The Ultimate Guide to Hazing Lawsuits & Campus Safety for Families in Three States, Texas

For Three States Parents: When Greek Life Turns Dangerous

Imagine your child, excited about their first semester at a Texas university, texts that they’ve been invited to join a fraternity or sorority. Weeks later, you notice a shift. They’re exhausted, secretive, and anxious. Their phone buzzes constantly with group chat demands. Then comes the late-night call: your child is in the hospital. They were forced to drink until they collapsed, or put through extreme workouts until their muscles broke down, passing brown urine. The university assures you they’re “looking into it,” but you feel stonewalled. The organization closes ranks. You’re left facing a nightmare no parent anticipates.

If this scenario feels chillingly close to home, you are not alone. Right now, we are actively litigating one of the most serious hazing cases in the country, representing Leonel Bermudez in his $10 million lawsuit against the University of Houston, the Pi Kappa Phi national headquarters, and 13 fraternity leaders. This is happening here in Texas, and it proves that the most severe forms of hazing are not relics of the past—they are a present and dangerous reality on our campuses.

This comprehensive guide is written specifically for parents and families in Three States, Cass County, and throughout the Texarkana region. We will explain what modern hazing truly looks like, outline your legal rights under Texas law, expose the national patterns behind local chapters, and provide a clear path toward accountability and recovery. If your child has been hurt, you deserve answers, and you deserve a legal team that knows how to find them.

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: Evidence disappears fast. Call 1-888-ATTY-911 for an immediate, confidential consultation.

1. Hazing in 2025: What It Really Looks Like in Three States and Beyond

For families in Three States, hazing might conjure images of outdated “animal house” pranks. The reality in 2025 is far more sinister, systematic, and dangerous. Modern hazing is a calculated abuse of power that exploits a young person’s desire to belong, often disguised as “tradition” or “team building.”

A Modern Definition for Three States Families

Hazing is any intentional, knowing, or reckless act—on or off campus—that endangers the mental or physical health or safety of a student for the purpose of joining, maintaining membership in, or affiliating with any organization. Crucially, under Texas law, the victim’s “consent” is not a defense.

The Four Pillars of Modern Hazing

1. Alcohol & Substance Hazing: This remains the deadliest form. It’s not casual drinking; it’s coerced, rapid consumption as a condition of membership.
* The “Big/Little” Night: Pledges are given a handle of liquor to finish.
* Drinking Games: “Bible study,” “family tree,” or trivia where wrong answers mandate drinking.
* Forced Consumption of Unknown Substances: Dangerous concoctions or drugs.

2. Physical & Endurance Hazing: Extreme exercise disguised as “conditioning” or “workouts.”
* Extreme Calisthenics: “Smokings” involving hundreds of push-ups, squats, or wall-sits until collapse.
* Rhabdomyolysis Risk: This is what happened to Leonel Bermudez at UH—severe muscle breakdown from overexertion, leading to acute kidney failure, brown urine, and hospitalization. It is a life-threatening medical emergency.
* Paddling and Beatings: Physical assault with objects.
* Exposure: Being locked outside in cold weather or denied sleep/food/water.

3. Psychological & Humiliating Hazing: Designed to break down identity and instill obedience.
* The “Pledge Fanny Pack”: As alleged in the UH Pi Kappa Phi case, being forced to carry humiliating items (condoms, sex toys) at all times.
* Servitude: Acting as a 24/7 on-call driver, cleaner, or errand-runner for members.
* Verbal Abuse & Degradation: Constant yelling, insults, and threats of expulsion.
* Social Isolation: Being cut off from non-member friends and family.

4. Digital Hazing & Coercion: The 24/7 nature of smartphones has created new avenues for control.
* Group Chat Tyranny: Mandatory immediate responses to messages at all hours; punishments for non-compliance.
* Social Media Humiliation: Being forced to post embarrassing content.
* Location Tracking: Required use of apps like Find My Friends.
* Evidence Destruction: Orders to delete messages after reading.

