The Complete Guide to Hazing Lawsuits for Windthorst, Texas Families: University Accountability & Legal Rights

If you are a parent in Windthorst, Archer County, your greatest fear may be receiving a call that your child has been hurt at college. For many Texas families in communities like ours, sending a child to a state university represents a proud milestone. Yet, beneath the surface of tradition and campus life lies a dangerous reality: hazing persists within fraternities, sororities, Corps programs, and athletic teams, causing severe injuries and deaths. Right now, in Texas, we are fighting one of the most serious hazing cases in the country, representing Leonel Bermudez against the University of Houston and the Pi Kappa Phi fraternity. This isn’t a distant news story; it’s proof of the immediate, catastrophic harm happening at Texas schools where Windthorst students study. This guide is for you—the parents, families, and students in Windthorst and across Texas—to understand what hazing truly looks like in 2025, your legal rights under Texas law, and how to seek accountability when universities and Greek organizations fail to protect your child.

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:
  • Evidence disappears fast (deleted group chats, destroyed paddles, coached witnesses).
  • Universities move quickly to control the narrative.
  • We can help preserve evidence and protect your child’s rights.
  • Call 1-888-ATTY-911 for immediate consultation.

Hazing in 2025: It’s Not Just “Boys Will Be Boys”

For Windthorst families, the term “hazing” might conjure images of outdated pranks or harmless initiations. The reality in 2025 is far more sinister, systemic, and digitally enabled. Hazing is any intentional, knowing, or reckless act that endangers the mental or physical health of a student for the purpose of joining or maintaining membership in a group. Crucially, under Texas law, a victim’s “consent” is not a defense.

Modern hazing falls into three escalating tiers:

Tier 1: Subtle Hazing – The “Gateway”
This includes power imbalances often dismissed as tradition: forced servitude (24/7 chauffeur duties, cleaning members’ rooms), social isolation, carrying degrading “pledge fanny packs,” mandatory all-night study sessions that interfere with academics, and deceptive secrecy oaths. Digitally, it manifests as constant GroupMe monitoring, required location-sharing via Snapchat Maps, and social media policing.

Tier 2: Harassment Hazing – Creating a Hostile Environment
This causes clear emotional or physical discomfort: sleep deprivation via 3 AM wake-up calls, verbal abuse and “grilling” sessions, food/water restriction, forced consumption of vile substances (spoiled milk, hot sauce), and extreme calisthenics (“smokings”) framed as “conditioning.” Public humiliation, like forced embarrassing performances, is common.

Tier 3: Violent Hazing – High Potential for Catastrophe
These acts carry immediate risk of severe injury or death, as seen in the active University of Houston case we are litigating. They include:

• Forced Alcohol Consumption: “Big/Little” nights with handles of liquor, “Bible study” drinking games, lineups, and keg stands until collapse.
• Physical Beatings: Paddling, punching, kicking, and “branding.”
• Dangerous Tests: Blindfolded tackle rituals (“glass ceiling”), forced fights, swimming while intoxicated.
• Sexualized Hazing: Forced nudity, simulated sexual acts, sexual assault.
• Environmental Abuse: Locking pledges in freezing rooms, exposure to extreme cold/heat without protection.
• Chemical Hazing: Pouring industrial cleaners or other caustic substances on victims, leading to severe burns.

Today, hazing occurs not only in fraternities and sororities but also in athletic teams, Corps of Cadets programs, spirit groups like Texas Cowboys, marching bands, and other campus organizations. The common threads are coercion, secrecy, and the tragic prioritization of tradition over safety.

Texas Hazing Law & Liability: What Windthorst Families Need to Know

Texas has specific statutes to combat hazing, primarily under Education Code Chapter 37, Subchapter F. Understanding this framework is crucial for families seeking justice.

The Texas Law (Plain English Summary):

• Definition (Sec. 37.151): Hazing is any intentional, knowing, or reckless act, on or off campus, that endangers a student’s mental or physical health for the purpose of initiation, affiliation, or membership in any organization.
• Criminal Penalties (Sec. 37.152): Hazing is a Class B misdemeanor. It becomes a Class A misdemeanor if it causes injury requiring medical treatment. If it causes serious bodily injury or death, it is a state jail felony. Individuals who fail to report hazing or retaliate against reporters also face misdemeanor charges.
• Organizational Liability (Sec. 37.153): The fraternity, sorority, or club itself can be prosecuted and fined up to $10,000 if it authorized or encouraged the hazing, or if an officer knew and failed to report it.
• Consent is NOT a Defense (Sec. 37.155): Even if your child “agreed” to participate, it is not a legal defense against hazing charges. The law recognizes the power imbalance and coercion inherent in these situations.
• Good-Faith Reporting Immunity (Sec. 37.154): Individuals who report hazing in good faith to university officials or law enforcement are immune from civil or criminal liability for the report itself. Many universities also have medical amnesty policies to encourage calling 911.

