The Rochester, Texas Guide to Understanding Hazing: Protecting Haskell County Families on Campus and Beyond

If you’re a parent in Rochester or anywhere in Haskell County, your worst nightmare might start with a late-night phone call. Your child is away at college, excited about joining an organization for friendship and opportunity. But what begins as “tradition” or “team bonding” can cross a dangerous line into abuse, leaving your child injured, traumatized, or worse, fighting for their life in a hospital bed. Hazing is not a distant problem; it’s a present danger at Texas universities where Haskell County students pursue their education.

Right now, our firm is leading one of the most serious hazing cases in Texas. We represent Leonel Bermudez in a $10 million lawsuit against the University of Houston, the Pi Kappa Phi fraternity’s Beta Nu chapter, its national headquarters, and multiple fraternity leaders. This case, detailed in extensive Click2Houston and ABC13 coverage, involves allegations of extreme physical abuse, forced consumption of food until vomiting, simulated waterboarding, and a “pledge fanny pack” humiliation rule that led to Bermudez developing rhabdomyolysis and acute kidney failure. This is happening now, at a major Texas public university.

This comprehensive guide is written specifically for families in Rochester, Haskell County, and the surrounding Texas communities. We will explain what modern hazing really looks like, break down Texas and federal law, examine patterns at universities where Haskell County students often attend, and provide concrete steps to protect your child and pursue accountability. Whether your child is at a large state school or a regional campus, the risks are real, and your family has rights.

Immediate Help for Hazing Emergencies

If your child is in danger RIGHT NOW:

• Call 911 for any medical emergency.
• Then call Attorney911: 1-888-ATTY-911 (1-888-288-9911) for immediate legal guidance.

In the first 48 hours:

1. Get Medical Attention: Insist on a full medical evaluation, even if injuries seem minor. Conditions like rhabdomyolysis (muscle breakdown) or internal injuries may not be immediately apparent.
2. Preserve Evidence IMMEDIATELY: Before messages disappear:
   • Screenshot all group chats (GroupMe, WhatsApp, iMessage) showing conversations about events, threats, or planning.
   • Photograph injuries from multiple angles with good lighting.
   • Save physical items like clothing, paddles, or receipts for forced purchases.
   • Our video on using your phone to document evidence provides critical guidance.
3. Document Everything: Write down everything your child tells you—names, dates, locations, specific acts—while memories are fresh.
4. Do NOT:
   • Confront the fraternity, sorority, or team directly.
   • Allow your child to delete any digital messages or “clean up” their phone.
   • Sign any documents from the university or an insurance company.
   • Discuss details on public social media.

Contact an experienced hazing attorney within 24–48 hours. Evidence vanishes quickly, and institutions move fast to control the narrative. We help families in Rochester and across Texas secure evidence and protect their rights from the start.

Understanding Hazing in 2025: Beyond the Stereotypes

Hazing is any action or situation created intentionally to produce mental or physical discomfort, embarrassment, harassment, or ridicule for the purpose of initiation into, affiliation with, or continued membership in a group. For families in tight-knit communities like Rochester, it’s crucial to recognize that hazing is not about “harmless pranks” or “earning your place.” It’s about power, coercion, and often, systemic abuse.

Modern hazing tactics have evolved, becoming more digital and psychologically manipulative:

• Alcohol & Substance Hazing: Forced consumption remains the deadliest form. This includes “lineups,” drinking games with punishment for wrong answers, and “Big/Little” nights where pledges are given handles of liquor.
• Physical Hazing: Extreme calisthenics (“smokings” with hundreds of push-ups), paddling, beatings, sleep deprivation, and exposure to extreme elements. The UH Pi Kappa Phi case involved forced sprints after vomiting and cold-weather workouts in underwear.
• Sexualized & Humiliating Hazing: Forced nudity, simulated sexual acts (“elephant walk”), degrading costumes, and acts involving racial or sexist slurs.
• Psychological & Digital Hazing: 24/7 monitoring via group chats, public shaming on social media, isolation from non-members, and threats of expulsion for non-compliance. The “pledge fanny pack” rule in the Bermudez case—requiring constant carry of humiliating items—is a textbook example of psychological control.

