Hazing Lawsuits in Stamford, Texas: A Parent’s Guide to Campus Safety, Laws, & Legal Action

If Your Child Was Hazed at a Texas University, You Are Not Alone

Imagine this scenario, familiar to many Texas families: a student from Stamford, eager to build a future, accepts a bid to join a fraternity, sorority, Corps unit, or athletic team at their chosen university. What begins as exciting camaraderie soon darkens. There are mandatory late-night sessions, “tradition” meetings at odd hours, and a creeping sense that something is wrong. The student comes home to Stamford on break exhausted, withdrawn, or with unexplained injuries. When asked, they deflect: “It’s just part of the process,” or “Everyone does it.” This isn’t bonding; it’s hazing. For families in Stamford and across Haskell County, this nightmare is real, and the legal and medical consequences can be catastrophic.

Right now, our firm is actively litigating one of the most severe hazing cases in Texas on behalf of a student and his family. In late 2025, we filed a $10 million hazing and abuse lawsuit in Harris County on behalf of Leonel Bermudez, a former pledge of the Pi Kappa Phi Beta Nu chapter at the University of Houston. The allegations are harrowing: forced carrying of a degrading “pledge fanny pack,” extreme physical workouts leading to rhabdomyolysis and acute kidney failure, simulated waterboarding with a hose, forced overconsumption of food leading to vomiting, and a culture of humiliation and threats. Our client was hospitalized for four days with brown urine and critically high creatine kinase levels. This is not a historical case; it is ongoing, active litigation that demonstrates exactly how serious, and how dangerous, modern hazing can be in Texas.

This comprehensive guide is written specifically for parents and families in Stamford, Haskell County, and the surrounding West Texas region. We will explain what hazing truly looks like in 2025, the Texas laws designed to protect your child, the national patterns of abuse that repeat on our campuses, and the legal pathways to accountability. If your child has been hurt, you deserve answers, and the organizations responsible must be held accountable.

Immediate Help for Hazing Emergencies

If your child is in danger RIGHT NOW:

• Call 911 for any medical emergency.
• Then call us at 1-888-ATTY-911 for immediate legal guidance.

In the first 48 hours, take these critical steps:

1. Get Medical Attention: Even if injuries seem minor, see a doctor. Conditions like rhabdomyolysis (severe muscle breakdown) can be fatal and require specific tests.
2. Preserve Evidence: Do NOT let your child delete anything. Screenshot all group chats (GroupMe, WhatsApp, texts), photograph injuries from multiple angles, and save any physical items involved.
3. Document Everything: Write down a timeline—what happened, when, where, and who was involved—while memories are fresh.
4. Do NOT:
   • Confront the fraternity, sorority, or team directly.
   • Sign any documents from the university or an insurance company.
   • Post details on public social media.
   • Allow evidence to be “cleaned up” or deleted.

Contact an experienced hazing attorney within 24-48 hours. Evidence disappears quickly, and universities often move to control the narrative. We can help you preserve crucial evidence and protect your child’s rights. Call us at 1-888-ATTY-911 for a free, confidential consultation.

What Hazing Really Looks Like in 2025: Beyond the Stereotypes

Hazing is no longer just about “pranks” or “wild parties.” It is a calculated pattern of coercion, humiliation, and abuse designed to create loyalty through trauma. For parents in Stamford, understanding the modern reality is the first step to recognizing the signs.

Texas law (Education Code Chapter 37) defines hazing broadly as any intentional, knowing, or reckless act that endangers the mental or physical health of a student for the purpose of initiation, affiliation, or membership. Crucially, the victim’s “consent” is not a legal defense.

Modern hazing tactics fall into clear, dangerous categories:

1. Alcohol & Substance Hazing: The most common and deadly form. This includes forced drinking games (“lineups,” “century club,” “Bible study”), coerced consumption of handles of liquor, and being pressured to use drugs.
2. Physical Hazing: Extreme calisthenics (“smokings”), paddling, beatings, sleep deprivation, exposure to extreme elements, and dangerous physical stunts.
3. Psychological & Humiliating Hazing: Public degradation, verbal abuse, forced nudity or sexual simulation, assignments of demeaning tasks, and social isolation.
4. Digital Hazing: 24/7 control via group chats, forced participation in humiliating social media challenges, location tracking, and cyberbullying.