Where Hazing Happens: It’s Not Just Fraternities

While fraternities and sororities are prevalent, hazing infects many groups:

• Fraternities & Sororities (IFC, Panhellenic, NPHC, Multicultural).
• Athletic Teams (from football to cheerleading).
• Military & Corps Programs (like the Texas A&M Corps of Cadets).
• Marching Bands & Performance Groups.
• Spirit Organizations & “Secret Societies.”

For parents in Three States, this means the risk isn’t limited to a single type of organization. Any group that values tradition and hierarchy can harbor these abusive practices.

2. Texas Hazing Law: What Three States Families Need to Know

Texas has specific laws designed to combat hazing. Understanding this framework is your first step toward holding perpetrators accountable.

The Texas Education Code: Chapter 37, Subchapter F

The cornerstone of Texas hazing law provides clear definitions and penalties:

• Definition: An intentional, knowing, or reckless act that endangers physical or mental health for the purpose of initiation, affiliation, or membership.
• Criminal Penalties:
  • 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.
• Organizational Liability: The fraternity, sorority, or club itself can be fined up to $10,000 per violation if it authorized or knowingly allowed the hazing.
• Consent is NOT a Defense: Texas law (Sec. 37.155) explicitly states that a victim’s consent does not excuse the crime.
• Immunity for Reporters: Those who report hazing in good faith are protected from civil or criminal liability related to that report.

Criminal vs. Civil Cases: Two Paths to Accountability

Criminal Cases:

• Brought by: The State of Texas (DA’s office).
• Goal: Punishment (jail time, fines, probation).
• Charges: Hazing, assault, furnishing alcohol to a minor, manslaughter in fatal cases.

Civil Lawsuits:

• Brought by: The victim and their family.
• Goal: Compensation for damages and institutional accountability.
• Claims: Negligence, gross negligence, wrongful death, negligent supervision, premises liability.

These cases can—and often do—proceed simultaneously. A criminal conviction can empower a civil case, but a civil lawsuit can be pursued independently.

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

• Title IX: If hazing involves sexual harassment or gender-based discrimination, federal Title IX protocols are triggered, imposing specific duties on the university.
• Clery Act: Requires universities to report certain crimes, including aggravated assault and liquor law violations, which often overlap with hazing incidents.
• Stop Campus Hazing Act (2024): A new federal law requiring colleges to publicly report hazing incidents and strengthen prevention programs, increasing transparency nationwide.

Who Can Be Held Liable in a Civil Hazing Lawsuit?

A thorough investigation seeks to identify every responsible entity:

1. Individual Perpetrators: The members who planned, executed, or covered up the hazing.
2. Local Chapter Officers: The president, pledgemaster, risk manager—those in charge who failed to stop it.
3. The Local Chapter & Its Housing Corporation: The legal entity that owns or controls the property where hazing occurred.
4. The National Fraternity/Sorority Headquarters: For failing to adequately supervise, train, or discipline chapters despite known patterns of abuse.
5. The University: For negligent supervision, deliberate indifference to known risks, or premises liability.
6. Third Parties: Landlords of off-campus houses, alcohol providers, or security companies.

Our active case against the University of Houston and Pi Kappa Phi national is a prime example of this comprehensive approach, naming over 15 defendants to ensure full accountability.

3. The National Hazing Epidemic: Patterns That Predict Texas Tragedies

The hazing that threatens students at Texas universities is not an isolated phenomenon. It follows predictable, deadly scripts written by national organizations with long, tragic histories. Understanding these patterns is key to proving institutional liability.

