The Complete Texas Hazing Guide for Families in Floyd County

What happens when a son or daughter from Floydada, Lockney, or Plainview goes off to college and the promise of brotherhood or sisterhood turns dangerous? As parents in the South Plains and across Floyd County, we send our children to Texas universities hoping they’ll find community, but sometimes they find something else entirely: coercion, humiliation, and physical danger disguised as tradition.

Right now, our firm represents Leonel Bermudez, a University of Houston student who allegedly endured a pledge period so brutal it caused rhabdomyolysis (severe muscle breakdown) and acute kidney failure, requiring four days of hospitalization. The 2025 lawsuit against UH and Pi Kappa Phi Beta Nu chapter details forced overeating until vomiting, workouts of 100+ push-ups and 500 squats, hose spraying “similar to waterboarding,” humiliating “fanny pack” rules, and another pledge being hog-tied for over an hour. These aren’t isolated incidents—they’re part of patterns happening across Texas campuses where Floyd County families send their students, from Texas Tech in Lubbock to West Texas A&M in Canyon to major hubs like UT Austin and Texas A&M.

This comprehensive guide explains what modern hazing actually looks like, Texas law, national patterns, and specifically what’s happening at universities where Floyd County students enroll. If you’re a parent in Floyd County whose child may be facing hazing, we’re here to help you understand your rights and options.

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 even if the student insists they are “fine.”
  • Preserve evidence: Screenshot all group chats and texts, photograph injuries, save clothing and receipts.
  • Write down everything while memory is fresh (who, what, when, where).
• Do NOT:
  • Confront the fraternity/sorority directly.
  • Sign anything from the university or an insurance company.
  • Post details on public social media.
  • Let your child delete messages.
• Contact an experienced hazing attorney quickly. We can help navigate the critical early stages. Call us at 1-888-ATTY-911 for an immediate, confidential consultation.

What Hazing in 2025 Really Looks Like

Hazing has evolved far beyond simple pranks. For Floyd County families, especially those whose children may be first-generation college students navigating unfamiliar Greek systems, understanding the modern reality is crucial.

Today’s hazing is a calculated spectrum of coercion ranging from psychological control to physical violence. It’s defined as any intentional, knowing, or reckless act that endangers mental or physical health for the purpose of joining or maintaining status in a group. This happens on and off campus, and critically, a victim’s “consent” is not a legal defense in Texas due to the inherent power imbalance.

The Modern Hazing Playbook

1. Subtle Hazing & Psychological Control:
This establishes a power dynamic and includes enforced secrecy (“Don’t tell your parents”), mandatory servitude like 24/7 driving duties for older members, social isolation from non-members, and “voluntary” attendance at events that sabotage academics. Digitally, it manifests as constant group chat monitoring (like GroupMe or Discord), requiring immediate responses at all hours, and location-sharing via apps like Find My Friends.

2. Harassment Hazing:
This escalates to causing deliberate discomfort. It includes verbal abuse and threats, systematic sleep deprivation with 3 AM wake-up calls, forced consumption of unpleasant foods (like spoiling milk or excessive hot dogs), public humiliation through degrading costumes or acts, and “punitive” physical activity masked as “conditioning” (excessive calisthenics, wall sits to collapse).

3. Violent/Dangerous Hazing:
This category has the highest potential for injury or death and includes the forced drinking rituals seen in countless national tragedies, forced drug use, physical beatings or paddling, dangerous “tests” like blindfolded tackles (“glass ceiling” rituals), sexualized hazing including forced nudity or simulated acts, and extreme environmental exposure (locked in cold rooms, left outside in severe weather).

The evolution is strategic. Hazing often moves off-campus to Airbnbs or rural properties (like the Pi Delta Psi retreat where Michael Deng died) to avoid university cameras. Activities are disguised as “team-building,” “wellness challenges,” or “fitness tests.” The “it’s optional” loophole is common—participation is framed as voluntary, but refusal means social ostracization or denial of membership.

The Law & Liability Framework in Texas

For families in Floyd County considering action, understanding the legal landscape is the first step. Hazing cases operate in two parallel systems: criminal prosecution by the state and civil lawsuits for compensation and accountability.