Criminal vs. Civil Cases: Two Paths to Accountability

• Criminal Cases: Brought by the state (DA’s office). Aim to punish perpetrators with jail time, fines, and probation. Charges can include hazing, furnishing alcohol to minors, assault, and even manslaughter.
• Civil Lawsuits: Brought by victims and their families. Aim to secure compensation for damages and hold all responsible parties accountable. These cases target not only the individuals who committed the acts but also the local chapter, national headquarters, and the university for negligence, negligent supervision, and wrongful death.

Federal Law Overlay:

• Stop Campus Hazing Act (2024): Requires colleges receiving federal aid to report hazing incidents more transparently and strengthen prevention programs, with full implementation by 2026.
• Title IX & Clery Act: If hazing involves sexual harassment or assault, Title IX obligations are triggered. The Clery Act requires reporting of certain campus crimes, which can include hazing-related assaults.

The National Hazing Crisis: Patterns That Repeat in Texas

Major national cases are not abstract tragedies; they are blueprints for the patterns of negligence and injury we see at Texas universities. These cases establish legal precedents and show the predictable nature of hazing harm.

The Alcohol Poisoning Pattern:

• Timothy Piazza (Penn State, Beta Theta Pi, 2017): Died after a bid-acceptance drinking event; brothers delayed calling 911 for hours. Resulted in the Timothy J. Piazza Anti-Hazing Law in Pennsylvania and numerous criminal convictions.
• Max Gruver (LSU, Phi Delta Theta, 2017): Died during a “Bible study” drinking game. Led to Louisiana’s Max Gruver Act, a felony hazing statute.
• Stone Foltz (Bowling Green State, Pi Kappa Alpha, 2021): Died after being forced to drink a bottle of alcohol. His family reached a $10 million settlement ($7M from nationals, ~$3M from BGSU). The chapter president was later ordered to pay $6.5 million personally.

The Physical & Ritualized Violence Pattern:

• Chun “Michael” Deng (Baruch College, Pi Delta Psi, 2013): Died from traumatic brain injury after a blindfolded “glass ceiling” ritual at a retreat. The national fraternity was convicted of aggravated assault and involuntary manslaughter—a landmark for organizational criminal liability.

The Athletic Program Hazing Pattern:

• Northwestern University Football (2023-2025): Widespread allegations of sexualized and racist hazing led to multiple lawsuits, the firing of the head coach, and confidential settlements, proving hazing is endemic in high-profile sports.

These cases prove that hazing deaths and injuries are foreseeable and preventable. National organizations and universities are on notice. When the same patterns emerge at UH, Texas A&M, or UT Austin, it forms the basis for claims of gross negligence and conscious indifference.

Texas University Spotlight: Where Windthorst Students Study

Windthorst families often send their children to major state universities and regional campuses. The hazing risk at these schools is real and documented.

The Flagship Case: University of Houston & Leonel Bermudez

We are currently litigating one of Texas’s most severe active hazing cases. In late 2025, we filed a $10 million lawsuit on behalf of Leonel Bermudez against the University of Houston, the Pi Kappa Phi national headquarters, its Beta Nu housing corporation, the UH System Board of Regents, and 13 individual fraternity leaders.

The Hazing: Mr. Bermudez’s fall 2025 pledge period involved degrading “pledge fanny packs,” enforced dress codes, overnight driving duties, and extreme physical abuse. This included being sprayed in the face with a hose “similar to waterboarding,” forced consumption of milk, hot dogs, and peppercorns until vomiting, and a November 3 workout of 100+ push-ups and 500 squats under threat of expulsion. Another pledge was hog-tied face-down on a table for over an hour.

The Catastrophe: The extreme exertion caused Bermudez to develop rhabdomyolysis (severe muscle breakdown) and acute kidney failure. He passed brown urine, could not stand, and was hospitalized for four days with critically high creatine kinase levels, facing a risk of permanent kidney damage.

The Institutional Response: Pi Kappa Phi HQ suspended the chapter on November 6, 2025. On November 14, chapter members voted to surrender their charter, shutting it down. UH called the conduct “deeply disturbing” and promised disciplinary action. This case, covered by Click2Houston and ABC13, is a stark example of the systemic failure to protect students.

Texas A&M University

For Windthorst families with students in College Station, the hazing risk extends beyond Greek life into the Corps of Cadets.

• Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE) Chemical Burns Lawsuit (2021): Pledges alleged they were covered in substances including industrial-strength cleaner, causing severe chemical burns requiring skin graft surgeries. The lawsuit sought $1 million, and the chapter was suspended.
• Corps of Cadets “Roasted Pig” Lawsuit (2023): A cadet alleged degrading hazing, including being bound between beds in a simulated sexual position with an apple in his mouth. He sought over $1 million in damages.

