The Definitive Guide to Fraternity & Sorority Hazing Lawsuits in Texas: A Resource for Hitchcock Families

If you are a parent or family member in Hitchcock, Galveston County, and your child has been hurt, humiliated, or hospitalized because of fraternity, sorority, Corps, or team hazing, you are not alone. Right now, just an hour north of you in Houston, our law firm is fighting one of the most serious hazing cases in Texas history. We represent Leonel Bermudez, a University of Houston student who was brutally hazed by the Pi Kappa Phi Beta Nu chapter, suffering rhabdomyolysis and acute kidney failure. This case is proof that the dangerous culture of hazing is active and causing catastrophic harm on Texas campuses today.

This guide is written specifically for you—families in Hitchcock, Texas City, Santa Fe, and across Galveston County. We will explain what modern hazing truly looks like, your legal rights under Texas law, and the real patterns of abuse happening at universities where your children may study, including the University of Houston, Texas A&M, UT Austin, and others. Our goal is to provide you with the knowledge and resources you need to protect your child and hold every responsible party accountable.

Immediate Help for a Hazing Emergency

If your child is in danger or injured RIGHT NOW:

1. Call 911 for any medical emergency.
2. Call Attorney911: 1-888-ATTY-911 (1-888-288-9911) for immediate legal guidance.
3. Preserve Evidence: Before anything is deleted, help your child screenshot group chats (GroupMe, texts), photograph injuries, and save any physical items involved. Do not let them “clean up” their phone.
4. Get Medical Care: Go to the ER or urgent care immediately. Tell the doctors exactly what happened—that it was hazing.
5. Do NOT:
   • Confront the fraternity, sorority, or team.
   • Let your child attend “one last meeting” to “talk it out.”
   • Sign anything from the university or any insurance company.
   • Post details on public social media.

Hazing in 2025: What It Really Looks Like on Texas Campuses

Hazing is not just about “pranks” or “bad parties.” It is a calculated system of coercion, humiliation, and control designed to test loyalty through suffering. For parents in Hitchcock, whose children may be experiencing this far from home, understanding the modern tactics is critical.

Physical & Alcohol Hazing: This remains the most deadly form. It includes forced consumption of alcohol until vomiting or unconsciousness, often framed as “Big/Little Night,” “Bible Study,” or “family drinks.” It also involves extreme physical exertion—”smokings” with hundreds of push-ups or squats until collapse, exposure to extreme cold, or being subjected to violent paddling.

Psychological & Digital Hazing: This is often harder for parents to spot. It includes sleep deprivation from 3 AM wake-up calls, forced servitude (being on call 24/7 to drive members), social isolation from non-members, and degrading verbal abuse. Crucially, it now happens digitally: pledges are required to maintain constant contact through group chats, respond instantly to demands, and may be forced to post humiliating content on social media.

The “Consent” Trap: Organizations will often claim the student “wanted to be there” or “agreed to it.” Texas law is clear: consent is not a defense to hazing. The power imbalance between a pledge seeking belonging and a member with the power to grant it removes any notion of true voluntary consent.

The Flagship Case: What Happened to Leonel Bermudez at University of Houston

To understand the severity and legal complexity of a modern hazing case, look no further than the lawsuit we are actively litigating in Harris County, just up I-45 from Hitchcock.

Leonel Bermudez, a student at the University of Houston, accepted a bid to join the Pi Kappa Phi Beta Nu chapter in Fall 2025. What followed was a campaign of abuse. He was forced to carry a “pledge fanny pack” filled with humiliating items at all times, subjected to enforced dress codes and overnight driving duties, and endured hours of grueling physical hazing at the chapter house, a residence on Culmore Drive, and Yellowstone Boulevard Park.

The abuse escalated. He was sprayed in the face with a hose “similar to waterboarding,” forced to consume milk, hot dogs, and peppercorns until vomiting, and then made to sprint. On November 3, 2025, he was forced through over 100 push-ups and 500 squats under threat of expulsion. He collapsed. Days later, his urine turned 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 risk of permanent kidney damage.

Our firm filed a $10 million lawsuit against the University of Houston, the Pi Kappa Phi national headquarters, the local housing corporation, the UH System Board of Regents, and 13 individual fraternity leaders. The chapter was swiftly suspended and then voted to surrender its charter. As reported by Click2Houston and ABC13, this case exemplifies the institutional failures and human cost of hazing.

Why This Matters for Hitchcock Families: This is not an isolated incident in a far-off state. This is happening at a major university within driving distance of Galveston County. The same national fraternities and sororities present at UH have chapters across Texas. The legal strategies we employ in this case—holding the national organization, the university, and individuals accountable—are directly applicable if your child is harmed at any Texas school.