These acts often occur off-campus in rental houses, Airbnb properties, or remote retreats to avoid university oversight—a trend we saw in the Pi Kappa Phi case, where hazing occurred at a Culmore Drive residence and Yellowstone Boulevard Park. The harm is real: from alcohol poisoning and traumatic brain injury to, as in our UH case, rhabdomyolysis leading to permanent kidney damage, severe psychological trauma, and death.

The Texas Legal Framework: Criminal Penalties and Civil Liability

Texas has specific laws to combat hazing, and they apply whether your child is at a school in Lubbock, Abilene, or hundreds of miles away in College Station. Understanding this framework empowers Stamford families.

Texas Education Code Chapter 37: The Anti-Hazing Statute

The law is clear and powerful:

• Definition: Hazing is any intentional, knowing, or reckless act that endangers physical or mental health for the purpose of initiation or affiliation into any student organization.
• Consent is NOT a Defense: Section 37.155 explicitly states that a victim’s agreement does not excuse the conduct.
• 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.
• Organizational Liability: The fraternity, sorority, or club itself can be fined up to $10,000 per violation and lose university recognition.
• Immunity for Reporters: Individuals who in good faith report hazing or call for medical help are protected from civil or criminal liability.

Civil Lawsuits: The Path to Accountability and Compensation

A criminal case is filed by the state to punish wrongdoing. A civil lawsuit, which our firm files on behalf of victims, seeks to make the victim whole and hold all responsible parties accountable. These are not mutually exclusive; both can proceed simultaneously.

In a civil hazing case, we can seek damages from a wide universe of defendants:

• The Individual Perpetrators: The students who planned, executed, or facilitated the hazing.
• The Local Chapter: As an organizational entity.
• The National Fraternity/Sorority Headquarters: For failing to supervise, enforce policies, or act on known patterns of abuse.
• The University: For negligent supervision, deliberate indifference to known risks, or Title IX violations.
• Housing Corporations & Landlords: For allowing dangerous activities on their properties.

The damages sought can include:

• Medical Expenses (past and future)
• Lost Wages & Earning Capacity
• Physical Pain and Suffering
• Emotional Trauma and Psychological Counseling
• Punitive Damages (to punish egregious conduct)

National Hazing Cases: The Patterns That Repeat in Texas

The tragic cases that make national headlines are not isolated incidents. They are chapters in a repeating playbook that fraternities and sororities have used for decades. These cases set legal precedents and show Stamford families the terrifying patterns.

• Timothy Piazza (Penn State, Beta Theta Pi, 2017): Died from traumatic brain injuries after a bid-acceptance drinking night. Brothers delayed calling 911. Resulted in the Timothy J. Piazza Anti-Hazing Law in Pennsylvania and massive civil litigation.
• Max Gruver (LSU, Phi Delta Theta, 2017): Died from alcohol poisoning after a “Bible study” drinking game. Led to Louisiana’ felony Max Gruver Act.
• Stone Foltz (Bowling Green State, Pi Kappa Alpha, 2021): Died after being forced to drink a bottle of alcohol. The family reached a $10 million settlement with the national fraternity and university.
• Andrew Coffey (Florida State, Pi Kappa Phi, 2017): Died from acute alcohol poisoning during a “Big Brother” night, showing the deadly pattern within the same national organization currently sued in our UH case.
• Danny Santulli (Univ. of Missouri, Phi Gamma Delta, 2021): Suffered permanent, catastrophic brain damage from forced drinking. Settlements with 22 defendants.

These cases share common threads: forced consumption, delayed medical care, institutional failure, and a code of silence. They prove that national organizations are often on notice of lethal traditions yet fail to eradicate them. This “pattern and practice” evidence is crucial in holding them liable in Texas courts.

The Texas University Landscape: Where Stamford Families Send Their Kids

Families in Stamford and Haskell County rightly take pride in sending their children to Texas’s world-class universities. These institutions, however, are not immune to the scourge of hazing. It is critical to understand the specific environments at schools where your child may be enrolled.

For Stamford Families: Navigating Higher Education Choices

Students from Stamford often attend excellent universities across Texas. Many choose institutions in West Texas, while others head to major hubs. Key schools include:

West Texas & Regional Universities:

• Texas Tech University (Lubbock): A major research university with a large Greek life system and active student organizations. Hazing incidents have been reported here.
• West Texas A&M University (Canyon): Part of the Texas A&M System, with Greek life and athletic programs.
• Hardin-Simmons University & Abilene Christian University (Abilene): Private universities with campus organizations.
• McMurry University (Abilene): Another Abilene-based institution with student groups.

