.

What This Means: Texas A&M presents a dual risk environment: the powerful Greek system and the intense, tradition-bound Corps of Cadets. Both have proven vulnerable to systemic hazing.

3. University of Texas at Austin: Transparency and Repeated Violations

For Montgomery County Families: UT Austin is a top destination. It also leads Texas in one area: publicly posting hazing violations.

UT’s Public Hazing Log:
Unlike most schools, UT maintains an online list of organizations found responsible for hazing. A snapshot reveals recurring issues:

• Pi Kappa Alpha (2023): New members directed to consume excessive milk and perform strenuous calisthenics. Sanction: Probation.
• Texas Wranglers (2023): Spirit group engaged in forced alcohol consumption and physical harassment. Sanction: Suspension.
• Numerous other fraternities, sororities, and spirit groups appear for alcohol hazing, forced workouts, and psychological abuse.

The Pattern: Public logging is commendable, but the repeat violations show sanctions like “probation” are often insufficient deterrents. This public record becomes powerful evidence in civil lawsuits, proving the university and organizations had knowledge of prior dangerous conduct.

4. Southern Methodist University & Baylor University: Private Schools, Similar Problems

Both SMU and Baylor, as private institutions, have faced hazing scandals that mirror the patterns at public universities.

• SMU: Kappa Alpha Order was suspended for paddling and alcohol hazing. The school utilizes anonymous reporting tools, but confidentiality can also shield patterns from public view.
• Baylor: The baseball team suspended 14 players following a 2020 hazing investigation. The university’s history with institutional response to crisis (the football sexual assault scandal) informs how it handles—and often seeks to contain—hazing allegations.

The National Fraternity & Sorority Playbook: Why History Matters for Your Case

When a Montgomery County student is hazed by a chapter of Pi Kappa Phi, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, or Pi Kappa Alpha, they are not experiencing an isolated “rogue” event. They are often subjected to a national playbook of high-risk behaviors that the national headquarters has seen cause death and injury repeatedly.

This national history is not just background; it is central to proving liability. In civil litigation, we use it to establish foreseeability—that the national organization knew or should have known its chapters were engaging in these dangerous rituals.

When we take a case, part of our investigation—using what we call our Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine—is to trace these national patterns and prove that the injury to your child was not a “freak accident,” but a predictable outcome of known, dangerous traditions that the national organization failed to eradicate.

The Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine: The Data Behind the Letters

Parents in Montgomery County deserve to know who they are really up against. Fraternities and sororities are not just social clubs; they are often complex networks of legal entities with tax IDs, insurance policies, and deep-pocketed national organizations. We maintain a proprietary database built from public records to map this landscape. Here is a snapshot relevant to Montgomery County families:

Public Records Directory: Greek Organizations in the Houston Metro & Statewide

Our data, compiled from IRS filings (B83 organizations) and commercial databases, tracks over 1,400 Greek-related entities across Texas. The Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land metro alone has 188 such organizations. Below are examples of the types of entities we identify in litigation—house corporations, alumni chapters, and educational foundations that can hold liability and insurance.

Houston-Area & Statewide Entity Examples:

• Pi Kappa Phi Delta Omega Chapter Building Corporation, EIN 37-1768785, Missouri City, TX 77459. (IRS B83 Filing)
• Beta Nu Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity Housing Corporation Inc, EIN 46-2267515, Frisco, TX 75035. (IRS B83 Filing)
• Texas District of Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity, Houston, TX. (Cause IQ Metro Listing)
• Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority – Beta Sigma Chapter, Houston, TX. (Cause IQ Metro Listing)
• Alpha Sigma Phi Fraternity Inc – Theta Delta Chapter, EIN 47-5370943, Houston, TX 77204. (IRS B83 Filing)

Why This Directory Matters: When your child is injured, the visible undergraduate members are often just the first layer. Real recovery and accountability require investigating and suing the correct legal entities: the housing corporation that owns the property, the alumni board that oversees the chapter, the national headquarters that sets policy, and the university that provides recognition. We start this investigation on day one.

Building a Powerful Hazing Case: Evidence, Strategy, and Damages

If your family is facing this crisis, understanding the legal process can reduce fear and empower you. Here is how we build a hazing case for Montgomery County families.