University of Texas at Austin

UT maintains a public “Hazing Violations” page, offering unusual transparency that can help prove pattern knowledge.

• Pi Kappa Alpha (2023): Sanctioned for directing new members to consume milk and perform strenuous calisthenics.
• Multiple Organizations: Various fraternities and spirit groups have been sanctioned for forced workouts, alcohol hazing, and punishment-based practices, demonstrating ongoing issues despite public listings.

Southern Methodist University & Baylor University

These private institutions have faced their own scandals. SMU’s Kappa Alpha Order chapter was suspended in 2017 for paddling and forced drinking. Baylor’s baseball team suspended 14 players in 2020 following a hazing investigation. These incidents show that hazing permeates all types of campuses, from large public to private religious universities.

The Greek Ecosystem in Texas: A Web of Liability

When hazing occurs, liability rarely stops with the individual who poured the drink or swung the paddle. Our firm maintains a Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine, mapping the complex network of entities behind Greek life. This investigative directory is critical for holding the right parties accountable.

Public Records: Fraternities, Sororities & Greek Organizations Connected to Texas Campuses
For Windthorst parents, understanding that a fraternity is more than just students is key. Behind each chapter are legal entities with insurance policies and assets. Using public IRS B83 filings and commercial data, we track over 1,400 Greek-related organizations across 25 Texas metros. For example, in the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington metro alone, Cause IQ reports 510 such organizations. These include:

• Beta Upsilon Chi Fraternity (EIN: 74-2911848) – Fort Worth, TX 76244
• Texas Kappa Sigma Educational Foundation Inc (EIN: 74-1380362) – Fort Worth, TX 76147
• Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi (EIN: 26-3170920) – Denton, TX 76204 (Texas Woman’s University)
• Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority (EIN: 36-4091267) – Waco, TX 76710
• Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity (EIN: 23-7279532) – Prairie View, TX 77446

National Histories Create “Notice”
National fraternities like Pi Kappa Alpha, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, and Pi Kappa Phi have documented histories of fatal hazing incidents across the country. When a Texas chapter repeats the same dangerous “traditions,” the national headquarters cannot claim ignorance. This “pattern and practice” evidence is crucial for proving negligence and seeking punitive damages. The same national organizations named in lawsuits in Ohio, Louisiana, and Florida operate chapters at UH, Texas A&M, UT, SMU, and Baylor.

Building a Hazing Case: Evidence, Strategy, and Damages

If your family is facing this crisis, knowing how a case is built can empower you to take the right steps immediately.

Critical Evidence in the Digital Age:

• Digital Communications: GroupMe, WhatsApp, iMessage, and Discord chats are the #1 source of evidence. Screenshot everything immediately, including participant names and timestamps. We work with digital forensics experts to recover deleted messages.
• Photos/Videos: Media captured during events, social media stories, and even security footage from houses or nearby businesses.
• Medical Records: Document everything. Tell healthcare providers the injury resulted from hazing so it is recorded. This includes ER reports, lab tests (like CK levels for rhabdomyolysis), and psychological evaluations for PTSD.
• University & National Records: Through discovery, we obtain prior incident reports, disciplinary records, internal emails, and national fraternity risk management files to prove prior knowledge and negligent supervision.

Understanding Damages: What Can Be Recovered
Civil lawsuits seek to make victims whole and hold institutions accountable. Recoverable damages include:

• Economic Damages: All medical expenses (past and future), lost wages, diminished future earning capacity (for permanent injuries), and educational costs (lost tuition, delayed graduation).
• Non-Economic Damages: Compensation for physical pain, emotional distress, mental anguish, humiliation, and loss of enjoyment of life.
• Wrongful Death Damages: In tragic cases, families can recover funeral costs, loss of financial support, and the profound loss of companionship, love, and guidance.
• Punitive Damages: In cases of gross negligence or malice, courts may award punitive damages to punish the defendant and deter future conduct.

Our video on how to use your cellphone to document evidence is an essential resource for families in the immediate aftermath.

Practical Guides for Windthorst Parents, Students, and Witnesses

For Parents: Warning Signs & Action Steps

• Warning Signs: Unexplained injuries, extreme fatigue, sudden secrecy, personality changes (anxiety, withdrawal), drastic grade drops, constant phone monitoring for group chats, and unexplained financial requests.
• How to Talk to Your Child: Be calm, non-judgmental, and focus on safety. Ask open-ended questions: “Is there anything you’re expected to do that makes you uncomfortable?”
• Immediate Actions: Secure medical care. Help your child preserve all digital evidence. Write down a detailed timeline. Contact a lawyer before reporting to the university or confronting the organization.