Texas Criminal Hazing Law (Education Code Chapter 37)

Texas has a specific anti-hazing statute. Under § 37.151, hazing is any intentional, knowing, or reckless act that endangers physical or mental health for purposes of pledging, initiation, or affiliation with a group. Key provisions Floyd County families should know:

• Criminal Penalties (§ 37.152): Hazing is a Class B misdemeanor. It becomes a Class A misdemeanor if it causes bodily injury and a STATE JAIL FELONY if it causes serious bodily injury or death.
• Organizational Liability (§ 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 (§ 37.155): This is critical. Even if a student “agreed,” it’s still a crime. The law recognizes that consent under peer pressure and fear of exclusion is not valid.
• Immunity for Good-Faith Reporting (§ 37.154): Those who report hazing or call for medical help in good faith are protected from liability. Many Texas campuses also have medical amnesty policies for underage drinking in emergencies.

Civil Liability: Who Can Be Held Accountable?

A civil lawsuit seeks financial compensation for damages and can target multiple parties. Potential defendants in a case involving a Floyd County student might include:

1. Individual Students: Those who planned, executed, or covered up the hazing.
2. The Local Chapter: As a legal entity, if it exists (many have housing corporations or alumni associations).
3. The National Fraternity/Sorority Headquarters: They often have deep pockets via insurance and can be liable for negligent supervision if they knew or should have known about dangerous patterns. The Pi Kappa Phi national organization is a defendant in the Bermudez UH lawsuit.
4. The University: Public universities (like Texas Tech or WTAMU) have certain sovereign immunity protections, but they can be sued for gross negligence, Title IX violations (if hazing is sexualized), or deliberate indifference to known risks. The University of Houston is a named defendant in the ongoing $10 million lawsuit.
5. Third Parties: Property owners of off-campus houses, bars that furnished alcohol (under Texas dram shop law), or security companies.

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

Federal laws create additional accountability layers:

• Title IX: If hazing involves sexual harassment or assault, or creates a hostile environment based on sex, universities have a duty to investigate and address it.
• The Clery Act: Requires colleges to report certain crimes, including assaults often associated with hazing.
• The Stop Campus Hazing Act (2024): Requires colleges receiving federal aid to publish more transparent hazing data and strengthen prevention programs by 2026.

National Hazing Case Patterns: The Scripts That Repeat

The tragedy striking a Floyd County family is often not unique. National patterns show hazing methods are copied across campuses. Understanding these “scripts” helps prove that injuries were foreseeable and preventable.

The Alcohol Poisoning Script

This is the most common fatal pattern. It follows a formula: a “Big/Little” reveal, bid acceptance night, or “family tree” game where pledges are pressured or forced to consume extreme amounts of alcohol.

• Timothy Piazza (Penn State, Beta Theta Pi, 2017): Died after a bid acceptance night with forced drinking; brothers delayed calling 911 for hours. Resulted in the Timothy J. Piazza Anti-Hazing Law in Pennsylvania.
• Max Gruver (LSU, Phi Delta Theta, 2017): Died during a “Bible study” drinking game where wrong answers meant drinking. Led to Louisiana’s felony Max Gruver Act.
• Stone Foltz (Bowling Green State, Pi Kappa Alpha, 2021): Died after being told to finish a bottle of alcohol. His family secured a $10 million settlement ($7M from the national fraternity, ~$3M from the university).

The Physical Endurance & Ritual Script

This involves violent traditions passed down as “ritual.”

• Chun “Michael” Deng (Baruch College, Pi Delta Psi, 2013): Died from traumatic brain injury after a blindfolded, weighted “glass ceiling” ritual at a retreat. The national fraternity was criminally convicted and banned from Pennsylvania for 10 years.
• Danny Santulli (Univ. of Missouri, Phi Gamma Delta, 2021): Suffered permanent, catastrophic brain damage from forced drinking. His family settled with 22 defendants, highlighting multi-party liability.

What These Cases Mean for Texas Families

These national precedents show courts and juries will hold organizations financially accountable. Settlements and verdicts in death cases range from $1 million to over $14 million. For severe injuries, recoveries can be multi-million dollar. These cases prove that arguing “we didn’t know it could happen” fails when the same script has played out elsewhere.

Texas Focus: Where Floyd County Students Go to College

Floyd County families send students to a mix of regional and flagship universities. Hazing is not confined to any one campus or group type.

Regional Campuses for Floyd County Students

Texas Tech University (Lubbock) & West Texas A&M University (Canyon):
These are common choices for South Plains students. Greek life is active at both. Our Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine shows registered organizations in these areas, meaning there are legal entities that can be held responsible. For example, public records list the Frank Heflin Foundation (EIN 203507402) in Canyon, TX 79015—a Phi Delta Theta alumni fund connected to West Texas A&M. Another entity, Kappa Alpha Order – Gamma Sigma Chapter, is recorded in Canyon. If hazing occurs, these entities and their national affiliations (which have their own hazing histories) become part of the liability investigation.