These acts occur in fraternities, sororities, athletic teams, Corps of Cadets programs, spirit groups, marching bands, and other campus organizations. The common thread is an imbalance of power where new members are coerced into compliance for fear of social exclusion.

Texas Hazing Law & Liability: A Guide for Haskell County Families

Texas has specific laws to combat hazing, primarily under the Texas Education Code, Chapter 37, Subchapter F. Understanding this framework is essential for Rochester families seeking accountability.

Texas Hazing Law (Education Code § 37.151):
Hazing is defined as any intentional, knowing, or reckless act directed against a student for the purpose of initiation into, affiliation with, or maintaining membership in an organization that:

1. Endangers the mental or physical health or safety of the student, AND
2. Involves forced consumption of substances, physical brutality, or other activities that adversely affect mental health.

Key Provisions for Families:

• Consent is NOT a Defense (§ 37.155): Even if a student “agreed” to participate, it is not a legal defense. Courts recognize the coercive power of peer pressure and the desire to belong.
• 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 organization itself (fraternity, sorority, team) can be prosecuted and fined up to $10,000 if it authorized or knew of the hazing and failed to report it.
• Immunity for Reporters (§ 37.154): Individuals who in good faith report hazing to authorities are immune from civil or criminal liability. Many universities also have medical amnesty policies to encourage calling 911.

Civil Liability vs. Criminal Charges:

• Criminal Cases: Brought by the state (DA’s office) to punish wrongdoing with jail time, fines, or probation. A criminal conviction is not required to file a civil lawsuit.
• Civil Lawsuits: Brought by victims and their families to recover compensation for damages: medical bills, future care, pain and suffering, emotional distress, and wrongful death. These suits can target:
  • Individual perpetrators
  • The local chapter
  • The national fraternity/sorority headquarters
  • The university (for negligent supervision)
  • Property owners and housing corporations

For Haskell County families, this means justice can be sought both through the criminal courts and through civil litigation designed to provide for a victim’s recovery and future.

National Hazing Case Patterns: Lessons for Texas Families

Major national cases create legal precedents and reveal patterns that directly impact claims in Texas. They show how courts and juries view institutional responsibility.

The Alcohol Poisoning Pattern:

• Timothy Piazza (Penn State, Beta Theta Pi, 2017): A bid acceptance night with forced drinking led to fatal falls; brothers delayed calling 911. Result: Dozens of criminal charges, massive civil settlements, and Pennsylvania’ “Timothy J. Piazza Anti-Hazing Law.”
• Stone Foltz (Bowling Green State, Pi Kappa Alpha, 2021): A pledge forced to drink a bottle of liquor died of alcohol poisoning. Result: A $10 million settlement ($7M from nationals, $3M from university) and criminal convictions. The chapter president was later ordered to pay $6.5 million personally.
• Max Gruver (LSU, Phi Delta Theta, 2017): A “Bible study” drinking game led to a fatal BAC of 0.495%. Result: The Max Gruver Act in Louisiana (felony hazing) and a $6.1 million verdict for the family.

The Physical & Ritualized Hazing Pattern:

• Chun “Michael” Deng (Baruch College, Pi Delta Psi, 2013): A blindfolded “glass ceiling” ritual at a retreat caused fatal head trauma. Result: The national fraternity was criminally convicted of manslaughter and banned from Pennsylvania for 10 years.

What This Means for Rochester Families:
These cases establish that national organizations are on notice about deadly hazing scripts. When a Texas chapter repeats these same patterns—forced drinking, dangerous rituals, cover-ups—it strengthens claims against the national headquarters for negligent supervision and failure to prevent foreseeable harm. The settlements and verdicts, often in the millions to tens of millions of dollars, reflect the severe lifetime impact of these injuries and deaths.