Major Statewide Hubs (Common Destinations):

• Texas A&M University (College Station): Home to a massive Greek system and the Corps of Cadets, both with documented hazing histories.
• University of Texas at Austin: A flagship campus with hundreds of student organizations and a publicly available hazing violations log.
• University of Houston: The site of our active Pi Kappa Phi litigation, representing the serious risks present in large urban Greek systems.
• Texas State University (San Marcos), University of North Texas (Denton), and others.

University-Specific Hazing Realities

Each campus has its own history. For example:

• Texas A&M’s Corps of Cadets has faced lawsuits alleging degrading sexualized hazing and physical abuse.
• UT Austin maintains a public online log of hazing violations, showing sanctions against fraternities like Pi Kappa Alpha for forced drinking and calisthenics.
• Our UH Pi Kappa Phi case exemplifies how hazing can lead to near-fatal medical crises even at a commuter-heavy urban campus.

The common denominator is that no campus, large or small, public or private, is hazing-free. Universities have a legal duty to protect students, and when they fail, they can be held accountable.

The Greek Ecosystem in Texas: A Web of Liability

Behind the Greek letters on campus exists a complex network of legally responsible entities. Our firm maintains the Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine, a proprietary database built from public records that tracks over 1,400 Greek-related organizations across 25 Texas metros. This investigative depth is how we identify every potentially liable party in a hazing case.

Public Records Directory: Organizations Serving Texas Students

For Stamford parents, it’s important to know that fraternities and sororities are often backed by formal legal entities. Here is a snapshot of the kind of data we utilize, showing the infrastructure behind campus life:

Texas-Registered Fraternity & Sorority Entities (IRS Filings):

• KAPPA SIGMA – MU CAMMA CHAPTER INC (EIN: 133048786) | 3007 Earl Rudder Fwy S, College Station, TX 77845
• BETA NU PI KAPPA PHI FRATERNITY HOUSING CORPORATION INC (EIN: 462267515) | 10601 Big Horn Trl, Frisco, TX 75035
• PI KAPPA PHI DELTA OMEGA CHAPTER BUILDING CORPORATION (EIN: 371768785) | 4102 Eastshore St, Missouri City, TX 77459
• SIGMA CHI FRATERNITY EPSILON XI CHAPTER (EIN: 746084905) | 4300 Martin Luther King Blvd, Houston, TX 77204
• ALPHA SIGMA PHI FRATERNITY INC (EIN: 475370943) | 5019 Calhoun Rd, Houston, TX 77204 (Theta Delta Chapter)
• TEXAS KAPPA SIGMA EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION INC (EIN: 741380362) | PO Box 470061, Fort Worth, TX 76147

Honor Societies & Educational Foundations:

• HONOR SOCIETY OF PHI KAPPA PHI (EIN: 900293166) | 114 Henderson Hall 4233 TAMU, College Station, TX 77843 (Texas A&M Chapter)
• HONOR SOCIETY OF PHI KAPPA PHI (EIN: 383742830) | 500 W University Ave, El Paso, TX 79968 (UTEP Chapter)

This is just a fraction of the data. These entities—housing corporations, alumni chapters, educational foundations—often hold insurance policies and assets. In a lawsuit, we target this full network, not just the undergraduate members. The national headquarters of organizations like Pi Kappa Phi, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, and Pi Kappa Alpha have been sued repeatedly across the country for the same hazing rituals that appear in Texas, proving they had foreknowledge and a duty to act.

Building a Powerful Hazing Case: Evidence, Strategy, and Our Approach

When a family from Stamford comes to us after a hazing incident, we immediately deploy a proven, multi-front strategy. Our goal is not just to settle quickly, but to build an undeniable case that forces full accountability and achieves justice that can prevent future harm.

Critical Evidence Collection

In the digital age, evidence is often hiding in plain sight. We secure:

• Digital Communications: GroupMe, WhatsApp, iMessage, and Discord chats showing planning, boasting, or cover-ups. We use digital forensics to recover deleted messages.
• Social Media & Photos: Posts, stories, and videos that inadvertently document the hazing.
• Medical Records: Documenting the physical and psychological injuries, from ER reports to long-term therapy notes.
• University Records: Obtained via subpoena, showing prior complaints against the group, knew, or should have known.
• National Fraternity Records: Internal manuals, prior incident reports, and risk management files that show a pattern of neglect.