The Major Texas University Systems

While some Floyd County students stay regional, many attend large flagship schools with complex Greek ecosystems. Here’s what parents should know about these systems.

University of Houston (UH)

• Snapshot: A large, diverse commuter and residential campus with active Greek life across multiple councils (IFC, Panhellenic, NPHC, MGC).
• The Flagship Case – Leonel Bermudez: This active lawsuit is the perfect example of severe, contemporary hazing. According to media reports, Bermudez’s pledging for Pi Kappa Phi Beta Nu involved a “pledge fanny pack” with humiliating items, forced labor, sleep deprivation, and brutal physical hazing at the chapter house, a Culmore Drive residence, and Yellowstone Boulevard Park. The alleged November 3, 2025, workout led to rhabdomyolysis and acute kidney failure. The chapter was suspended and then closed. We represent Bermudez in this ongoing $10 million lawsuit against UH, its Board of Regents, Pi Kappa Phi nationals, the housing corporation, and 13 individual members.
• For Floyd County Families: While UH is geographically distant, the case demonstrates our firm’s active, high-stakes hazing litigation. The same national organizations implicated at UH have chapters statewide.

Texas A&M University (College Station)

• Snapshot: Known for its Corps of Cadets and strong Greek tradition. Hazing risks exist in both spheres.
• Documented Incidents:
  • Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE): A 2021 lawsuit alleged pledges were subjected to strenuous activity and had substances including industrial-strength cleaner poured on them, causing severe chemical burns requiring skin grafts. The lawsuit sought $1 million.
  • Corps of Cadets: A 2023 lawsuit alleged a freshman cadet was subjected to degrading hazing, including being bound between beds in a “roasted pig” pose with an apple in his mouth. The suit sought over $1 million.
• Liability Insight: Texas A&M’s unique culture means cases may involve both standard fraternity liability and arguments about institutional control over the Corps.

University of Texas at Austin (UT)

• Snapshot: UT operates one of the most transparent hazing disclosure systems in the state at hazing.utexas.edu.
• Public Violations: The public log shows a pattern of sanctions:
  • Pi Kappa Alpha (2023): Sanctioned for directing new members to consume milk and perform strenuous calisthenics.
  • Various spirit groups and fraternities have been sanctioned for forced drinking, physical abuse, and sleep deprivation.
• Strategic Advantage: This public database is a gift to investigators. It provides documented proof of prior incidents, establishing a pattern and university knowledge that can be used to support a victim’s case.

Southern Methodist University (SMU) & Baylor University

• Private School Context: As private institutions, they have fewer sovereign immunity hurdles but often tightly control information.
• SMU Incident: Kappa Alpha Order was suspended in 2017 following reports of paddling, forced drinking, and sleep deprivation.
• Baylor Incident: The baseball team suspended 14 players in 2020 following a hazing investigation.
• Consideration: These schools’ religious or reputational branding can sometimes influence internal responses. An external legal advocate is often crucial to ensure transparency.

Fraternities & Sororities: Connecting National Histories to Texas Chapters

When a Floyd County student is hazed at Texas Tech’s Sigma Alpha Epsilon chapter, that chapter isn’t an island. It’s part of a national organization with a known history. This connection is a cornerstone of civil liability.

Our Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine tracks over 1,400 Greek-related entities across 25 Texas metros. For example, in the broader Lubbock metro, public IRS and Cause IQ data show entities like the Epsilon Nu Housing Corporation (EIN 237359384) in Lubbock, TX 79401, and the Texas Tech Chapter of Phi Delta Theta Housing. These are not just social clubs; they are legal entities with Employer Identification Numbers (EINs), addresses, and often, insurance policies.

Why National Histories Matter in Court:
If a local chapter repeats a hazing method that caused death or injury at another chapter years before, it proves the national organization had foreseeable knowledge of the risk. Their “anti-hazing policy” is shown to be inadequate if they didn’t effectively prevent the repeat offense.

