Rocky Mound & East Texas Fraternity Hazing Wrongful Death Lawyers | Texas A&M, UT Austin, Stephen F. Austin University Cases | Attorney911 — Legal Emergency Lawyers™ | Former Insurance Defense Attorney Knows Fraternity & University Insurance Tactics | Federal Court Institutional Litigation | BP Explosion Case Experience Fighting Billion-Dollar Defendants | Multi-Million Dollar Proven Results | Hablamos Español | 24/7 Help: 1-888-ATTY-911

Your Town of Rocky Mound Guide to Fraternity Hazing Lawsuits in Texas: The Latest on UH, A&M, and Protecting Your Child

For a parent in the Town of Rocky Mound, the call you never want to receive is the one about your child being hurt. The worry that accompanies a student leaving for college is profound, especially when they’re drawn to the promise of brotherhood or sisterhood in a campus organization. Today, hazing is not a relic of the past; it is a current, dangerous, and often hidden reality at colleges across Texas and the nation, including those right in our region. Right now, we are fighting one of the most serious hazing cases in Texas.

In late 2025, we filed a $10 million lawsuit on behalf of Leonel Bermudez, a student at the University of Houston, against the Pi Kappa Phi fraternity’s Beta Nu chapter, its national headquarters, the University of Houston, and numerous individual members. As reported by Click2Houston and ABC13, Bermudez’s pledge experience involved forced humiliation, extreme physical abuse, and dangerous rituals—including being sprayed in the face with a hose “similar to waterboarding” and forced through brutal workouts—that led to a life-threatening medical crisis. He developed rhabdomyolysis (severe muscle breakdown) and acute kidney failure, passing brown urine and requiring a four-day hospitalization.

This case is not an isolated incident from years ago; it is active, ongoing litigation that we are leading today. It serves as a stark, local example of what can—and does—happen to students from communities like Rocky Mound when institutions fail in their duty to protect them. This guide is for every parent and family in Rocky Mound, Pittsburg, and across Camp County. Whether your child attends a local college, commutes to a regional university, or has gone off to a major campus like UH or Texas A&M, you deserve to know the reality of modern hazing, your legal rights under Texas law, and how to protect your family.

IMMEDIATE HELP FOR A HAZING EMERGENCY

If you suspect your child is in immediate danger due to hazing:

• Call 911 for any medical emergency.
• Then call us at 1-888-ATTY-911. We provide immediate legal guidance.
• Preserve Evidence NOW: Before anything is deleted, help your child screenshot group chats (GroupMe, texts), photograph any injuries, and save any physical items involved. Do not let them “clean up” their phone.
• Seek Medical Attention: Even if your child insists they are “fine,” a medical evaluation documents injuries that may not be visible.
• Do NOT Confront the Organization: Contacting the fraternity, sorority, or team directly can trigger evidence destruction and witness coaching.

Hazing in 2025: What It Really Looks Like in Texas

Hazing has evolved far beyond simplistic stereotypes. It is any intentional, knowing, or reckless act—on or off campus—that endangers a student’s mental or physical health for the purpose of joining or maintaining membership in a group. For Texas families, understanding its modern forms is the first step toward recognition and prevention.

It is not just forced drinking. While alcohol poisoning remains a leading cause of death, modern hazing is a blend of psychological control, digital harassment, and physical punishment. It exists in fraternities, sororities, athletic teams, spirit groups like the Corps of Cadets, marching bands, and even academic clubs.

The Three Tiers of Modern Hazing:

1. Subtle Hazing: Behaviors that emphasize power imbalance. This includes forced servitude (acting as a 24/7 driver, cleaning members’ rooms), social isolation, being given a derogatory nickname, or mandatory events that interfere with academics. A common modern tactic is digital control: requiring pledges to have location-sharing apps active, respond instantly to all group chat messages at any hour, or submit to social media monitoring.

2. Harassment Hazing: Acts that cause emotional or physical distress. This encompasses sleep deprivation through all-night “meetings,” verbal abuse and humiliation, forced consumption of unpalatable food (like excessive milk or hot dogs), and strenuous, punitive calisthenics (“smokings”) far beyond normal exercise. The “pledge fanny pack” rule in the UH Pi Kappa Phi case—forcing pledges to carry condoms and sex toys—is a clear example of harassment hazing designed to degrade.