The Texas University Landscape: Where Haskell County Students Are at Risk

Families in Rochester and Haskell County often send their children to a mix of large state schools, regional universities, and community colleges. Hazing risks exist across this spectrum. Our investigation and data engine track the organizations behind these campuses.

Public Records: Fraternities, Sororities & Greek Organizations Connected to Texas Campuses

Below is a sample from our proprietary Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine, which maintains data on over 1,400 Greek-related organizations across 25 Texas metros. This illustrates the complex web of legally recognized entities—house corporations, alumni chapters, honor societies—that exist behind the scenes at universities your child may attend.

Sample Texas Greek Organization Listings (from IRS B83 Public Filings):

• Kappa Sigma – Mu Camma Chapter Inc. | EIN: 133048786 | 3007 Earl Rudder Fwy S, College Station, TX 77845 | IRS B83 filing.
• Alpha Sigma Phi Fraternity Inc. | EIN: 475370943 | 5019 Calhoun Rd, Houston, TX 77204 | IRS B83 filing (Theta Delta chapter).
• Beta Nu Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity Housing Corporation Inc. | EIN: 462267515 | 10601 Big Horn Trl, Frisco, TX 75035 | IRS B83 filing.
• Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi | EIN: 352335400 | 3900 University Blvd, Tyler, TX 75799 | IRS B83 filing (University of Texas at Tyler chapter).
• Sigma Phi Lambda Inc. | EIN: 201237505 | 4251 FM 2181 Ste 230 PMB 480, Corinth, TX 76210 | IRS B83 filing (Beta Chapter).
• Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity | EIN: 746064445 | 1855 Highway 69 N, Nederland, TX 77627 | IRS B83 filing (Epsilon Kappa chapter).
• Texas Kappa Sigma Educational Foundation Inc. | EIN: 741380362 | PO Box 470061, Fort Worth, TX 76147 | IRS B83 filing.

Universities Relevant to Rochester & Haskell County Families:
Students from our area attend institutions across Texas. While the flagship campuses make headlines, regional schools also have active Greek life and organizational risks.

Likely Destinations & Notable Histories:

• Texas Tech University (Lubbock): A major destination with a large Greek system. The Lubbock metro area shows 59 Greek organizations in our data. National fraternities like Kappa Sigma and Sigma Chi have active chapters with national hazing histories.
• West Texas A&M University (Canyon): A closer regional option. Our data includes entities like the Frank Heflin Foundation (EIN: 203507402) in Canyon, an alumni fund tied to Phi Delta Theta, a fraternity with a fatal national hazing history.
• Midwestern State University (Wichita Falls): Another regional university. Cause IQ data shows Greek organizations like Tau Kappa Epsilon operating in the Wichita Falls metro.
• The Big 5 (UH, UT Austin, Texas A&M, Baylor, SMU): Haskell County students also attend these larger universities, each with documented hazing incidents:
  • University of Houston: As seen in the active Bermudez/Pi Kappa Phi case.
  • Texas A&M University: Facing lawsuits involving Corps of Cadets “roasted pig” hazing and Sigma Alpha Epsilon chemical burns.
  • University of Texas at Austin: Maintains a public hazing violations log showing repeated sanctions against groups like Pi Kappa Alpha for forced consumption and calisthenics.
  • Baylor University: Has faced hazing allegations within its baseball program.
  • Southern Methodist University: Has suspended chapters, including Kappa Alpha Order, for paddling and forced drinking.

The takeaway for Rochester parents: No campus is immune. The same national organizations with documented dangerous histories operate at large and regional schools alike.

Fraternity & Sorority National Histories: Why the Organization Behind the Letters Matters

When hazing occurs, it’s rarely an isolated incident. It’s often a repeat of a known, dangerous pattern within that national organization’s culture. This “pattern evidence” is crucial for holding powerful national headquarters accountable.

