The Complete Guide to Hazing Lawsuits for Friendswood, Texas Families: University of Houston, Texas A&M, & Beyond

A Friendswood Parent’s Worst Nightmare: Hazing Is Happening Here (And We Are Fighting It)

Your child left for college full of promise—perhaps to the University of Houston, Texas A&M, UT Austin, or another Texas campus. They wanted to build community and join a prestigious organization. But now, the late-night texts have stopped. Your calls go unanswered. When you finally connect, their excuses don’t add up. They seem exhausted, jumpy, withdrawn. You suspect something is deeply wrong, but they’re afraid to talk, bound by secrecy and fear of retaliation. As a parent in Friendswood, Galveston County, you feel helpless, watching your child suffer and an institution close ranks.

This is not an abstract fear. Right now, in our own backyard, our firm is leading one of the most serious hazing cases in the country. We represent Leonel Bermudez, a student who suffered catastrophic injuries during his fall 2025 pledge period to the Pi Kappa Phi (Beta Nu) chapter at the University of Houston.

The facts, as detailed in the Click2Houston report on UH Pi Kappa Phi hazing, are harrowing. Bermudez was subjected to months of systematic abuse: forced to carry a humiliating “pledge fanny pack” 24/7; used as an overnight chauffeur; sprayed in the face with a hose “similar to waterboarding”; and compelled to endure extreme physical workouts. The abuse culminated on November 3, 2025, when he was forced to perform over 100 push-ups and 500 squats under threat of expulsion. Days later, he was crawling up stairs, his urine turning brown.

He was rushed to the hospital and diagnosed with rhabdomyolysis (severe muscle breakdown) and acute kidney failure, requiring a four-day hospitalization with a critical risk of permanent kidney damage. As reported by ABC13 coverage of Leonel Bermudez’s UH hazing lawsuit, the chapter was suspended and then shut down, with UH calling the conduct “deeply disturbing.”

This $10 million lawsuit names 17 defendants, including the University of Houston, the UH System Board of Regents, Pi Kappa Phi’s national headquarters, its housing corporation, and 13 individual fraternity leaders. We are fighting this case for Leonel and his family because what happened to him can—and does—happen to students from Friendswood attending campuses across our state.

This guide exists for you—the parents, family members, and students of Friendswood, Pearland, League City, Clear Lake, and across Galveston and Harris Counties. We will explain what modern hazing truly looks like, the Texas laws designed to stop it, the sobering national patterns, and what has happened at the universities where your children study. We are The Manginello Law Firm, PLLC (Attorney911), and we stand with Texas families seeking justice and accountability after campus hazing.

Immediate Help for a Hazing Emergency in Friendswood

If your child is in danger RIGHT NOW:

• Call 911 for any medical emergency.
• Then call us immediately: 1-888-ATTY-911 (1-888-288-9911). We are Legal Emergency Lawyers™ for a reason.

In the first 48 hours:

1. Get Medical Attention: Do not delay. Go to the ER or urgent care. Document everything.
2. PRESERVE EVIDENCE: This is critical. Before anything is deleted:
   • Screenshot all group chats (GroupMe, WhatsApp, iMessage), texts, and social media DMs.
   • Photograph all injuries from multiple angles with good lighting.
   • Save any physical items used (paddles, alcohol bottles, costumes).
   • Write down everything your child tells you—names, dates, locations, specific acts.
3. DO NOT:
   • Confront the fraternity, sorority, or university directly.
   • Sign anything from the school or an insurance company.
   • Let your child delete messages or “clean up” their phone.
   • Post details on public social media.

Contact an experienced hazing attorney within 24–48 hours. Evidence disappears fast. Universities move quickly to control narratives. We can help you secure evidence and protect your child’s rights from the start. Call 1-888-ATTY-911 for a free, immediate, and completely confidential consultation.

Hazing in 2025: What It Really Looks Like for Friendswood Students

For Friendswood families, hazing isn’t about “harmless pranks” or “boys being boys.” It is a calculated pattern of coercion, humiliation, and control that endangers physical and mental health. Under Texas law, hazing is any intentional, knowing, or reckless act—on or off campus—directed at a student for the purpose of joining or maintaining membership in a group, which endangers their health or safety.

The Modern Categories of Abuse

1. Alcohol & Substance Hazing (The Most Common Killer):

• Forced, coerced, or peer-pressured consumption of dangerous amounts of alcohol (“chugging,” “lineups,” “family tree” drinking games).
• Being pressured to consume unknown substances or illicit drugs.
• The “Big/Little” reveal night, where pledges are given handles of liquor.