The Alcohol Poisoning Script: Repeated Fatalities

• Stone Foltz – Bowling Green State University (Pi Kappa Alpha, 2021): A pledge died after being forced to drink an entire bottle of alcohol during a “Big/Little” event. Result: $10 million in settlements ($7M from national Pike, ~$3M from BGSU) and criminal convictions.
• Max Gruver – Louisiana State University (Phi Delta Theta, 2017): Died from alcohol toxicity after a “Bible study” drinking game. Result: The Max Gruver Act (Louisiana felony hazing law) and a $6.1 million verdict for his family.
• Andrew Coffey – Florida State University (Pi Kappa Phi, 2017): Died after a “Big Brother” night. Result: FSU suspended all Greek life; Pi Kappa Phi chapter closed.

The Pattern: A structured “tradition” (Big/Little, bid acceptance) used to mandate dangerous alcohol consumption. National organizations are repeatedly on notice that this script kills.

The Physical Brutality Script: Lasting Injury

• Danny Santulli – University of Missouri (Phi Gamma Delta, 2021): Pledge suffered permanent, catastrophic brain damage from forced drinking. Result: Settlements with 22 defendants for lifelong care costs.
• Chun “Michael” Deng – Baruch College (Pi Delta Psi, 2013): Died from traumatic brain injury during a blindfolded “glass ceiling” ritual at a retreat. Result: The national fraternity was criminally convicted and banned from Pennsylvania for 10 years.

The Pattern: Violent physical rituals, often at off-campus retreats, causing severe injury or death. Nationals fail to eradicate these known, secret rituals.

The Institutional Cover-Up Script: From Athletics to Bands

• Northwestern University Football (2023-2025): Systemic, sexualized hazing led to multiple lawsuits, the firing of the head coach, and confidential settlements.
• Robert Champion – Florida A&M University (Marching Band, 2011): A drum major died from a brutal beating during a band hazing ritual. Result: $1 million settlement with the university and criminal convictions.

The Pattern: Abuse thrives in hierarchical, tradition-bound systems. Institutions often prioritize reputation over safety until litigation forces transparency.

What This Means for Three States Families: When a chapter at UH, Texas A&M, or UT repeats a hazing method that has killed or maimed students elsewhere, it demonstrates foreseeability. We can use these national histories to prove that the national headquarters and the university knew or should have known the grave risks they were allowing to persist.

4. The Texas & Three States Campus Landscape: A Guide for Local Families

Families in Three States and Cass County send their children to universities across our great state. Whether your student attends a regional campus or a major flagship, understanding the specific Greek ecosystem and history at their school is critical.

Public Records: The Greek Organizations Connected to Texas Campuses

As part of our Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine, we maintain detailed data on the fraternities, sororities, and related entities operating across the state. This isn’t speculation—it’s compiled from public IRS records, university listings, and metro databases. For Three States families, this means we start an investigation with a map of potential liabilities.

A Snapshot of Texas’s Greek Ecosystem (From Public Records):

• Statewide: Over 1,400 Greek-related organizations operate across 25 Texas metro areas.
• Texarkana Metro Area: Dozens of Greek organizations and alumni chapters are recorded in this region, serving students from Texas A&M University-Texarkana and connecting to larger statewide networks.
• Major University Hubs: The campuses where Three States students often enroll have dense, complex Greek systems backed by legally registered entities.

Example Organizations from Public IRS Filings (B83 Records):
These are not accusations, but examples of the types of registered entities we track in our investigative work:

• Sigma Phi Lambda Inc., EIN 83-353-639, Corinth, TX 76210 (IRS B83 Filing)
• Kappa Sigma – Mu Gamma Chapter Inc., EIN 27-386-2731, Lufkin, TX 75904 (IRS B83 Filing)
• Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, EIN 26-317-0920, Denton, TX 76204 (IRS B83 Filing – Texas Woman’s University)
• Pi Kappa Phi Delta Omega Chapter Building Corporation, EIN 37-176-8785, Missouri City, TX 77459 (IRS B83 Filing)
• Beta Nu Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity Housing Corporation Inc., EIN 46-226-7515, Frisco, TX 75035 (IRS B83 Filing)

This data forms the backbone of our investigative strategy. When hazing occurs, we don’t start from zero—we start with a directory of the organizations, their legal names, Employer Identification Numbers (EINs), and addresses, which is crucial for serving lawsuits and identifying insurance coverage.