Our Legal & Investigative Advantages

Our firm brings unique strengths to these complex fights:

• Insurance Insider Knowledge: Our attorney, Mr. Lupe Peña, spent years as a defense attorney for national insurance companies. He knows exactly how fraternity and university insurers value claims, deny coverage, and delay settlements. We know their playbook because we used to run it.
• Complex Institutional Litigation: Managing partner Ralph Manginello was one of the few plaintiff attorneys involved in the BP Texas City explosion litigation. We are not intimidated by billion-dollar defendants, deep-pocketed universities, or national fraternities with endless legal budgets. We’ve faced them before.
• Dual Civil & Criminal Expertise: Ralph’s membership in the Harris County Criminal Lawyers Association (HCCLA) means we understand the criminal hazing process intimately. We can advise families and witnesses navigating both criminal and civil proceedings.
• A Full Expert Network: We work with medical specialists, economists, digital forensics experts, and life-care planners to fully document the short and long-term impact of the hazing.

Practical Guidance for Stamford Parents and Students

For Parents: Warning Signs and Steps to Take

Red Flags Your Child May Be Being Hazed:

• Unexplained injuries, bruises, or burns
• Extreme fatigue, sleep deprivation, or drastic weight change
• Secrecy about organization activities
• Sudden personality changes: anxiety, depression, withdrawal
• Constant, anxious phone use related to group chats
• Requests for money for unexplained “fines” or “supplies”

If You Suspect Hazing:

1. Talk Calmly: Ask open-ended questions. “Has anything made you uncomfortable?” “Do you ever feel unsafe?”
2. Prioritize Safety: If there is immediate danger, call 911.
3. Preserve Evidence: Gently encourage your child to screenshot texts and photos before anything is deleted.
4. Seek Medical Care: A doctor can document injuries and test for conditions like rhabdomyolysis.
5. Contact an Attorney Before Reporting: We can help you navigate reporting to the university or police in a way that protects your child’s rights and preserves evidence.

For Students: Your Rights and How to Exit Safely

• You Have the Right to Be Safe: No tradition is worth your life or health.
• “Consent” is Not a Defense in Texas: You cannot legally agree to be abused.
• To Exit Safely: Send a clear, written resignation to the chapter president. Inform a trusted university official (Dean of Students). Do not attend “one last meeting.”
• Report Anonymously: Most Texas universities have anonymous hotlines. The National Anti-Hazing Hotline is 1-888-NOT-HAZE.

Critical Mistakes That Can Damage a Case

• Deleting digital evidence.
• Confronting the organization directly (they will lawyer up and destroy evidence).
• Signing a university “resolution” agreement without an attorney.
• Posting about the incident on social media.
• Waiting to see what the university does while the statute of limitations ticks.

Why Stamford Families Choose Attorney911 for Hazing Cases

When your family is in crisis, you need more than a lawyer; you need advocates who understand the depth of the trauma and the complexity of fighting powerful institutions. From our offices in Houston, Austin, and Beaumont, we serve families across Texas, including those in Stamford and throughout Haskell County.

We are not just personal injury attorneys. We are institutional accountability litigators. The same skills we used against BP and international corporations—uncovering systemic failures, navigating complex insurance coverages, and building trial-ready cases with expert testimony—are directly applied to hazing cases against universities and national fraternities.

We represent the whole person. We ensure our clients get the medical and psychological care they need while we fight for the compensation and reform necessary to make them whole. In our ongoing UH Pi Kappa Phi case, we are fighting not just for a financial recovery, but to force changes that will protect future students.

We offer free, confidential, no-obligation consultations. During this meeting, we will listen to your story, review any evidence you have, explain your legal options in clear terms, and outline the path forward. We work on a contingency fee basis for civil cases, meaning you pay nothing unless we win your case.

Contact Us Today for a Free Consultation

If hazing has impacted your child and your family, you do not have to face this alone. The organizations responsible count on silence and fear. We provide the experience, resources, and determination to break that silence and demand justice.

Call the Legal Emergency Lawyers™ at Attorney911:

• 24/7 Phone: 1-888-ATTY-911 (1-888-288-9911)
• Direct: (713) 528-9070
• Website: https://attorney911.com
• Email Ralph Manginello: ralph@atty911.com
• Email Lupe Peña (Se Habla Español): lupe@atty911.com

We serve Stamford, Haskell County, and all of Texas. Let us help you secure accountability, recover damages, and protect your child’s future.

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 applicable law. If you need legal advice, please contact The Manginello Law Firm, PLLC (Attorney911) or another qualified attorney for a consultation regarding your individual situation.