Organizations with Documented Nationwide Hazing Patterns:

• Pi Kappa Alpha (Pike): Fatal hazing of Stone Foltz (BGSU, $10M settlement); multiple other deaths and serious injuries nationally.
• Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE): Labeled “the deadliest fraternity” by some publications; multiple alcohol poisoning deaths; sued at Texas A&M for chemical burns requiring skin grafts.
• Pi Kappa Phi: Fatal hazing of Andrew Coffey (Florida State); now the subject of the active, severe UH case we are litigating.
• Phi Delta Theta: Fatal hazing of Max Gruver (LSU, $6.1M verdict).
• Phi Gamma Delta (FIJI): Caused severe, permanent brain injury to Danny Santulli (Univ. of Missouri), resulting in multi-million-dollar settlements with 22 defendants.

How This Creates Liability:
National fraternities and sororities have risk management manuals and anti-hazing policies precisely because they know these dangers exist. When a local chapter repeats a known deadly script—like a “Big/Little” drinking night or a violent “glass ceiling” ritual—the national can be found liable for:

• Negligent Supervision: Failing to adequately monitor and control chapters.
• Failure to Enforce Policies: Having “paper policies” but no meaningful enforcement.
• Foreseeability: Knowing a specific activity (e.g., forced drinking games) has caused death before but failing to eradicate it.

For a family in Haskell County, this means the lawsuit isn’t just against the students in the room. It can extend to the multi-million dollar national organization that failed to prevent a predictable tragedy.

Building a Hazing Case: Evidence, Strategy, and Damages

Pursuing a hazing case requires a meticulous, strategic approach from attorneys who understand how to investigate institutions and fight their insurance companies.

Critical Evidence We Secure:

1. Digital Forensics: Deleted GroupMe, WhatsApp, and text messages; social media posts and stories; location data.
2. Internal Organization Records: Pledge manuals, “tradition” documents, emails between chapter and nationals, prior incident reports.
3. University Records: Prior disciplinary files on the same organization obtained via discovery or public records requests.
4. Medical Documentation: ER records, lab tests (like CK levels for rhabdomyolysis), psychological evaluations for PTSD.
5. Witness Testimony: Other pledges, former members, roommates, and advisors.

Understanding Recoverable Damages:
In a civil lawsuit, families may seek compensation for:

• Economic Damages: All past and future medical bills, lost wages, cost of long-term care or therapy, educational costs (withdrawn semesters).
• Non-Economic Damages: Pain and suffering, emotional distress, humiliation, loss of enjoyment of life.
• Wrongful Death Damages: Funeral costs, loss of financial support, loss of companionship and guidance for parents and siblings.
• Punitive Damages: In cases of extreme recklessness or cover-ups, to punish the defendants and deter future conduct.

Our Strategic Advantages from Other Complex Litigation:
Our experience in billion-dollar cases like the BP Texas City explosion litigation taught us how to fight institutional defendants with unlimited resources. Furthermore, our attorney Mr. Lupe Peña’s background as a former insurance defense attorney at a national firm is invaluable. He knows precisely how fraternity and university insurers will try to deny claims, lowball settlements, and use delay tactics. We don’t just react to their strategy; we anticipate it. We understand how they value claims because we used to be on their side of the table.

A Practical Guide for Rochester Parents & Students

For Parents – Warning Signs & Steps:

• Watch For: Unexplained injuries, extreme fatigue, drastic mood changes, secrecy about activities, constant anxiety over group chats, sudden financial needs.
• Talk to Your Child: Ask open-ended questions. “Are you ever asked to do things that make you uncomfortable?” “What happens if someone says no?” Reassure them your love is unconditional.
• If You Suspect Hazing: Document everything. Seek medical care. Consult a lawyer before reporting to the university, as internal processes are often designed to protect the institution.