Phase 1: Immediate Evidence Preservation & Investigation

Digital evidence disappears in hours. We act fast to secure:

• Group Chats (GroupMe, WhatsApp, Discord): We obtain full logs, even deleted messages through digital forensics.
• Social Media: Archiving Instagram stories, TikTok videos, Snapchat memories, and Facebook posts that document events or discussions.
• Internal Documents: Subpoenaing chapter “pledge manuals,” meeting minutes, and communications with national headquarters.
• University Records: Using public records requests and discovery to obtain prior conduct reports on the organization—proving a pattern the university knew about.
• Witness Interviews: Speaking confidentially with other pledges, former members, and roommates who have critical information.

Phase 2: Identifying All Liable Parties

We cast a wide net to ensure full accountability and access to insurance coverage:

1. Individual Members & Officers: The ones who planned and carried out the acts.
2. The Local Chapter: As an unincorporated association or legal entity.
3. The National Fraternity/Sorority: For negligent supervision and failure to enforce its own policies.
4. The Housing Corporation/Alumni Board: The entity that owns the house and oversees chapter operations.
5. The University: For negligent supervision and deliberate indifference to known risks.
6. Third Parties: Property owners, security companies, or alcohol providers.

Phase 3: Calculating Damages – What Your Family Can Recover

The goal is to make your family whole and deter future conduct. Recoverable damages include:

Economic Damages (Quantifiable Bills & Losses):

• All past and future medical expenses (ER, hospitalization, surgery, therapy).
• Lost wages (for parents who miss work or the student’s lost summer job income).
• Lost educational costs (tuition for semesters withdrawn, lost scholarships).
• Future lost earning capacity (if injuries cause permanent disability).

Non-Economic Damages (The Human Cost):

• Physical pain and suffering from injuries.
• Emotional trauma, PTSD, anxiety, depression, and humiliation.
• Loss of enjoyment of life—the college experience that was stolen.
• In wrongful death cases: funeral costs and the family’s loss of love, companionship, and guidance.

Punitive Damages: In cases of especially reckless or malicious conduct, Texas law may allow damages to punish the wrongdoer and deter similar conduct in the future.

For Montgomery County Parents & Students: Practical Action Guides

A Parent’s Action Plan: The First 48 Hours

1. Prioritize Health & Safety: Get medical care immediately. A doctor’s report is critical evidence.
2. Become a Digital Archivist: Gently ask your child for their phone. Help them screenshot every relevant conversation. Do not delete anything.
3. Document the Physical: Take date-stamped photos of injuries. Write down everything your child tells you in a notebook.
4. Secure the Scene: If possible, preserve any physical items involved (specific clothing, alcohol bottles, paddles).
5. Contact an Attorney BEFORE Reporting: Once you report to the university, their legal team swings into action to protect the institution. Get your own advocate first. Call us at 1-888-ATTY-911.
6. Beware of “Friendly” Meetings: Do not let your child attend a “meeting to sort this out” with the chapter. This is where intimidation and cover-ups happen.

Critical Mistakes That Can Ruin a Hazing Case

We see families make these errors with the best intentions. Please avoid them:

• DELETING MESSAGES: “To protect privacy” or “move on.” This is evidence destruction.
• CONFRONTING THE CHAPTER: This triggers their defense lawyers and evidence destruction.
• SIGNING UNIVERSITY PAPERS: Schools may offer a quick “resolution” that waives your right to sue.
• POSTING ON SOCIAL MEDIA: Venting online gives defense attorneys ammunition.
• WAITING TO SEE WHAT THE UNIVERSITY DOES: Internal processes are designed to minimize scandal, not deliver justice.

For a detailed explanation of these pitfalls, watch our video on client mistakes that can ruin your injury case.

For the Student: How to Exit Safely & Protect Yourself

If you are being hazed:

• Your Safety Comes First: In an emergency, call 911. Good faith reporting laws offer protection.
• You Can Leave: Send a simple text or email: “I resign my membership/pledgeship effective immediately.” You do not owe an explanation.
• Preserve Evidence Secretly: Screenshot everything. Email screenshots to a trusted adult or a secret email account.
• Know Your Rights: “Consent” is not a defense for your abusers. You are the victim.