3. Violent Hazing: Activities with a high potential for severe injury or death. This includes:

   • Forced/Coerced Alcohol Consumption: “Big/Little” nights, “Bible study” drinking games, line-ups, or being handed a bottle of liquor with the expectation to finish it.
   • Physical Assault: Paddling, beatings, being tackled (as in the deadly Pi Delta Psi “glass ceiling” ritual), or dangerous “workouts” that cause conditions like rhabdomyolysis.
   • Sexualized Hazing: Forced nudity, simulated sexual acts, or degrading sexualized positions.
   • Extreme Environmental Exposure: Being left outside in cold weather in underwear, locked in confined spaces, or subjected to chemical substances (like the industrial cleaner used in a Texas A&M SAE case that caused chemical burns).

A critical modern shift is the movement of the most violent hazing to off-campus locations—Airbnbs, rural properties, or private homes—specifically to avoid university oversight and security cameras. The digital trail, however, often remains in deleted group chats and social media messages, which can be recovered through proper legal investigation.

Texas Hazing Law & Liability: A Framework for Rocky Mound Families

Texas has specific laws to combat hazing, primarily under Chapter 37, Subchapter F of the Texas Education Code. Understanding this framework is crucial for any family in Camp County considering their options.

Texas Law at a Glance:

• Definition: Hazing is any intentional, knowing, or reckless act that endangers the physical or mental health of a student for the purpose of initiation into, affiliation with, or maintaining membership in an organization.
• Key Provision – Consent is NOT a Defense: Texas law (§37.155) is explicit: even if a student “agreed” to the activity, it is not a defense against hazing charges. The law recognizes the inherent coercion and power imbalance in these situations.
• Criminal Penalties:
  • Class B Misdemeanor: Hazing that does not cause injury.
  • Class A Misdemeanor: Hazing that causes injury requiring medical treatment.
  • State Jail Felony: Hazing that causes serious bodily injury or death.
• Immunity for Good-Faith Reporting: Individuals who report hazing or call for medical help in good faith are protected from civil and criminal liability related to that report. This is designed to remove the barrier of fear when someone needs help.

Civil Liability vs. Criminal Charges:

It is vital to understand the two parallel legal paths:

• Criminal Case: Brought by the state (DA’s office) to punish wrongful conduct. Penalties are jail time, fines, and probation. In the UH Pi Kappa Phi case, the reported conduct could lead to felony charges given the serious bodily injury.
• Civil Lawsuit: Brought by the victim or their family to seek compensation for damages and hold parties accountable. This is a separate action where we seek to recover costs for medical bills, future care, pain and suffering, and more. A criminal conviction is not required to file a successful civil case.

Who Can Be Held Liable in a Civil Hazing Lawsuit?

1. Individual Perpetrators: The members who planned, executed, or directed the hazing.
2. The Local Chapter: As an entity, if it authorized or knowingly allowed the conduct.
3. The National Organization: Headquarters can be liable for negligent supervision, failure to enforce their own policies, or having prior knowledge of a dangerous pattern of behavior at other chapters. We rigorously investigate these national histories.
4. The University: Public universities like UH and Texas A&M have a duty to protect students. They can be sued for negligence, gross negligence, or violations of federal statutes like Title IX if their response to known risks is deliberately indifferent.
5. Third Parties: Property owners of off-campus houses, landlords, or even alcohol providers under dram shop laws.

National Hazing Patterns: Lessons for Texas

The tragic cases that make national headlines are not distant anomalies; they are blueprints for the types of cases we see in Texas. They establish legal precedents and reveal the predictable patterns that organizations often repeat.

• The Alcohol Poisoning Pattern: The deaths of Timothy Piazza (Penn State, Beta Theta Pi), Max Gruver (LSU, Phi Delta Theta), and Stone Foltz (Bowling Green, Pi Kappa Alpha) all followed a similar script: a “bid night” or “Big/Little” event with forced, excessive drinking, followed by a lethal overdose and often a delayed 911 call. These cases led to the Max Gruver Act in Louisiana and multi-million dollar settlements, including a $10 million settlement for the Foltz family.
• The Physical Ritual Pattern: Chun “Michael” Deng (Baruch College, Pi Delta Psi) died from traumatic brain injury after a violent, blindfolded “glass ceiling” ritual at an off-campus retreat. This case was landmark because the national fraternity was criminally convicted.
• The Catastrophic Injury Pattern: Danny Santulli (University of Missouri, Phi Gamma Delta) suffered permanent, severe brain damage from forced drinking, requiring 24/7 care for life. His family reached multi-million dollar settlements with over 20 defendants.
• Athletic Program Hazing: The 2023-2025 Northwestern University football scandal involved allegations of sexualized and racist hazing, resulting in multiple lawsuits and confidential settlements, proving hazing is not confined to Greek life.