2. Physical Hazing:

• Paddling, beating, punching, or slapping.
• Extreme, punitive calisthenics (“smokings”)—like the 100+ push-ups and 500 squats forced on Leonel Bermudez at UH.
• Sleep deprivation through all-night “study sessions” or tasks.
• Food/water deprivation or forced consumption of disgusting substances (spoiled food, excessive milk, hot sauce).

3. Psychological & Sexualized Hazing:

• Verbal abuse, threats, and intimidation.
• Public shaming, humiliation, and forced degrading acts.
• Simulated sexual acts, forced nudity, or sexually charged rituals.
• Isolation from friends and family.

4. Digital Hazing (The 2025 Frontier):

• 24/7 monitoring and mandatory instant responses in group chats (GroupMe, Discord).
• Forced sharing of live location via apps like Find My Friends.
• Public humiliation on social media (Instagram stories, TikTok challenges).
• Coerced creation or sharing of compromising photos/videos.

Where Hazing Happens: It’s Not Just “Frats”

While fraternities and sororities are high-risk environments, hazing permeates many groups:

• Fraternities & Sororities (IFC, Panhellenic, NPHC, Multicultural)
• Athletic Teams (varsity and club sports)
• Corps of Cadets & ROTC units
• Marching Bands & Performing Arts Groups
• Spirit & Tradition Organizations (like Texas Cowboys, Aggie Bonfire, or campus-specific groups)
• Academic & Honors Societies

The common thread is power imbalance, secrecy, and tradition used to justify abuse.

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

Texas has specific, powerful statutes to combat hazing. Understanding this framework is the first step toward holding perpetrators accountable.

Texas Education Code, Chapter 37 (The Hazing Statute)

§ 37.151 – Definition: Hazing is any intentional, knowing, or reckless act, on or off campus, directed against a student for the purpose of joining or maintaining membership in an organization, which:

• Endangers the student’s mental or physical health or safety.

§ 37.152 – Criminal Penalties:

• Class B Misdemeanor: Basic hazing (up to 180 days jail, $2,000 fine).
• Class A Misdemeanor: Hazing that causes injury requiring medical treatment.
• STATE JAIL FELONY: Hazing that causes serious bodily injury or death.

§ 37.155 – Consent is NOT a Defense: This is crucial. Even if your child “agreed” to participate under intense peer pressure, it is still legally considered hazing.

§ 37.153 – Organizational Liability: The fraternity, sorority, or club itself can be prosecuted and fined up to $10,000.

§ 37.154 – Immunity for Good-Faith Reporting: Students who report hazing or call 911 in a medical emergency are protected from prosecution related to that report (e.g., for underage drinking).

Criminal vs. Civil Cases: Two Paths to Accountability

• Criminal Case: Brought by the State (DA or County Attorney). Goal is punishment (jail, fines, probation). Charges can include hazing, assault, furnishing alcohol to a minor, or manslaughter.
• Civil Lawsuit: Brought by the victim and their family. Goal is compensation for damages and institutional accountability. You can pursue a civil case even if no criminal charges are ever filed.

Who Can Be Held Liable in a Civil Hazing Lawsuit?

1. The Individual Perpetrators: The students who planned, executed, or covered up the abuse.
2. The Local Chapter: As a legal entity, if it exists.
3. The National Fraternity/Sorority Headquarters: For failing to supervise, enforce policies, or act on known patterns of abuse. Their deep pockets and insurance are often key.
4. The University (UH, Texas A&M, UT, etc.): For negligent supervision, deliberate indifference, or violating duties under Title IX or the Clery Act. Public universities have some immunity, but exceptions exist for gross negligence.
5. Property Owners & Third Parties: Landlords of off-campus houses, bars that overserved alcohol (Texas Dram Shop Act).

National Hazing Patterns: The Tragic Blueprint Texas Organizations Follow

The hazing that injures students from Friendswood is not unique. National organizations repeat the same deadly scripts. These cases create legal precedents and show patterns of institutional failure.

The Alcohol Poisoning Pattern

• Timothy Piazza (Penn State, Beta Theta Pi, 2017): Died after a bid-acceptance night of forced drinking; brothers delayed calling 911 for hours. Result: Dozens of criminal charges, massive civil settlements, and Pennsylvania’s “Timothy J. Piazza Anti-Hazing Law.”
• Stone Foltz (Bowling Green, Pi Kappa Alpha, 2021): Pledge died after being forced to drink a bottle of liquor. Result: $10 million in settlements ($7M from Pi Kappa Alpha national, ~$3M from BGSU).
• Max Gruver (LSU, Phi Delta Theta, 2017): Died in a “Bible study” drinking game. Result: $6.1 million verdict and Louisiana’s “Max Gruver Act” felony hazing law.