Why Montgomery County Families Choose Attorney911 for Hazing Cases

When your child has been betrayed by an institution they trusted, you need advocates who are not intimidated by powerful opponents. At The Manginello Law Firm, PLLC (Attorney911), we bring a unique combination of insider knowledge, hard-nosed litigation experience, and genuine compassion to hazing cases.

Our Proven Advantages for Your Fight:

1. Insurance Insider Knowledge (Mr. Lupe Peña’s Experience):
Mr. Peña (he/him) spent years as a defense attorney for a national insurance firm. He knows exactly how fraternity and university insurers will try to deny your claim, lowball settlements, and drag out cases. We know their playbook because we used to help write it. You can learn more about Mr. Peña’s background at https://attorney911.com/attorneys/lupe-pena/.

2. Complex Institutional Litigation Experience (Mr. Ralph Manginello’s Track Record):
Mr. Manginello is one of the few plaintiff attorneys in Texas who has taken on a corporate giant in the BP Texas City explosion litigation. Fighting a national fraternity or a major university system requires the same skill set: relentless investigation, mastery of complex evidence, and the willingness to go to trial against deep-pocketed defendants. Explore Mr. Manginello’s credentials at https://attorney911.com/attorneys/ralph-manginello/.

3. The Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine:
We don’t start from scratch. Our proprietary database of Greek organizations across Texas gives us an immediate investigative advantage. We know how to find the housing corporations, alumni associations, and national entities that hold liability.

4. Dual Civil & Criminal Expertise:
With Mr. Manginello’s membership in the Harris County Criminal Lawyers Association (HCCLA), we understand the interplay between criminal hazing charges and civil lawsuits. We can effectively advise families navigating both tracks.

5. Spanish-Language Services:
Mr. Peña speaks fluent Spanish. We are proud to serve Hispanic families across Montgomery County and Texas in their native language. Hablamos Español.

6. A Commitment to Justice, Not Just Settlements:
We are currently leading the fight in the Leonel Bermudez v. UH & Pi Kappa Phi case because we believe in holding every responsible party accountable—from the pledge master to the national headquarters. We aim for results that compensate your family and force change to protect other students.

Your Next Step: A Free, Confidential Consultation

If you are a parent in The Woodlands, Conroe, Spring, Magnolia, or anywhere in Montgomery County and you suspect or know your child has been hazed, time is your most critical—and fleeting—resource.

We offer a free, completely confidential consultation to evaluate your situation. In this meeting, we will:

• Listen to your story with compassion and without judgment.
• Explain your family’s legal rights under Texas law.
• Discuss the investigative process and what to expect.
• Outline the options, from demand letters to litigation.
• Explain our contingency fee structure: You pay nothing unless we win your case. Learn how this works in our video on contingency fees.

You have the right to answers. You have the right to accountability. You have the right to ensure no other family in our community endures this pain.

Contact The Manginello Law Firm, PLLC / Attorney911 Today.

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

We serve families across Texas from our offices in Houston, Austin, and Beaumont. Let us help you fight for justice.

Plain Text Links to Key Resources

News Coverage of the UH Pi Kappa Phi Case:

• Click2Houston Report: https://www.click2houston.com/news/local/2025/11/21/only-on-2-lawsuit-alleges-severe-hazing-at-university-of-houstons-pi-kappa-phi-chapter-fraternity/
• ABC13 Coverage: https://abc13.com/post/waterboarding-forced-eating-physical-punishment-lawsuit-alleges-abuse-faced-injured-pledge-uhs-pi-kappa-phi-fraternity/18186418/

Attorney911 Educational Videos:

• Using Your Phone for Evidence: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLbpzrmogTs
• Statute of Limitations in Texas: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRHwg8tV02c
• Client Mistakes to Avoid: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3IYsoxOSxY
• How Contingency Fees Work: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=upcI_j6F7Nc

Our Main Website & Attorney Profiles:

• Attorney911 Homepage: https://attorney911.com
• Ralph Manginello Profile: https://attorney911.com/attorneys/ralph-manginello/
• Lupe Peña Profile: https://attorney911.com/attorneys/lupe-pena/

Legal Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Reading this does not create an attorney-client relationship. Every case is fact-specific. For advice on your specific situation, please contact The Manginello Law Firm, PLLC for a consultation. Results depend on the facts of each case.