The Definitive Guide for Kirby Families: Texas Hazing Laws, Fraternity Accountability & Your Legal Rights After Campus Abuse
For parents in the City of Kirby, the pride of sending your child to a Texas university can turn to terror overnight. The call you dread isn’t about a bad grade; it’s the call where your child’s voice is weak, they’re hiding an injury, or they’re in a hospital bed after a “tradition” went horribly wrong. You trusted the university, the fraternity, or the athletic program to keep them safe. Now, you’re facing a wall of silence, institutional stonewalling, and a system designed to protect its own reputation over your child’s well-being.
Right now, in Houston, we are leading one of the most serious hazing cases in the country. We represent Leonel Bermudez in his $10 million lawsuit against the University of Houston, the Pi Kappa Phi national fraternity, and 13 individual members of its Beta Nu chapter. The allegations are not of mild misconduct, but of systemic torture: a humiliating “pledge fanny pack,” forced overconsumption leading to vomiting, “waterboarding” with a hose, extreme physical workouts, and a final hazing event that left Leonel with rhabdomyolysis and acute kidney failure, hospitalized for four days. His urine was brown. This is happening at major Texas institutions right now.
This comprehensive guide is written specifically for families in Kirby, San Antonio, Bexar County, and across Texas. Our goal is to pull back the curtain on modern hazing, explain your legal rights under Texas law, and show you how to fight for accountability when the institutions your family trusted have failed.
IMMEDIATE HELP FOR HAZING EMERGENCIES:
- If your child is in danger RIGHT NOW: Call 911 for medical emergencies. Then call us immediately at 1-888-ATTY-911.
- In the first 48 hours:
- Get medical attention and document all injuries.
- Preserve evidence: Screenshot every group chat, text message, and social media post. Take photographs of injuries and locations. Do not delete anything.
- Write down everything your child tells you while their memory is fresh.
- Do NOT: Confront the fraternity/sorority, sign anything from the university or an insurance company, or post details on social media.
- Contact our experienced hazing attorneys: Evidence disappears within days. Universities and national organizations move quickly to control the narrative. We can help you preserve evidence and protect your child’s rights from the outset. Call 1-888-ATTY-911 for a free, confidential consultation.
1. Hazing in 2025: It’s Not Just “Boys Will Be Boys”
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 joining, maintaining membership in, or affiliating with any organization. In Texas, a victim’s “consent” is not a legal defense.
Today’s hazing is sophisticated, digital, and often disguised:
- Alcohol & Substance Hazing: Forced “power hours,” “family tree” drinking games, Big/Little nights with handles of liquor.
- Physical Hazing: Paddling, extreme “smokings” (calisthenics), sleep deprivation, exposure to extreme elements, forced consumption of unpalatable substances.
- Psychological & Sexualized Hazing: Humiliating costumes, forced nudity, simulated sexual acts, verbal abuse, isolation.
- Digital Hazing: 24/7 monitoring via GroupMe, forced social media posts, geo-tracking, cyberbullying, and evidence deletion campaigns.
For Kirby families, this doesn’t just happen in far-away news stories. The same national organizations involved in deadly cases across the U.S. have active chapters at schools throughout Texas, including those where your children study.
2. The Texas Legal Framework: Criminal Penalties & Civil Accountability
Texas takes hazing seriously under Education Code Chapter 37. Understanding this framework is crucial for Kirby families seeking justice.
Criminal Law (Brought by the State):
- Class B Misdemeanor: Basic hazing (up to 180 days jail, $2,000 fine).
- Class A Misdemeanor: Hazing that causes bodily injury.
- State Jail Felony: Hazing that causes serious bodily injury or death.
- It is also a crime for an organization to authorize or encourage hazing or for an officer to fail to report it.
Civil Law (Your Family’s Lawsuit for Damages):
This is where families secure compensation for medical bills, trauma, and future care, while forcing institutional change. Potential defendants include:
- Individual Perpetrators: The members who planned and executed the hazing.