• Pi Kappa Alpha (ΠΚΑ): National history includes the Stone Foltz death at Bowling Green ($10M settlement). If a Texas chapter uses similar “big/little” drinking pressure, the national’s prior knowledge is established.
• Sigma Alpha Epsilon (ΣΑΕ): One of the deadliest fraternities historically, with multiple alcohol poisoning deaths nationwide and the recent chemical burns case at Texas A&M.
• Phi Delta Theta (ΦΔΘ): The Max Gruver death at LSU.
• Pi Kappa Phi (ΠΚΦ): The Andrew Coffey death at Florida State.

When we take a case, part of our investigation involves subpoenaing the national organization’s records to uncover prior incident reports, internal warnings, and risk management failures related to the specific hazing methods used. This “pattern and practice” evidence is powerful for settlement leverage and at trial.

Building a Hazing Case: Evidence, Damages, and Strategy

For a Floyd County family, the path to accountability is built on evidence and strategic legal positioning. This is where our dual expertise in complex civil litigation and insurance defense insight becomes critical.

Critical Evidence Collection

Digital evidence is now the most important category. Preservation must begin immediately.

1. Group Chats (GroupMe, WhatsApp, iMessage): Screenshot entire threads with timestamps and sender names visible. These show planning, coercion, and boasts about the hazing.
2. Social Media (Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok): Save posts, stories, and DMs that show events, injuries, or location tags. Screenshot disappearing content instantly.
3. Photos/Videos of Injuries: Take clear, dated photos from multiple angles. Document the progression of bruises or wounds.
4. Medical Records: Go to the ER or a doctor and explicitly state the injuries are from hazing. This creates a crucial link in the medical record. Obtain all records.
5. University Records: Through discovery, we can obtain prior conduct reports on the chapter, showing a pattern the school knew about.
6. Witness Information: Document names and contact info for other pledges, roommates, or bystanders.

Understanding Damages: What Can Be Recovered

Civil lawsuits seek to make the victim whole and hold defendants accountable through financial compensation.

• Economic Damages:
  • All past and future medical bills (ER, hospitalization, surgery, therapy).
  • Lost wages (for a parent who missed work) or lost educational investment (withdrawn semester tuition).
  • Lost future earning capacity if injuries cause permanent disability (e.g., brain injury, kidney damage).
• Non-Economic Damages:
  • Physical pain and suffering.
  • Emotional distress, PTSD, humiliation, loss of enjoyment of life.
• Wrongful Death Damages (for families):
  • Funeral costs, loss of financial support, and loss of love, companionship, and guidance.
• Punitive Damages: In egregious cases, to punish especially reckless or malicious conduct.

Cases like Foltz ($10M), Gruver ($6.1M verdict), and others show that courts and juries value these harms significantly when institutions fail to protect students.

Navigating Insurance & Institutional Defenses

Fraternities and universities have insurers whose goal is to minimize payouts. Common defenses we anticipate and defeat include:

• “The Pledge Consented”: Invalid under Texas law § 37.155.
• “It Was a Rogue Chapter”: We subpoena national records to show prior knowledge and inadequate supervision.
• “It Happened Off-Campus”: Liability extends based on sponsorship and control, not just geography.
• “Insurance Doesn’t Cover Intentional Acts”: We argue negligent supervision by the national or university is a covered claim.

Our attorney, Mr. Lupe Peña, spent years as an insurance defense lawyer. He knows the tactics insurers use to delay, deny, and lowball claims. We use that insider knowledge to build cases that force fair settlements or win at trial.

Practical Guides & FAQs for Floyd County Families

For Parents: Warning Signs & Action Steps

Warning Signs:

• Unexplained injuries, bruises, or burns.
• Extreme fatigue, sleep deprivation.
• Sudden secrecy about group activities.
• Personality changes: anxiety, withdrawal, irritability.
• Constant, anxious phone use for group chats.
• Financial pressure for unexplained “fines” or purchases.

What to Do:

1. Talk Calmly: Ask open-ended questions. “How are things really going with the fraternity? Is anything making you uncomfortable?”
2. Prioritize Safety: If there’s immediate danger, call 911.
3. Preserve Evidence: Gently help your child save screenshots and photos before panic leads to deletion.
4. Seek Medical Care: Get a professional evaluation, even for psychological trauma.
5. Consult a Lawyer Early: Before reporting to the university or making statements. We can guide you on protecting rights and evidence. Call 1-888-ATTY-911.

For Students: Is This Hazing?

Ask yourself:

• Am I being pressured or coerced?
• Would I do this if there were no social consequences for refusing?
• Is it dangerous, degrading, or illegal?
• Am I told to keep it secret?
  If you answer “yes,” it is hazing. Your safety comes first. You have the right to leave. If you’re scared, tell a trusted adult, RA, or contact the Dean of Students. You can also call us for confidential advice.