For Students – Your Safety & Rights:

• Trust Your Gut: If it feels dangerous, degrading, or coercive, it is hazing.
• You Can Leave: You have the legal right to quit any organization at any time. Your safety is more important than membership.
• Report Safely: Use anonymous campus hotlines, the National Anti-Hazing Hotline (1-888-NOT-HAZE), or contact the Dean of Students. Texas law offers protections for good-faith reporters.
• Preserve Evidence: Screenshot everything. Take photos of injuries. Do not delete messages.

Critical Mistakes That Can Harm Your Case:

1. Deleting Evidence: It looks like a cover-up and destroys your case. Save everything.
2. Confronting the Organization Directly: This triggers their legal defense and evidence destruction.
3. Signing University “Resolution” Forms: These often waive your right to sue for inadequate compensation.
4. Posting on Social Media: Defense attorneys scour accounts for inconsistencies.
5. Waiting Too Long: Evidence disappears, witnesses forget, and the statute of limitations runs. Texas generally allows two years from the date of injury to file suit, but exceptions exist. Watch our video on Texas statutes of limitations.

Why Attorney911 for Hazing Cases: Texas-Based, Nationally Informed

We are The Manginello Law Firm, PLLC, operating as Attorney911, the Legal Emergency Lawyers™. We are a Texas personal injury and complex litigation firm with offices in Houston, Austin, and Beaumont. We serve families across Texas, including those in Rochester, Haskell County, and throughout the region.

Why Our Experience Matters for Your Hazing Case:

• We Are Litigating a Major Texas Case Right Now: We lead the Leonel Bermudez v. UH & Pi Kappa Phi lawsuit—a current, high-stakes example of our active fight against university and fraternity hazing.
• Insider Insurance Knowledge: Mr. Lupe Peña (he/him) spent years as an insurance defense attorney. He knows exactly how the other side values claims, negotiates, and fights coverage. This insight is critical when facing well-funded national fraternities and their insurers.
• Proven Against Giant Institutions: Our firm’s involvement in the BP Texas City explosion litigation proves we have the resources and tenacity to take on billion-dollar defendants. Universities and national fraternities are no different.
• Data-Driven Investigation: We built and maintain the Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine used in this guide. We don’t start from scratch; we know how to trace liability through house corporations, alumni chapters, and national networks.
• Full-Service Advocacy: From evidence preservation and digital forensics to working with medical experts and economists, we handle every aspect so your family can focus on healing.
• Spanish-Language Services: Mr. Peña speaks fluent Spanish (Se habla Español), ensuring we can serve all Texas families with comfort and clarity.

We operate on a contingency fee basis for personal injury cases, including hazing litigation. This means you pay no upfront fees; we only get paid if we successfully recover compensation for you. Learn more in our video explaining how contingency fees work.

Your Next Step: A Confidential Consultation

If hazing has impacted your family, you are not alone, and you do not have to navigate this crisis without guidance. The path to accountability and recovery begins with understanding your rights and options.

We offer a free, confidential, no-obligation consultation to families in Rochester and across Texas. In this conversation, we will:

• Listen carefully to your story.
• Review any evidence or information you have.
• Explain the legal landscape and your potential options.
• Discuss how we investigate and build hazing cases.
• Answer your questions about process, timeline, and costs.

There is no pressure to hire us. Our goal is to provide you with the clarity and information you need to make the best decision for your family.

Contact Attorney911 Today:

• Call our 24/7 Legal Emergency Line: 1-888-ATTY-911 (1-888-288-9911)
• Direct Line: (713) 528-9070
• Email: ralph@atty911.com or lupe@atty911.com
• Website: https://attorney911.com

We protect the injured and fight for accountability. Let us help you secure the justice and recovery your family deserves.

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
Website: https://attorney911.com
Email: ralph@atty911.com | lupe@atty911.com