What This Means for Rocky Mound Families: These national cases create a body of evidence showing that certain hazing methods are foreseeable. When a fraternity at UH or Texas A&M engages in the same forced drinking rituals that killed a pledge at another school, it undermines any claim by the national organization that they “couldn’t have known.” This pattern evidence is powerful in building a civil case for negligence.

The Texas Greek Ecosystem: An Investigative Directory for Parents

At The Manginello Law Firm, our approach is data-driven. We maintain what we call the Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine, built from public records like IRS filings and organizational data. This allows us to immediately identify every entity behind a local chapter—house corporations, alumni associations, national headquarters—which is where insurance coverage and ultimate liability often lie.

For families in Rocky Mound and Camp County, your child may interact with Greek organizations at regional schools or major hubs. Below is a snapshot of the extensive, organized Greek network in Texas, illustrating the scale of what we track.

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

We believe in transparency. The following are examples of Texas-registered Greek organizations as recorded in public IRS (B83) filings and other databases. This is not an accusation, but a demonstration of the interconnected system we investigate. Knowing the legal entities is the first step to holding them accountable.

Organizations in the Northeast Texas / Greater Dallas Metro Area (Relevant to Regional Campuses):

• Kappa Sigma – Mu Gamma Chapter Inc, EIN 273662583, Lufkin, TX 75904.
• Alpha Tau Omega Housing Corporation of Eta Iota Chapter, EIN 300517788, Nacogdoches, TX 75965.
• Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, Chapter 229, EIN 263170920, Denton, TX 76204 (Texas Woman’s University).
• Delta Alpha Sigma Multicultural Sorority, EIN 364806998, Dallas, TX 75222.
• Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity – Iota Alpha Chapter, EIN 510225632, Arlington, TX 76019.
• Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc. – Phi Psi Zeta Chapter, EIN 611562040, Lewisville, TX 75029.
• Fort Worth Alumni Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, EIN 752755600, Fort Worth, TX 76101.

Organizations at Major Statewide Hubs (Where Many Texas Students Attend):

• Kappa Sigma – Mu Camma Chapter Inc, EIN 133048786, College Station, TX 77845 (Texas A&M).
• Beta Nu Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity Housing Corporation Inc, EIN 462267515, Frisco, TX 75035 (Connected to UH Chapter).
• Chi Omega Fraternity – House Corporation, EIN 740555581, Austin, TX 78705 (UT Austin).
• Building Corporation of Delta Chapter of Alpha Delta Pi, EIN 746047117, Austin, TX 78705 (UT Austin).
• Sigma Chi Fraternity – Eta Upsilon Chapter (Texas A&M), listed in Cause IQ data for College Station.
• Texas Rho Chapter of Sigma Phi Epsilon, EIN 741942292, Waco, TX 76706 (Baylor).
• Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity – Epsilon Kappa Chapter, EIN 746064445, Nederland, TX 77627 (Lamar University).

Statewide Snapshot: According to aggregated public data, there are over 1,400 Greek-related organizations tracked across 25 Texas metropolitan areas, including 188 in the Houston metro and 510 in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. This network includes undergraduate chapters, alumni associations, housing corporations, and honor societies.

When a hazing incident occurs, we use this intelligence to map the entire liability landscape—from the individual member in the room to the national insurance policy—ensuring no responsible entity is overlooked.

Where Rocky Mound Families Send Their Kids: Campus-Specific Realities

Families from Rocky Mound, Pittsburg, and Camp County have students at a variety of Texas institutions, from local colleges to flagship universities. Each campus has its own Greek culture, history of incidents, and administrative response.

Regional & Nearby Campuses:

• Texas A&M University-Commerce (Hunt County): A major regional university with active Greek life and its own history of conduct issues.
• University of Texas at Tyler (Smith County): A growing university with fraternity and sorority chapters.
• Stephen F. Austin State University (Nacogdoches County): Has a traditional Greek system with multiple chapters.
• Letourneau University (Gregg County): A private Christian university with campus organizations.