Critical Mistakes That Can Harm a Case

1. Deleting Digital Evidence: This is the single biggest error. It looks like a cover-up and destroys your case.
2. Confronting the Fraternity Directly: This triggers their defense lawyers and leads to evidence destruction.
3. Signing University “Resolution” Forms: These often waive your right to sue for inadequate compensation.
4. Posting on Social Media: Defense investigators monitor everything. Inconsistencies hurt credibility.
5. Waiting to Act: Evidence disappears, witnesses graduate, and the 2-year statute of limitations ticks away.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Can we sue a Texas university for hazing?
  Yes. Sovereign immunity has exceptions for gross negligence, Title IX violations, and more. Universities often settle to avoid reputational damage, as seen in the BGSU ($3M) and UH (ongoing) cases.
• How long do we have to file a lawsuit?
  Generally, two years from the date of injury in Texas. However, consulting a lawyer immediately is vital to preserve evidence and begin the investigation.
• What if it happened off-campus?
  Location does not eliminate liability. National fraternities and universities can still be responsible for activities they sponsor or should foresee.
• Will our name be public?
  Most cases settle confidentially. We can often negotiate sealed records and private settlements to protect your family’s privacy.

Why Choose The Manginello Law Firm / Attorney911

When your family in Floyd County faces the trauma of hazing, you need advocates who understand both the human cost and the complex legal battlefield. You need attorneys who aren’t intimidated by powerful institutions because they’ve fought them before—and won.

We Bring a Unique Combination of Insider Knowledge and Courtroom Power:

• Insurance Insider Strategy: Our attorney, Mr. Lupe Peña (he/him), spent years as a defense lawyer for a national insurance firm. He knows exactly how fraternity and university insurers will try to deny, delay, and devalue your claim. We use their playbook against them to secure maximum compensation.
• Proven Experience Against Giants: Managing partner Ralph Manginello was one of the few Texas attorneys involved in the BP Texas City explosion litigation, taking on a billion-dollar corporation. We apply the same relentless investigation and complex litigation skills to hold national fraternities and universities accountable.
• Active, High-Stakes Hazing Litigation: Right now, we are leading the lawsuit for Leonel Bermudez against the University of Houston and Pi Kappa Phi. This isn’t theoretical. We are in the trenches, fighting one of the most serious hazing cases in the country. We understand the current tactics, defenses, and strategies needed to win.
• Data-Driven Investigation: We don’t start from scratch. We use tools like our Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine—built from public records on over 1,400 Greek entities—to quickly identify all potentially liable organizations, their insurance coverage, and their histories.
• Full-Spectrum Advocacy: From evidence preservation (recovering deleted group chats) to working with medical experts and economists, we build comprehensive cases for damages. We are also members of the Harris County Criminal Lawyers Association (HCCLA), giving us insight into the criminal side of hazing cases that many civil firms lack.
• Empathy Rooted in Experience: We are parents. We are Texans. We understand the fear, anger, and confusion you feel. Our mission is to guide your family through this crisis with compassion while fighting aggressively for the justice and accountability you deserve.

Your Next Step: A Free, Confidential Consultation

If you are in Floyd County—in Floydada, Lockney, Aiken, or anywhere in the South Plains—and believe your child has been hazed at any Texas college or university, we are here to listen and help.

Contact us today for a free, no-obligation consultation. We will:

• Listen to your story confidentially.
• Review any evidence you have.
• Explain your family’s legal rights and options in plain English.
• Discuss how we investigate hazing cases and hold organizations accountable.
• Answer your questions about the process, timeline, and costs.

We work on a contingency fee basis for civil cases, meaning you pay no attorney fees unless we recover money for you.

Call the Legal Emergency Lawyers™ 24/7: 1-888 Presidents ATT Y-911 (1-888-288-9911)
Direct Line: (713) 528-9070 | Cell: (713) 443-4781
Hablamos Español: Contact Mr. Lupe Peña at lupe@atty911.com for consultation in Spanish.
Website: https://attorney911.com

You don’t have to face this alone. Let us help you protect your child and fight for accountability.

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.

The Manginello Law Firm, PLLC / Attorney911
Houston, Austin, and Beaumont, Texas
Call: 1-888-ATTY-911 (1-888-288-9911)
Website: https://attorney911.com