Texas Hazing Law: Your Legal Rights Explained

Texas has strong laws against hazing, found in Chapter 37 of the Education Code. Understanding these is the first step toward accountability.

Texas Definition of Hazing (Sec. 37.151): Any intentional, knowing, or reckless act directed against a student for the purpose of initiation into or affiliation with any organization that endangers the mental or physical health or safety of the student. This applies on or off campus.

Criminal Penalties (Sec. 37.152):

• 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.
• It is also a crime for a member to fail to report hazing they are aware of.

Critical Protections:

• Consent is NOT a Defense (Sec. 37.155): Even if your child “went along with it,” the hazing is still a crime.
• Immunity for Good-Faith Reporting (Sec. 37.154): Students who call for help in an emergency are generally protected from university discipline for related policy violations (like underage drinking).

Civil Liability: Separate from criminal charges, victims can file civil lawsuits for damages. This is where families can seek compensation for medical bills, pain and suffering, and other losses. Defendants can include:

• The individuals who committed the acts.
• The local chapter.
• The national fraternity/sorority headquarters.
• The university (for negligent supervision).
• Housing corporations and property owners.

The Texas Greek Ecosystem: What Hitchcock Parents Need to Know

When your child is hazed, you are not just up against a few “bad apples.” You are facing a network of organizations with legal identities, insurance policies, and often, long histories of similar misconduct. Using our Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine—built from public records—we map this ecosystem to build the strongest possible case.

For Hitchcock families, the primary hub is the Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land metropolitan area, which includes Galveston County and is home to the University of Houston. This metro contains 188 Greek-related organizations registered with the IRS or operating locally. These are not just social clubs; they are legal entities like housing corporations and alumni chapters that can hold liability and insurance.

Public Records Directory: Greek Organizations Connected to Texas Campuses

To illustrate the scale and structure, here are examples of Texas-registered Greek organizations from public filings. This is the type of data we use to identify every potentially liable entity behind a fraternity or sorority chapter.

Examples in the Greater Houston Area:

• Pi Kappa Phi Delta Omega Chapter Building Corporation, EIN 37-1768785, Missouri City, TX 77459 (IRS B83 filing)
• Alpha Sigma Phi Fraternity Inc – Theta Delta, EIN 47-5370943, Houston, TX 77204 (IRS B83 filing)
• Sigma Chi Fraternity Epsilon Xi Chapter, EIN 74-6084905, Houston, TX 77204 (IRS B83 filing)
• Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority – Beta Sigma Chapter, Houston, TX (Cause IQ metro listing)

Examples at Other Major Texas Universities:

• Beta Nu Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity Housing Corporation Inc, EIN 46-2267515, Frisco, TX 75035 (IRS B83 filing)
• Texas Kappa Sigma Educational Foundation Inc, EIN 74-1380362, Fort Worth, TX 76147 (IRS B83 filing)
• Building Corporation of Delta Chapter of Alpha Delta Pi, EIN 74-6047117, Austin, TX 78705 (IRS B83 filing)

Statewide Snapshot: Our data tracks over 1,423 fraternity and sorority organizations across 25 Texas metros, from Dallas-Fort Worth (510 orgs) to Lubbock (59 orgs) and College Station (42 orgs). This network is why a hazing incident at Texas A&M or UT Austin follows legal patterns we see nationwide.

Where Hitchcock Families Send Their Kids: Campus Connections

Students from Galveston County attend universities across Texas. A hazing crisis can therefore connect you to campuses and legal jurisdictions far from home.

Local & Regional Campuses:

• University of Houston (Houston, Harris County) – The closest major research university.
• Texas A&M University at Galveston (Galveston, Galveston County) – A specialized campus right in our community.
• University of Houston-Clear Lake (Houston, Harris County)
• College of the Mainland (Texas City, Galveston County)

Major Statewide Hubs (Common for Texas Students):

• Texas A&M University (College Station, Brazos County)
• University of Texas at Austin (Austin, Travis County)
• Baylor University (Waco, McLennan County)
• Texas State University (San Marcos, Hays County)
• Texas Tech University (Lubbock, Lubbock County)

Each of these campuses has its own Greek life ecosystem, documented hazing incidents, and local courts. For example, Texas A&M has faced lawsuits over severe chemical burns in a Sigma Alpha Epsilon hazing and disturbing allegations within its Corps of Cadets. UT Austin maintains a public hazing violations log that shows recurring issues with chapters like Pi Kappa Alpha.