Major Statewide Hubs (Common Destinations):

• University of Houston (UH): Our flagship case against Pi Kappa Phi is centered here. UH has multiple Greek councils and a history of hazing suspensions. The university labeled the Pi Kappa Phi conduct “deeply disturbing” and the chapter was shut down.
• Texas A&M University: Home to a massive Greek system and the Corps of Cadets. It has faced serious lawsuits, including a Sigma Alpha Epsilon case where pledges suffered chemical burns requiring skin grafts and a Corps of Cadets lawsuit alleging degrading sexualized hazing.
• University of Texas at Austin: Maintains a public Hazing Violations Log. Recent entries include Pi Kappa Alpha for forced milk consumption and strenuous calisthenics, and Sigma Alpha Epsilon for a 2024 assault case involving an injured exchange student.
• Baylor University: Has dealt with hazing incidents within its athletic programs, including a 2020 baseball team hazing suspension.
• Southern Methodist University (SMU): A private school with a prominent Greek system; its Kappa Alpha Order chapter was suspended in 2017 for paddling and forced drinking.

For a parent, the key takeaway is that no campus is immune. The specific organization and campus culture will dictate the pattern of abuse, but the underlying dynamics of power, secrecy, and tradition are constant.

Building a Hazing Case: Evidence, Strategy & What We Do

When a family comes to us after a hazing incident, we initiate a comprehensive, strategic investigation designed to secure accountability and maximum recovery. Here is how we build a case:

1. Immediate Evidence Preservation & Digital Forensics:
The first 72 hours are critical. We guide families to preserve:

• Group Chats & DMs: Screenshots of GroupMe, WhatsApp, iMessage, Discord, and Snapchat conversations before they are deleted. We often employ digital forensics experts to recover supposedly deleted messages.
• Social Media: Archiving Instagram stories, TikTok videos, Facebook posts, and any content that shows the event, injuries, or boasts about hazing.
• Photos/Videos: Of injuries, the location, and any paraphernalia (paddles, alcohol bottles).
• Medical Records: From ER visits, hospitalizations, and follow-up care. Documentation of conditions like rhabdomyolysis (as in the UH case) is medically and legally critical.

2. Investigating the Full Liability Chain:
Using our Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine, we identify all potential defendants:

• Individual Members: Those who planned and executed the acts.
• Local Chapter Officers: Presidents, risk managers, pledge educators.
• Chapter Housing Corporation: The legal entity that owns or controls the property.
• National Headquarters: We subpoena their records for prior incident reports at this chapter and others, proving they knew or should have known of the risk.
• The University: We obtain internal disciplinary records through discovery to show prior warnings or a pattern of inadequate response.

3. Leveraging National Pattern Evidence:
We research the national history of the organization involved. If a fraternity like Pi Kappa Alpha has a documented pattern of fatal “Big/Little” drinking nights across the country, that pattern is powerful evidence that the national organization was negligent in supervising its UH or Texas A&M chapter.

4. Damages & Recovery:
We work with economists and life-care planners to fully quantify all damages, which can include:

• Economic Damages: All past and future medical expenses, lost educational opportunity, and lost future earning capacity (especially in cases of permanent injury).
• Non-Economic Damages: Compensation for physical pain, emotional distress, PTSD, humiliation, and loss of enjoyment of life.
• Wrongful Death Damages: In the unthinkable event of a death, families can recover funeral costs, loss of companionship, and emotional anguish.

Our goal is not just a settlement; it is to secure the resources our clients need to heal and to force institutional change that protects future students from Rocky Mound and everywhere else.

Critical Guide for Parents & Students: What to Do Right Now

For Parents – Warning Signs & Action Steps:

• Warning Signs: Unexplained injuries, extreme fatigue/sleep deprivation, sudden secrecy about activities, withdrawal from family/friends, personality changes (anxiety, depression), constant anxiety about phone notifications, sudden financial needs.
• If You Suspect Hazing:
  1. Talk Calmly: Ask open-ended questions. “Has anything made you uncomfortable during pledging?” “Do you ever feel pressured to do things you don’t want to do?”
  2. Prioritize Safety: If there is any immediate danger, call 911.
  3. Preserve Evidence: As outlined above. Do this before discussing anything with the university or organization.
  4. Contact an Attorney Before Reporting: We can help you navigate the reporting process to protect your child from retaliation and ensure evidence is not destroyed.
  5. Do NOT: Sign any documents from the university or an insurance adjuster, post details on social media, or allow your child to attend a “mediation” meeting with the fraternity alone.