The Physical & Ritualized Brutality Pattern

• Chun “Michael” Deng (Baruch College, Pi Delta Psi, 2013): Pledge died from traumatic brain injury after a blindfolded “glass ceiling” tackling ritual at a retreat. Result: National fraternity criminally convicted; banned from Pennsylvania for 10 years.
• Danny Santulli (University of Missouri, Phi Gamma Delta, 2021): Pledge suffered permanent, catastrophic brain damage from forced drinking. Result: Settlements with 22 defendants, a lifetime of 24/7 care needed.

What This Means for You in Friendswood

These national cases prove that hazing injuries are foreseeable. When a Pi Kappa Phi chapter at UH engages in forced workouts leading to rhabdomyolysis, or a Sigma Alpha Epsilon chapter at Texas A&M uses industrial cleaner causing burns, their national headquarters cannot claim “we had no idea this could happen.” This pattern evidence is the bedrock of a strong civil lawsuit for negligence.

The Texas University Landscape: Where Friendswood Families Send Their Kids

Friendswood is part of the vibrant, educated Greater Houston community. Our students attend prestigious universities across Texas. Here is what you need to know about the hazing landscape at the schools most relevant to our community.

1. University of Houston (UH) – Our Current Front Line

For Friendswood Families: A short drive up I-45, UH is a top destination for local students. Its urban campus hosts a large, active Greek community.

Current Flagship Case – Bermudez v. UH & Pi Kappa Phi:
As detailed in the Hoodline summary of the $10M UH hazing lawsuit, this case alleges UH and Pi Kappa Phi nationals knew or should have known about systemic hazing. The suit details abuse at the chapter house, a Culmore Drive residence, and Yellowstone Boulevard Park. This case is active proof of the severe risks present at a major Houston-area university.

UH’s Greek Ecosystem (from Official Rosters): Fraternities like Pi Kappa Phi, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, Pi Kappa Alpha, and Kappa Sigma have chapters here, alongside numerous sororities and multicultural groups.

What to Do if Hazing Happens at UH:

• Report to UH Dean of Students and UHPD.
• Understand that cases may be heard in Harris County District Courts.
• Act quickly—digital evidence from Houston-area group chats disappears fast.

2. Texas A&M University – Corps & Greek Life Scrutiny

For Friendswood Families: Many ambitious local students head to College Station. The culture of tradition, including the Corps of Cadets and robust Greek life, carries specific hazing risks.

Documented Incidents:

• Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE) Chemical Burns Case (2021): Pledges were allegedly doused with industrial-strength cleaner and other substances, causing severe chemical burns requiring skin graft surgeries. A $1 million lawsuit was filed.
• Corps of Cadets “Roasted Pig” Case (2023): A lawsuit alleged a cadet was hazed by being bound semi-nude between beds in a degrading position. The case sought over $1 million in damages.

What to Do if Hazing Happens at Texas A&M:

• Reporting channels include the Student Conduct Office and Corps leadership.
• Civil jurisdiction typically lies in Brazos County.
• The blend of military and Greek tradition requires attorneys who understand both cultures.

3. University of Texas at Austin – A Pattern of Violations

For Friendswood Families: UT Austin is a premier academic destination. It also maintains one of Texas’s most transparent hazing violation databases.

Public Hazing Log Highlights:

• Pi Kappa Alpha (2023): Sanctioned for making new members consume milk and perform strenuous calisthenics.
• Various spirit groups and fraternities appear on the log for forced workouts, alcohol hazing, and humiliation.

What to Do if Hazing Happens at UT Austin:

• Utilize UT’s public hazing.utexas.edu database to check an organization’s history.
• Reports go to the Dean of Students and UTPD.
• Travis County courts often handle subsequent litigation.

4. Southern Methodist University (SMU) & Baylor University

For Friendswood Families: These private, prestigious universities draw students seeking strong academic and Greek life environments.

Notable History:

• SMU: Kappa Alpha Order chapter suspended in 2017 for paddling and alcohol hazing.
• Baylor: Baseball team hazing incident in 2020 led to multiple player suspensions.

Key Consideration for Private Schools: They have less sovereign immunity than public universities, potentially altering legal strategy.

The Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine: The Data Behind the Letters

One of our firm’s critical advantages is our Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine—a proprietary database built from public records that tracks the organizations behind the hazing. For Friendswood families, this means we don’t start from zero; we know the entities that may bear responsibility.