- The Local Chapter: As a legal entity, it can be sued for creating a dangerous culture.
- The National Headquarters: They can be liable for negligent supervision, especially if they had prior knowledge of similar conduct at other chapters.
- The University: Schools like UH, Texas A&M, or UT may be liable for negligent supervision, premises liability, or violating duties under Title IX.
- Third Parties: Landlords of off-campus houses, alumni advisors, or alcohol providers.
A criminal conviction is not required to file a powerful civil lawsuit. Our civil cases aim to uncover the full truth and secure the resources your family needs to heal.
3. The flagship Case: Leonel Bermudez v. University of Houston & Pi Kappa Phi
This active lawsuit, filed in late 2025, is the perfect example of serious hazing litigation in Texas. As reported by Click2Houston and ABC13, the facts are stark:
- The Abuse: Leonel, a UH transfer student and Pi Kappa Phi pledge in Fall 2025, was subjected to forced dress codes, overnight driving duties, and carrying a degrading “pledge fanny pack.” The physical hazing included sprints, bear crawls, being sprayed in the face with a hose “similar to waterboarding,” and being forced to consume milk, hot dogs, and peppercorns until vomiting.
- The Crisis: On November 3, 2025, he was forced through over 100 push-ups and 500 squats. He deteriorated over several days, eventually passing brown urine. He was hospitalized for four days and diagnosed with rhabdomyolysis (severe muscle breakdown) and acute kidney failure, with risk of permanent kidney damage.
- The Response: Pi Kappa Phi nationals suspended the chapter on November 6. Members voted to surrender their charter on November 14, shutting it down. UH called the conduct “deeply disturbing.”
- The Lawsuit: We filed a $10 million lawsuit against UH, the UH System Board of Regents, Pi Kappa Phi nationals, the chapter’s housing corporation, and 13 individual members. This case demonstrates our firm’s commitment to taking on powerful institutions to secure justice for hazing victims.
4. For Kirby Families: The Texas Greek Ecosystem & Your Child’s Campus
Kirby is in Bexar County, within the San Antonio-New Braunfels metropolitan area—a region with a significant Greek life presence tracked in public records. However, Texas families often send students to major hubs across the state.
Where Kirby Families Send Their Kids:
- Local/Regional Campuses: The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA), Texas A&M University-San Antonio, Trinity University, St. Mary’s University.
- Major Statewide Hubs: University of Houston, Texas A&M University (College Station), University of Texas at Austin, Baylor University (Waco), Southern Methodist University (Dallas), Texas State University (San Marcos), Texas Tech University (Lubbock).
The Hidden Network: Public Records of Greek Organizations
If your child is hazed, you need to know who is truly behind the organization. We maintain a Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine built from public IRS, university, and commercial data. This allows us to immediately identify every entity that may share liability.
A Snapshot of Texas Greek Organizations (From Public Records):
- Sigma Phi Lambda Inc., EIN 83-3533639, Corinth, TX 76210 (IRS B83 filing)
- Alpha Sigma Phi Fraternity Inc., EIN 37-6009510, San Antonio, TX 78228 (Iota Beta chapter – IRS B83)
- Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, EIN 23-7429424, San Antonio, TX 78249 (UTSA Chapter – IRS B83)
- Beta Nu Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity Housing Corporation Inc., EIN 46-2267515, Frisco, TX 75035 (IRS B83)
- Texas Kappa Sigma Educational Foundation Inc., EIN 74-1380362, Fort Worth, TX 76147 (IRS B83)
- Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity – San Antonio Alumni, San Antonio, TX (Cause IQ Metro listing)
- Delta Sigma Theta Sorority – San Antonio Alumnae, San Antonio, TX (Cause IQ Metro listing)
- Sigma Chi Fraternity – Alpha Lambda Chapter, San Antonio, TX (Trinity University – Cause IQ)
In the San Antonio-New Braunfels Metro, public data indicates numerous Greek-letter organizations, including undergraduate chapters, alumni associations, and housing corporations. Statewide, our data tracks over 1,423 Greek-related organizations across 25 Texas metros. When we take a case, we don’t start from zero—we already know the legal names, EINs, and addresses of the organizations we need to investigate.