For Students – Is This Hazing? Your Rights:

• The Test: Are you being pressured, coerced, or threatened (even socially) to do something dangerous, degrading, or illegal to belong? If yes, it’s hazing.
• Your Texas Rights: You have the right to report hazing without fear of university disciplinary action for your own minor misconduct (like underage drinking) at the event under good-faith reporting protections. Consent is not a defense for them.
• How to Exit Safely: You can resign your pledge or membership at any time via email or text. Inform a trusted adult first. If you fear retaliation, document it and report it to campus police and the Dean of Students immediately.

The Single Biggest Mistakes That Can Hurt a Case:

1. Deleting digital evidence to “make it go away.”
2. Confronting the fraternity/sorority directly, giving them a head start to destroy evidence and coach witnesses.
3. Signing a quick settlement or resolution agreement with the university without legal advice.
4. Posting about the incident on personal social media accounts.
5. Waiting for the university to “handle it internally” while the statute of limitations ticks down.

Why The Manginello Law Firm for Your Rocky Mound Hazing Case

When your family faces the trauma of hazing, you need more than a generic personal injury firm. You need advocates with specific insight into how universities, national fraternities, and their high-powered insurance companies fight these cases. From our Texas offices, we serve families in Rocky Mound, across Camp County, and throughout the state with a unique combination of expertise:

• Active, High-Stakes Hazing Litigation: We are not theorizing about hazing law; we are actively litigating one of Texas’s most serious current cases—the Leonel Bermudez $10 million lawsuit against UH and Pi Kappa Phi. This is not past history; it is our present work. Read the Click2Houston report on the UH Pi Kappa Phi hazing case.
• Insider Insurance Knowledge: Our attorney, Mr. Lupe Peña (he/him), spent years as a defense attorney for national insurance companies. He knows exactly how insurers for fraternities and universities value claims, deploy delay tactics, and argue coverage exclusions. We use this insider knowledge to counter their strategy at every turn. Learn about Lupe Peña’s insurance defense background.
• Experience Against Billion-Dollar Institutions: Managing Partner Ralph Manginello was one of the few Texas lawyers involved in the BP Texas City explosion litigation. We have no fear of taking on the deepest pockets—whether it’s a multinational corporation, a major university system, or a national fraternity with vast resources.
• Data-Driven Investigation: Our Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine—tracking over 1,400 Greek entities—means we start investigations with a map, not a blank page. We know how to find the housing corporations, alumni networks, and national ties that hold liability and insurance.
• Dual Civil & Criminal Capability: Ralph’s membership in the Harris County Criminal Lawyers Association (HCCLA) means we understand the interplay between criminal hazing charges and civil lawsuits. We can effectively advise clients and witnesses navigating both systems.
• Compassionate, Client-Focused Advocacy: We guide families through this nightmare with clarity and empathy. We keep you informed, fight for the accountability you deserve, and aim for outcomes that provide both the resources to heal and the satisfaction of preventing future harm.

Your Next Step: A Free, Confidential Consultation

If you are a parent in Rocky Mound, Pittsburg, or anywhere in Texas, and you believe your child has been victimized by hazing, time is of the essence. Evidence disappears, witnesses become reluctant, and statutory deadlines apply.

We offer a free, confidential, no-obligation consultation to review your situation. We will listen to your story, explain the legal landscape in plain English, and outline your family’s potential options. There is no pressure, only information and clarity.

Contact The Manginello Law Firm, PLLC (Attorney911) today:

• Call our Legal Emergency Lawyers™: 1-888-ATTY-911 (1-888-288-9911)
• Direct Line: (713) 528-9070
• Website: https://attorney911.com
• Spanish-Speaking Services Available: Hablamos Español. Contact Mr. Lupe Peña.

You can also watch our educational video on how to use your cellphone to document evidence for a legal case and learn about Texas statutes of limitations for personal injury cases.

Let us help you turn a moment of crisis into a pursuit of justice and safety for all students.

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 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.