Public Records: Greek Organizations Serving Texas Families

The IRS and other public filings show a vast network of Texas-registered Greek entities. This isn’t a guess; it’s a mapped ecosystem. For example, in the Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land metro area alone, Cause IQ data tracks 188 Greek-related organizations. Statewide, there are over 1,423 fraternity and sorority entities across 25 Texas metros.

Sample Entities from Public Records (Illustrative):

• Beta Nu Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity Housing Corporation Inc – EIN 46-2267515 – Frisco, TX 75035
• Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity – EIN 74-6064445 – Nederland, TX 77627 (Epsilon Kappa Chapter)
• Sigma Chi Fraternity Epsilon Xi Chapter – EIN 74-6084905 – Houston, TX 77204
• Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity – EIN 52-1278573 – Dallas, TX 75241 (Lambda Lambda Chapter)
• Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc. – Sigma Gamma Chapter – EIN 39-2352450 – Houston, TX 77254

These entities—house corporations, alumni chapters, educational foundations—often hold insurance policies and assets. Identifying them is the first step in building a comprehensive lawsuit that leaves no responsible party out.

Where Friendswood Students Go: Campus Connections

Our data links these organizations to the campuses your children attend. For instance:

• University of Houston has active chapters of Pi Kappa Phi, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, Pi Kappa Alpha, and many others listed in its official roster.
• Texas A&M hosts chapters of Sigma Alpha Epsilon, Phi Delta Theta, Pi Kappa Phi, and Beta Theta Pi, among dozens more.
• The same national brands (Pi Kappa Alpha, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, etc.) that have been involved in deadly hazing cases in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Louisiana also operate chapters at every major Texas university.

This allows us to argue foreseeability: national organizations cannot claim ignorance when the same dangerous “traditions” recur across their chapters, from State College to College Station.

Building a Hazing Case: Evidence, Strategy, and the Attorney911 Advantage

Pursuing a hazing case against a university and a national fraternity is complex litigation. It requires an investigative depth and tactical experience that most personal injury firms lack. Here is how we approach these cases.

The Evidence That Wins Cases (And How to Preserve It)

We treat every case like a crime scene. Critical evidence includes:

1. Digital Footprint (Most Critical):

• Group Chats (GroupMe, WhatsApp, Discord): These often contain the planning, execution, and cover-up of hazing. We use digital forensics to recover deleted messages.
• Social Media (Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok): Photos, videos, stories, and DMs that document abuse or humiliation.
• Text Messages & Emails: Between pledges, members, and officers.

Watch our video on using your phone to document evidence for a practical guide.

2. Physical & Medical Evidence:

• Medical Records: ER reports, hospitalization records, lab tests (like the critical creatine kinase levels showing rhabdomyolysis), and psychological evaluations for PTSD.
• Photographs of Injuries: Timestamped and detailed.
• Physical Objects: Paddles, specific clothing, alcohol containers.

3. Institutional Records (Obtained via Discovery):

• University conduct files on the organization’s prior violations.
• National fraternity risk management reports and incident histories.
• Internal emails between university administrators and Greek life advisors.

The Damages We Fight to Recover

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

• Economic Damages: All medical bills (past and future), lost wages, costs of psychological care, diminished future earning capacity.
• Non-Economic Damages: Physical pain, emotional trauma, humiliation, loss of enjoyment of life.
• Wrongful Death Damages (if applicable): Funeral costs, loss of companionship, family’s emotional anguish.
• Punitive Damages: In cases of egregious conduct, to punish the defendants and deter future behavior.

Overcoming the Standard Defenses

We anticipate and dismantle the common defenses used by fraternities and universities:

• “The Pledge Consented”: Texas law (§37.155) explicitly states consent is not a defense. We demonstrate the coercive power imbalance.
• “This Was a Rogue Chapter”: We use national pattern evidence and prior incidents to prove the national organization had knowledge and a duty to act.
• “It Happened Off-Campus”: Liability extends to sponsored activities and known off-campus hazing locations.
• “We Have Anti-Hazing Policies”: We show the gap between paper policies and actual enforcement or supervision.

Why Attorney911? Our Proven Edge for Texas Families

When you choose our firm, you are not hiring a generic personal injury lawyer. You are hiring a team with a specific, proven skillset for institutional hazing litigation.

1. Insurance Insider Knowledge (Mr. Lupe Peña):
Mr. Peña (he/him) spent years as an insurance defense attorney for national firms. He knows exactly how fraternity and university insurance companies value claims, deploy delay tactics, and fight coverage. We know their playbook because we used to run it. Learn more about Mr. Peña’s insurance defense background.