Building a University Hazing Case with Attorney911

When you come to us, we don’t start from scratch. We start from a position of deep, data-driven insight. Our approach combines the investigative rigor from our experience in cases like the BP Texas City explosion litigation with an insider’s understanding of how insurance companies defend these claims.

Our Investigative Process:

1. Evidence Preservation: We immediately secure digital evidence—recovering deleted group chats (GroupMe, WhatsApp), social media posts, and chapter communications. We use the techniques explained in our video on using your phone to document a legal case.
2. Defendant Identification: Using resources like our Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine, we identify all potentially liable entities: individual members, chapter officers, the local chapter corporation, the national headquarters, alumni housing corporations, and the university itself.
3. Pattern Discovery: We subpoena records from the national fraternity to uncover prior hazing incidents at other chapters, proving they knew or should have known of the risks. We obtain the university’s disciplinary history with the chapter.
4. Damages Analysis: We work with medical experts, life-care planners, and economists to fully document the physical, emotional, and financial impact on your child—from current medical bills to future earning capacity and therapy for PTSD.

Our Legal Advantages:

• Insurance Insider Knowledge: Our attorney, Mr. Lupe Peña (he/him), spent years as an insurance defense lawyer for a national firm. He knows exactly how fraternity and university insurers will try to deny, delay, or minimize your claim. We anticipate their tactics.
• Complex Institutional Litigation: Managing partner Ralph Manginello has taken on billion-dollar corporations. We are not intimidated by the deep-pocketed defense teams that national fraternities and major universities deploy.
• Dual Civil & Criminal Understanding: With Ralph’s membership in the Harris County Criminal Lawyers Association (HCCLA), we understand how criminal hazing investigations interact with civil lawsuits, allowing us to advise clients on both fronts.

Critical Steps and Common Mistakes for Families

What You Should Do:

1. Prioritize Health & Safety: Get immediate medical attention. A medical record created at the time of injury is powerful evidence.
2. Document Everything: Write down a timeline with names, dates, locations, and what happened. Photograph everything.
3. Consult a Lawyer Early: Call us at 1-888-ATTY-911 before making statements to the university or police. We can help frame your interactions to protect your rights.
4. Understand the Timeline: Texas has a statute of limitations for personal injury claims. Learn more in our video on Texas statutes of limitations.

Costly Mistakes to Avoid:
We detail these in our video on client mistakes that can ruin your injury case. Key errors include:

• Deleting Evidence: Letting your child “clean up” their phone or social media.
• Giving Recorded Statements: Talking to the university’s or fraternity’s insurance adjuster without an attorney.
• Signing University Agreements: Accepting a quick “internal resolution” that may waive your right to sue.
• Waiting Too Long: Evidence disappears, witnesses graduate, and memories fade.

Why Choose Attorney911 for Your Hazing Case

We are The Manginello Law Firm, PLLC, operating as Attorney911, the Legal Emergency Lawyers™. While our offices are in Houston, Austin, and Beaumont, we serve hazing victims and their families across Texas, including those in Hitchcock, Galveston County, and all surrounding communities.

We take on hazing cases because we understand the profound betrayal and lasting harm they cause. We fight not just for compensation, but for accountability that can force systemic change and prevent the next family from suffering.

We work on a contingency fee basis, meaning there is no cost to you unless we win your case. Learn how this works in our video on contingency fees.

If your child has been hazed at any Texas university, fraternity, sorority, Corps program, or athletic team, you have the right to answers and accountability.

Contact us today for a free, confidential, no-obligation consultation. We will listen to your story, explain your legal options, and help you decide the best path forward for your family.

Call Attorney911: 1-888-ATTY-911 (1-888-288-9911)
Direct: (713) 528-9070 | Website: https://attorney911.com

Se habla Español. Contact Mr. Lupe Peña at lupe@atty911.com for consultation in Spanish.

Plain Text Links to Key Resources

News Coverage of the Leonel Bermudez / UH Pi Kappa Phi Hazing Lawsuit:

• Click2Houston (KPRC 2) Coverage: 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/
• Hoodline Summary: https://hoodline.com/2025/11/university-of-houston-and-pi-kappa-phi-fraternity-face-10m-lawsuit-over-alleged-hazing-and-abuse/

Attorney911 Educational Videos:

• Using Your Cellphone to Document Evidence: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLbpzrmogTs
• Texas Statutes of Limitations: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRHwg8tV02c
• Client Mistakes to Avoid: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3IYsoxOSxY
• How Contingency Fees Work: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=upcI_j6F7Nc

Attorney911 Main Website:

• https://attorney911.com

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. We encourage you to seek legal counsel for advice on your particular situation.