Where Three States Families Send Their Kids: Campus Focus

For Three States and Texarkana Region Families:
Students from our community attend a wide range of institutions. You need to know about the campuses closest to home and the major universities where hazing risks are well-documented.

1. Regional & Local Campuses:

• Texas A&M University-Texarkana: A growing university with student organizations that require careful oversight.
• Other Northeast Texas Schools: Students may also attend University of Texas at Tyler, Texas A&M University-Commerce, or Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches.

2. Major Texas Universities (Common Destinations):
These large schools have extensive Greek systems with documented hazing histories. Our investigation into the University of Houston Pi Kappa Phi case demonstrates the severe risks present at these institutions.

• University of Houston (UH): Our flagship active case involves the Pi Kappa Phi Beta Nu chapter. The allegations—rhabdomyolysis from extreme workouts, forced consumption, “waterboarding” with a hose, and humiliating “pledge fanny packs”—show the brutal reality of modern hazing at a major Texas public university. UH’s Greek system includes over 40 fraternities and sororities across four councils.
• Texas A&M University: Home to a powerful Greek system and the Corps of Cadets, both with hazing allegations.
  • Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE) – Chemical Burns Case: Pledges allegedly had industrial cleaner poured on them, causing severe burns requiring skin grafts, leading to a lawsuit.
  • Corps of Cadets “Roasted Pig” Case: A cadet alleged being bound between beds in a degrading position as part of hazing.
• University of Texas at Austin: Maintains one of the most transparent hazing violation logs in the country.
  • Public records show sanctions against groups like Pi Kappa Alpha for forced milk consumption and calisthenics, and Texas Wranglers for alcohol hazing.
• Southern Methodist University (SMU): A private university with a affluent Greek scene. Kappa Alpha Order was suspended for paddling and forced drinking.
• Baylor University: Faced a baseball team hazing scandal in 2020 resulting in multiple player suspensions, showing hazing extends beyond Greek life.

For any family in Three States, the lesson is clear: hazing is a statewide problem. A student’s physical distance from home does not equate to safety. The same national fraternities and systemic failures exist everywhere.

5. Building a Hazing Case: Evidence, Strategy & Recovery for Three States Families

Pursuing a hazing case requires a meticulous, strategic approach against defendants who have vast resources and experience in avoiding liability. Our method is built on insider knowledge, forensic investigation, and a commitment to full accountability.

The Evidence That Wins Cases

The digital age creates both a tool for hazing and a trail of evidence. Preservation is the first and most critical step.

1. Digital Communications: GroupMe, WhatsApp, iMessage, Discord. Screenshot entire threads with timestamps. Deleted messages can often be recovered through forensic experts.
2. Social Media: Instagram Stories, Snapchat, TikTok. Hazing is often documented and shared. Screenshot immediately before it disappears.
3. Photos & Videos: Of injuries, locations, parties, and the participants. Metadata can confirm time and location.
4. Medical Records: Crucial for proving causation. ER reports, lab results (e.g., sky-high creatine kinase levels proving rhabdomyolysis), hospitalization records, and psychological evaluations for PTSD.
5. Internal Organization Documents: Pledge manuals, “tradition” books, emails between chapter officers and national headquarters.
6. University Records: Prior disciplinary reports for the same organization, obtained through discovery or public records requests.
7. Witness Testimony: Other pledges, former members, roommates, and bystanders.