2. Complex Institutional Litigation Experience (Ralph Manginello):
Ralph was one of the few Texas attorneys involved in the BP Texas City explosion litigation, facing down billion-dollar defendants with unlimited legal budgets. Taking on a national fraternity or a major university system requires the same tenacity, resourcefulness, and federal court experience. See Ralph Manginello’s background and credentials.

3. Data-Driven Investigation:
Our Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine gives us an immediate strategic map. We identify all potentially liable entities—house corps, alumni associations, nationals—from day one.

4. Full-Spectrum Advocacy:
With Ralph’s membership in the Harris County Criminal Lawyers Association (HCCLA), we understand the criminal side of hazing investigations, allowing us to effectively advise clients navigating both civil and potential criminal proceedings.

5. Spanish-Language Services:
Mr. Peña speaks fluent Spanish. We are committed to serving all Texas families. Se habla español.

Practical Guides & FAQs for Friendswood Parents and Students

For Parents: Recognizing the Warning Signs

• Physical: Unexplained injuries, bruises, burns; extreme fatigue; weight changes; signs of alcohol poisoning.
• Behavioral: Sudden secrecy about group activities; withdrawal from family and old friends; personality changes (anxiety, depression); defensiveness about the organization.
• Academic: Plummeting grades, missing classes, falling asleep in school.
• Digital: Constant, anxious phone monitoring; being forced to share location; deleting message histories.

For Students: Your Rights and Safety

• Is This Hazing? If you feel coerced, endangered, or humiliated for membership, it likely is. “Tradition” is not a legal defense.
• You Have the Right to Leave. No matter what they’ve told you, you can quit immediately. Your safety is paramount.
• How to Report Safely: You can report to the Dean of Students, campus police, or anonymously through hotlines. Texas law offers protections for good-faith reporters.
• PRESERVE EVIDENCE: Screenshot everything. Do not delete group chats. Photograph injuries.

Critical Mistakes That Can Damage Your Case

We’ve detailed common pitfalls in our video on client mistakes that can ruin your injury case. Key errors include:

1. Deleting Evidence: “Cleaning up” group chats is often seen as obstruction.
2. Confronting the Organization Directly: This triggers their legal defense and evidence destruction.
3. Signing University Paperwork Without a Lawyer: You may unknowingly waive your rights.
4. Posting on Social Media: Defense attorneys scour social media for inconsistencies.
5. Waiting Too Long: Evidence disappears, witnesses scatter, and the statute of limitations runs. In Texas, you generally have two years from the date of injury to file a lawsuit. Learn more about Texas statutes of limitations.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can we sue the University of Houston or Texas A&M?
A: Yes, under specific legal theories. Public universities have some immunity, but it can be overcome in cases of gross negligence or deliberate indifference. Every case is fact-specific.

Q: What if it happened at an off-campus house?
A: Location does not negate liability. Universities and nationals can still be responsible for activities of recognized groups, and property owners may also bear liability.

Q: How much does it cost to hire you?
A: We work on a contingency fee basis. This means we only get paid if we win your case, taking a percentage of the recovery. There are no upfront fees. See how contingency fees work.

Q: Will my child’s name be in the news?
A: We prioritize your family’s privacy. Most cases settle confidentially before trial. We can seek protective orders to seal court records.

Your Next Step: A Confidential Conversation with Attorney911

If you are a parent in Friendswood, Pearland, League City, or anywhere in Texas, and you believe your child has been victimized by hazing, you do not have to navigate this alone. The institutions involved have teams of lawyers whose first goal is to protect the organization, not your child.

We offer a free, confidential, and no-obligation consultation to evaluate your situation. In this conversation, we will:

• Listen compassionately to your story.
• Review any evidence you have preserved.
• Explain the legal landscape and your family’s options.
• Outline a potential strategy for seeking accountability and compensation.
• Answer your questions clearly, including about costs and timelines.

We serve families across Texas from our offices in Houston, Austin, and Beaumont. Whether your child was hazed at the University of Houston, Texas A&M, UT Austin, SMU, Baylor, or any other campus, we have the expertise, the data, and the determination to help.

Take the first step toward justice and prevention today.

Contact The Manginello Law Firm, PLLC (Attorney911)

• Call 24/7: 1-888-ATTY-911 (1-888-288-9911)
• Direct Line: (713) 528-9070
• Email: ralph@atty911.com | lupe@atty911.com (Se habla español)
• Website: https://attorney911.com

Legal Disclaimer: This guide is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice or form an attorney-client relationship. The law is complex and constantly evolving. For advice on your specific situation, please contact our firm for a confidential consultation. Results in any case depend on the specific facts and applicable law.