5. Texas Universities: Policies, Incidents & Realities
University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) & San Antonio-Area Schools:
For Kirby families, UTSA is a primary local campus. Like all Texas universities, it prohibits hazing and has reporting channels through the Dean of Students and campus police. The university’s effectiveness often hinges on the victim’s ability to navigate a complex administrative process while facing intense social pressure. Off-campus hazing at houses near UTSA or in Kirby itself is still within the university’s purview if the organization is university-recognized.
The Major Texas Hubs: A Pattern of Risk
- University of Houston (UH): As the Bermudez case proves, severe hazing persists despite policies. UH’s Greek life includes dozens of IFC, Panhellenic, NPHC, and multicultural chapters where risky traditions can take root.
- Texas A&M University: Known for its Corps of Cadets and robust Greek life, A&M has faced high-profile lawsuits. These include a Sigma Alpha Epsilon case where pledges suffered chemical burns from industrial cleaner, and a Corps case alleging degrading sexualized hazing. The culture of tradition can sometimes mask abuse.
- University of Texas at Austin: UT maintains a public hazing violations log, a transparency tool. It shows repeated sanctions against chapters for alcohol hazing, forced calisthenics, and psychological abuse. This public record is a powerful tool for proving an organization’s known dangerous propensities.
- Baylor University & Southern Methodist University (SMU): These private institutions have faced their own scandals. Baylor’s athletic hazing incidents and SMU’s history with sanctioned chapters like Kappa Alpha Order illustrate that hazing is not confined to public universities.
The common thread is institutional friction. Universities balance student safety with alumni relations, fundraising, and reputation. When a serious hazing incident emerges, their first instinct is often to manage the crisis internally. Families need an independent legal advocate to ensure a full investigation and true accountability.
6. National Fraternity & Sorority Histories: The Patterns That Create Liability
The fraternity that hazes at a Texas school is typically part of a national organization with a documented history of the same conduct elsewhere. This “pattern evidence” is legally crucial. It shows the national headquarters knew or should have known of the risks but failed to take adequate steps to prevent them.
- Pi Kappa Alpha (Pike): Settled for over $10 million in the Stone Foltz fatal alcohol hazing case at Bowling Green State. Their “Big/Little” drinking tradition is a known, deadly pattern.
- Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE): Involved in numerous fatal and injury-causing hazing incidents nationwide, leading to national reforms. SAE chapters at Texas A&M and UT have faced serious lawsuits.
- Phi Delta Theta: The Max Gruver fatal alcohol hazing at LSU led to the “Max Gruver Act” in Louisiana. Their “Bible study” drinking game is a repeated script.
- Pi Kappa Phi: The national organization now faces our lawsuit in the Bermudez case. They previously faced litigation after the fatal alcohol hazing of Andrew Coffey at Florida State University.
When a Texas chapter repeats these known, dangerous patterns, it strengthens arguments for negligent supervision and punitive damages against the national organization. We use our database of national incidents to build this compelling part of a case.
7. Building a Hazing Case with Attorney911: Our Data-Driven, Insider Approach
When you come to us, we deploy a strategy honed over 25+ years of complex litigation against billion-dollar defendants.
1. Immediate Evidence Lockdown: We guide you to preserve digital evidence (GroupMe, texts, social media) using techniques from our video guide, “Can You Use Your Cellphone to Document a Legal Case?”. We engage digital forensics experts to recover deleted content.
2. The Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine: We map the entire organizational structure behind the chapter using IRS EINs, housing corporation records, and alumni networks—much like we did in the UH Pi Kappa Phi case to identify all 17 defendants.
3. Investigating Institutional Knowledge: We subpoena the national fraternity’s prior incident reports and the university’s conduct files for the chapter. A history of prior, unaddressed violations is devastating to their defense.