Overcoming the Standard Defenses

We anticipate and dismantle the standard playbook used by fraternities and universities:

• Defense: “The Pledge Consented.”
  • Our Response: Texas law states consent is not a defense. We demonstrate the coercive power imbalance and peer pressure that negates true consent.
• Defense: “This Was a Rogue Chapter; National Didn’t Know.”
  • Our Response: We subpoena national headquarters records to show pattern evidence—prior identical incidents at other chapters that put them on notice. The Bermudez case alleges Pi Kappa Phi national failed to act despite systemic issues.
• Defense: “It Happened Off-Campus, Not Our Responsibility.”
  • Our Response: Universities and nationals maintain control and benefit from chapters regardless of location. Foreseeability of off-campus hazing is well-established (see the Pi Delta Psi retreat case).
• Defense: “Our Insurance Doesn’t Cover Intentional Acts.”
  • Our Response: This is where Mr. Lupe Peña’s experience as a former insurance defense attorney is invaluable. We argue that the negligent supervision by the national or university—a failure to act—is itself a covered “occurrence.” We identify all potential insurance policies and fight bad-faith denials.

Damages: What Recovery Can Include

A civil lawsuit seeks to make the victim whole and hold defendants accountable. Recoverable damages include:

• Economic Damages:
  • All past and future medical expenses (ER, surgery, therapy, lifelong care for catastrophic injuries).
  • Lost wages and diminished future earning capacity.
  • Educational costs (interrupted semesters, transferred tuition).
• Non-Economic Damages:
  • Physical pain and suffering.
  • Severe emotional distress, PTSD, humiliation.
  • Loss of enjoyment of life.
• Wrongful Death Damages (for families):
  • Funeral costs, loss of financial support, and loss of companionship.
• Punitive Damages: In cases of gross negligence or malice, to punish the defendants and deter future conduct.

6. Practical Guide for Three States Parents, Students & Witnesses

For Parents: Warning Signs & Action Steps

Warning Signs:

• Unexplained injuries, exhaustion, or sudden weight change.
• Personality shifts: anxiety, depression, secrecy, defensiveness.
• Constant phone anxiety and mandatory, late-night “meetings.”
• Decline in academic performance.
• Requests for money for unexplained “fines” or “dues.”

What to Do Immediately:

1. Prioritize Health: Get medical attention. Describe the hazing to doctors so it’s documented.
2. Preserve Evidence: Help your child screenshot everything. Photograph injuries. Do not delete a single message.
3. Write a Timeline: Document everything your child tells you with dates, names, and places.
4. Consult a Lawyer BEFORE Reporting: We can guide you on how to report to the university or police while protecting evidence and your child’s interests. Call 1-888-ATTY-911.
5. Do NOT: Confront the organization, sign university paperwork, or post on social media.

For Students: Your Safety & Rights

• You Have the Right to Be Safe. No “tradition” justifies abuse.
• Is This Hazing? If you feel coerced, endangered, or humiliated to belong, it is.
• Exiting Safely: You can quit. Send a clear text/email to the chapter president and keep a copy. Tell a trusted adult first.
• Reporting: You can report anonymously to campus police, the Dean of Students, or the National Anti-Hazing Hotline (1-888-NOT-HAZE). Texas law provides immunity for good-faith reporters.
• Evidence: Be your own best witness. Screenshot, photograph, and save.

Critical Mistakes That Can Ruin a Case

• Deleting Messages or “Cleaning Up.” This is evidence destruction.
• Confronting the Fraternity/Sorority First. They will lawyer up and destroy evidence.
• Signing University “Resolution” Forms. These often waive your right to sue.
• Posting on Social Media. Defense attorneys will scour for inconsistencies.
• Waiting to See What the University Does. Evidence vanishes, witnesses scatter.

7. Why Attorney911 for Three States Hazing Cases

When your family faces the trauma of hazing, you need more than a lawyer; you need advocates who understand the playbook of powerful institutions because we used to write it. The Manginello Law Firm, PLLC (Attorney911) is a Texas-based firm dedicated to complex litigation and holding powerful entities accountable.