For Students: Your Rights and Safety

• You Have the Right to Leave: You can de-pledge or quit an organization at any time, regardless of what you’ve been told. Send a clear text or email and notify a trusted adult.
• Report Safely: You can report to the Dean of Students, campus police, or anonymously through the National Anti-Hazing Hotline (1-888-NOT-HAZE). Texas law offers good-faith immunity for reporters.
• Preserve Evidence: Take our video advice seriously. Screenshot, photograph, and save everything.

Critical Mistakes That Can Ruin a Case:

1. Deleting Evidence: This looks like a cover-up and destroys your claim.
2. Confronting the Organization: This triggers evidence destruction and witness coaching.
3. Signing University Papers: Do not sign any waiver, release, or “resolution” agreement without an attorney.
4. Posting on Social Media: Defense attorneys scour social media for inconsistencies.
5. Waiting Too Long: The Texas statute of limitations is generally two years, but evidence vanishes within days. Watch our video on statutes of limitation.

Why Attorney911 for Windthorst 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 back—and how to win anyway. From our Houston office, we serve families throughout Texas, including Windthorst and all of Archer County, because the same dangerous fraternity patterns that hurt students in big cities threaten the children of our tight-knit communities.

Our Proven Advantage for Hazing Litigation:

• Active, High-Stakes Texas Litigation: We are not theoreticians. Right now, we lead the Leonel Bermudez vs. UH & Pi Kappa Phi case—a $10 million lawsuit involving rhabdomyolysis, kidney failure, and systemic institutional failure. This is the level of serious, complex hazing litigation we handle.
• Insurance Insider Knowledge: Attorney Lupe Peña (he/him) spent years as an insurance defense attorney at a national firm. He knows exactly how fraternity and university insurance companies value claims, use delay tactics, and argue coverage exclusions. We know their playbook because we used to run it.
• Experience Against Billion-Dollar Defendants: Managing Partner Ralph Manginello was one of the few Texas attorneys involved in the BP Texas City explosion litigation. We are not intimidated by national fraternities or university legal teams with unlimited budgets. We’ve faced giants before.
• The Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine: We don’t start from scratch. We maintain a proprietary database of over 1,400 Texas Greek organizations, their EINs, addresses, and relationships. When we take your case, we already know how to identify every liable entity, from the local house corporation to the national alumni foundation.
• Dual Civil & Criminal Expertise: Ralph’s membership in the Harris County Criminal Lawyers Association (HCCLA) means we understand both sides of hazing cases. We can adeptly navigate cases with simultaneous criminal investigations and civil claims, protecting your child’s interests at every turn.
• Spanish-Language Services: Mr. Peña speaks fluent Spanish, ensuring we can serve all Texas families with comfort and clarity.

We approach every case with a victim-centered focus on accountability and prevention. Our goal is not just compensation but also ensuring that the institutions responsible change their policies so no other family in Windthorst or elsewhere suffers the same pain.

If Hazing Has Impacted Your Windthorst Family, You Are Not Alone

The journey after a hazing incident is overwhelming. Universities and national organizations have teams of lawyers and PR strategists designed to minimize their liability. You need an advocate who understands both the legal battlefield and the profound human cost.

We offer a free, confidential, no-obligation consultation to every family seeking answers. In this meeting, we will:

• Listen compassionately to your story.
• Review any evidence you have gathered.
• Explain the legal landscape and your potential options.
• Discuss the investigation process and realistic timelines.
• Answer all your questions about how we work, including our contingency fee structure—you pay nothing unless we win your case.

Taking the first step is the hardest part. Let us help you with the rest.

Contact The Manginello Law Firm, PLLC / Attorney911 Today

• Call 24/7: 1-888-ATTY-911 (1-888-288-9911)
• Direct Line: (713) 528-9070
• Cell: (713) 443-4781
• Website: https://attorney911.com
• Email: ralph@atty911.com or lupe@atty911.com
• Se Habla Español: Contact Mr. Lupe Peña for consultation in Spanish.

Whether you are in Windthorst, Archer County, or anywhere in Texas, if hazing has turned your family’s life upside down, call us. We are here to fight for your child’s future and demand the accountability that can prevent the next tragedy.

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

Plain Text Links to Key Resources:

News Coverage of the Leonel Bermudez / UH Pi Kappa Phi Hazing Lawsuit:

• 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/
• Hoodline summary: https://hoodline.com/2025/11/university-of-houston-and-pi-kappa-phi-fraternity-face-10m-lawsuit-over-alleged-hazing-and-abuse/

Attorney911 Educational Videos:

• How to document evidence with your phone: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLbpzrmogTs
• Texas statutes of limitations: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRHwg8tV02c
• Client mistakes that can ruin a case: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3IYsoxOSxY
• How contingency fees work: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=upcI_j6F7Nc

Main Website:

• Attorney911: https://attorney911.com