4. Overcoming Defense Tactics: We anticipate their playbook because our attorney, Mr. Lupe Peña (he/him), spent years as an insurance defense attorney for large companies. He knows how insurers for fraternities and universities try to deny claims, delay proceedings, and minimize payouts. His insider knowledge is an invaluable advantage.
5. Calculating True Damages: Hazing causes profound harm. We work with medical experts, life-care planners, and economists to document not just current medical bills, but also future therapy, lost educational opportunities, diminished earning capacity, and the intense pain and suffering—both physical and psychological.
8. Practical Steps & Critical Guidance for Kirby Families
For Parents:
- Warning Signs: Unexplained injuries, extreme fatigue, personality changes, secrecy about group activities, constant anxiety about phone notifications.
- If Your Child Confides: Listen without judgment. Prioritize their health and safety. Then call us before you do anything else. We can advise on securing evidence and navigating next steps without alerting the organization.
- Avoid Critical Mistakes: Do not let your child delete messages, do not confront the chapter, and do not sign any agreement with the university without legal counsel. We detail these pitfalls in our video on “Client Mistakes That Can Ruin Your Injury Case.”
For Students:
- Your safety is paramount. If you are in danger, call 911.
- Texas law provides “good faith” immunity for those who report hazing or seek emergency medical assistance.
- Document everything you can safely: screenshot messages, note dates/times/names, photograph injuries.
FAQ for Texas Families:
- “How long do we have to sue?” Texas has a two-year statute of limitations for personal injury, but complex rules can apply. Do not wait. Watch our explanation of Texas statutes of limitations.
- “Can we afford a lawyer?” We work on a contingency fee basis—you pay nothing unless we win your case. Learn how contingency fees work.
- “Will this be public?” Many cases settle confidentially. We always fight to protect your family’s privacy.
9. Why Attorney911 Is the Right Firm for Texas Hazing Cases
We are not a generic personal injury firm. We are complex litigation specialists who choose to take on the hardest cases against the most powerful opponents.
- Insider Insurance Knowledge: Mr. Lupe Peña knows the defense playbook. He uses that insight to counter lowball offers and coverage denials from day one.
- Proven Against Giants: Managing Partner Ralph Manginello was one of the few plaintiff attorneys involved in the BP Texas City Explosion litigation. We are not intimidated by national fraternities or university legal teams with unlimited budgets.
- A Data-Driven Advantage: Our Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine gives us an investigative head start no other firm can match. We identify liable parties and uncover patterns before the defense knows we’re looking.
- Spanish-Language Services: Mr. Peña habla Español fluently, ensuring Spanish-speaking families in Kirby and across Texas receive compassionate, clear representation.
- A Mission for Accountability: We are currently fighting for Leonel Bermudez. We take these cases not just to secure settlements, but to force institutional change that protects the next generation of students.
If Hazing Has Impacted Your Family in Kirby or Beyond, You Are Not Alone.
The path forward requires an experienced guide who understands Texas law, the hidden structures of Greek life, and the tactics of institutional defense. We offer the strength, data, and proven experience to be that guide.
Contact us today for a free, completely confidential case evaluation. We will listen to your story, explain your legal options in plain English, and help you make the best decision for your family’s future and healing.
Call the Legal Emergency Lawyers™ at 1-888-ATTY-911 (1-888-288-9911). You can also visit our website at https://attorney911.com or email Ralph Manginello directly at ralph@atty911.com.
We serve families throughout Texas from our offices in Houston, Austin, and Beaumont. Let us help you turn this crisis into a catalyst for accountability and recovery.
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:
- Documenting Evidence:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLbpzrmogTs - Statute of Limitations:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRHwg8tV02c - Client Mistakes:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3IYsoxOSxY - Contingency Fees:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=upcI_j6F7Nc
Main Firm Website:
https://attorney911.com
Legal Disclaimer: This guide is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Reading this does not create an attorney-client relationship. Every case is unique, and outcomes depend on specific facts and law. If you need legal advice, please contact us or another qualified attorney for a consultation regarding your individual situation.