Our Texas Hazing Litigation Credentials

We Are Currently Leading a Major Texas Hazing Fight.
We represent Leonel Bermudez in his $10 million lawsuit against the University of Houston and Pi Kappa Phi. We know firsthand what it takes to investigate severe hazing, identify all liable parties—from individual members to national headquarters and housing corporations—and pursue justice against well-funded opponents.

Insider Insurance Knowledge.
Mr. Lupe Peña spent years as an insurance defense attorney for national firms. He knows exactly how fraternity and university insurers undervalue claims, use delay tactics, and argue coverage exclusions. We know their strategy because we used to be on their side. This insider knowledge is a decisive advantage for our clients.

Proven Experience Against Giant Institutions.
Ralph Manginello was one of the few Texas attorneys involved in the BP Texas City explosion litigation, taking on a billion-dollar corporation. That same tenacity and resource-level preparation is applied to hazing cases against national fraternities and university systems. We are not intimidated by deep pockets.

A Data-Driven Investigative Engine.
We don’t start from scratch. We use our Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine—built from public IRS data, university rosters, and metro records—to immediately map the organizational landscape behind any chapter. We know how to trace liability through house corporations, alumni associations, and national headquarters.

Full-Spectrum Legal Insight.
With Ralph’s membership in the Harris County Criminal Lawyers Association (HCCLA), we understand both the criminal and civil sides of hazing. We can advise families and witnesses navigating dual exposures, ensuring their rights are protected in all forums.

Our Commitment to Three States Families

We serve families across Texas from our offices in Houston, Austin, and Beaumont. While based in Houston, our reach is statewide, and we have a deep understanding of the universities Three States students attend. We approach each case with a dual mission: to secure maximum recovery for your family’s suffering and to force the institutional changes that will protect future students.

Your Next Step: A Confidential, No-Obligation Consultation

If you suspect your child has been hazed, time is your most critical asset. Evidence disappears, and institutions move quickly to control the narrative.

Contact us today for a free, confidential case evaluation.

• We will listen to your story with compassion and without judgment.
• We will review any evidence you have gathered.
• We will explain your legal options clearly and honestly.
• We work on a contingency fee basis—you pay no attorney fees unless we win your case.

Call Attorney911, the Legal Emergency Lawyers™, at 1-888-ATTY-911 (1-888-288-9911).
Direct: (713) 528-9070 | Cell: (713) 443-4781
Website: https://attorney911.com
Se Habla Español: Contact Mr. Lupe Peña at lupe@atty911.com

You don’t have to face this nightmare alone. Let us help you fight for accountability, recovery, and peace of mind.

Plain Text Links to Key Resources

News Coverage of the Active UH Pi Kappa Phi Case We Are Litigating:

• Click2Houston (KPRC 2) 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 (KTRK) 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 for Families:

• Using Your Phone to Document Evidence: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLbpzrmogTs
• Understanding Statutes of Limitation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRHwg8tV02c
• Client Mistakes That Can Hurt a Case: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3IYsoxOSxY
• How Contingency Fees Work: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=upcI_j6F7Nc

Attorney911 Main Website & Contact:

• https://attorney911.com

Legal Disclaimer

This article is provided for informational and educational purposes only. It is not legal advice and does not create an attorney–client relationship between you and The Manginello Law Firm, PLLC.

Hazing laws, university policies, and legal precedents can change. The information in this guide is current as of late 2025 but may not reflect the most recent developments. Every hazing case is unique, and outcomes depend on the specific facts, evidence, applicable law, and many other factors.

If you or your child has been affected by hazing, we strongly encourage you to consult with a qualified Texas attorney who can review your specific situation, explain your legal rights, and advise you on the best course of action for your family.

The Manginello Law Firm, PLLC / Attorney911
Houston, Austin, and Beaumont, Texas
Call: 1-888-ATTY-911 (1-888-288-9911)
Direct: (713) 528-9070 | Cell: (713) 443-4781
Website: https://attorney911.com
Email: ralph@atty911.com