Texas Hazing Laws: A Complete Guide for Hillsboro Families Seeking Justice

A Parent’s Worst Nightmare in Hillsboro, Texas

Imagine this scenario, familiar to too many Hillsboro families: your child, a freshman at a Texas university, calls home one evening. Their voice is hushed, anxious. They mention “pledge activities” that are keeping them up all night, running errands for older members, or mandatory workouts that leave them vomiting in the grass. They show you texts from a “GroupMe” chat demanding immediate responses at 3 AM, threaten expulsion from the group, and contain humiliating photos. Then, the worst happens. They become seriously injured—rushed to the emergency room with brown urine, diagnosed with severe muscle breakdown and acute kidney failure from rhabdomyolysis, or worse. You learn this wasn’t an accident but a systematic campaign of abuse called hazing. You’re left feeling helpless, angry, and unsure where to turn in our own community of Hillsboro and across Hill County.

This exact scenario is unfolding right now in Texas. At this very moment, our firm represents Leonel Bermudez in a $10 million hazing and abuse lawsuit against the University of Houston, the Pi Kappa Phi Beta Nu chapter, its national headquarters, and 13 individual fraternity leaders. As detailed in the Click2Houston report, Bermudez endured forced “pledge fanny packs” with degrading contents, sleep deprivation, late-night driving duties, and extreme physical abuse including being sprayed in the face with a hose “similar to waterboarding.” This culminated in a November 3, 2025, workout where he was forced through over 100 push-ups and 500 squats, leading to catastrophic rhabdomyolysis, acute kidney failure, and a four-day hospitalization.

This is not an isolated incident. It is a pattern. And for parents and families in Hillsboro, Whitney, Hubbard, and throughout Hill County, the reality is stark: the children you send to Texas A&M, UT Austin, Baylor, Texas State, or the University of Houston are entering ecosystems where powerful national fraternities and sororities—and sometimes the universities themselves—have repeatedly failed to prevent known, foreseeable dangers.

This guide exists for you. It is a comprehensive resource for Hillsboro families navigating the nightmare of campus hazing. We will explain what modern hazing truly looks like, break down Texas and federal law, examine patterns at major universities your children attend, and outline the legal path to justice, accountability, and preventing the next tragedy. Our firm, The Manginello Law Firm, PLLC (Attorney911), is leading the fight in cases like Bermudez’s. We are Texas-based complex litigation attorneys with the investigative depth, institutional experience, and unwavering commitment to stand with families like yours against the most powerful defendants.

🆘 Immediate Help for a Hazing Emergency in Hillsboro

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:

1. Get Medical Attention: Even if your child insists they are “fine,” seek immediate medical care. Conditions like rhabdomyolysis (as in the UH case) or internal injuries can be fatal if untreated.
2. Preserve Evidence BEFORE It’s Deleted:
   • Screenshot everything: Group chats (GroupMe, WhatsApp, iMessage), texts, DMs, social media posts. Follow our guide on using your phone to document evidence.
   • Photograph injuries from multiple angles.
   • Save physical items: Clothing, receipts for forced purchases, objects used in hazing.
3. Write It Down: Document everything your child tells you—names, dates, locations, specific acts—while memories are fresh.
4. DO NOT:
   • Confront the fraternity, sorority, or team directly.
   • Sign anything from the university or an insurance company.
   • Post details on public social media.
   • Allow your child to delete messages or “clean up” evidence.

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

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

Hazing is not a relic of the past or simply “boys being boys.” It is a calculated, evolving form of abuse that exploits power imbalances and leverages social pressure. For Hillsboro parents, understanding its modern forms is critical to recognizing the warning signs.

A Modern Legal Definition

In Texas, hazing is defined by law (Education Code Chapter 37) as any intentional, knowing, or reckless act—on or off campus—directed against a student for the purpose of pledging, initiation, affiliation, holding office, or maintaining membership in any organization that endangers the mental or physical health or safety of the student.

Crucially, “consent” is not a defense. The law recognizes that a 19-year-old’s “agreement” under profound peer pressure, fear of exclusion, and desire for belonging is not genuine, voluntary consent.

The Four Tiers of Modern Hazing

Tier 1: Subtle Hazing & Servitude
These acts establish power imbalance and are often dismissed as “tradition.” They include forced servitude (cleaning, errands, 24/7 designated driving), social isolation from non-members, enforced dress codes, mandatory “study hours” that interfere with class, and degrading nicknames. Digitally, this includes mandatory 24/7 monitoring of group chats with instant-response demands.

Tier 2: Harassment Hazing
This causes clear emotional or physical discomfort. It includes sleep deprivation (late-night “meetings,” 3 AM wake-up calls), verbal abuse and “grilling” sessions, food/water restriction, forced consumption of unpalatable substances (hot sauce, spoiled milk), and public humiliation (embarrassing costumes, public singing). The “pledge fanny pack” from the UH Pi Kappa Phi case, filled with condoms and sex toys, is a prime example.

Tier 3: Violent & Dangerous Hazing
These acts have a high potential for serious injury or death. This is what we see in the worst headlines:

• Forced Alcohol Consumption: “Big/Little” nights, “family tree” drinking games, lineups, chugging contests. This is the single most common cause of hazing deaths nationally.
• Physical Brutality: Paddling, beatings, “glass ceiling” blindfolded tackle rituals (like in the Pi Delta Psi case that led to a death), extreme calisthenics (“smokings”).
• Sexualized Hazing: Forced nudity, simulated sexual acts (“elephant walk”), sexual assault.
• Dangerous Environments: Locking pledges in freezing rooms, leaving them exposed to extreme heat, kidnapping, and restraining.

Tier 4: Digital & Psychological Warfare
Hazing has moved online. It includes cyberstalking via location-sharing apps, forced participation in humiliating social media “challenges,” coerced creation of compromising images/videos, and psychological manipulation designed to create shame, secrecy, and loyalty to the group above all else.

Where Hazing Happens: Beyond the Frat House

While fraternities and sororities are prevalent, Hillsboro parents must know hazing permeates many groups:

• Fraternities & Sororities (IFC, Panhellenic, NPHC, Multicultural)
• Athletic Teams (from football to cheerleading)
• Military & Corps Programs (like the Texas A&M Corps of Cadets)
• Marching Bands & Performance Groups
• Spirit & Tradition Organizations (like Texas Cowboys)
• Academic & Honors Societies

The common thread is a hierarchy, a desire to create “bonding” through shared suffering, and a culture of secrecy that protects the organization at all costs.

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

Texas has a robust legal framework for hazing, but navigating it requires understanding both criminal penalties and civil liability. Your child is not just a victim of a bad choice; they are the victim of a crime and potentially multiple civil wrongs.

Texas Education Code Chapter 37: The Criminal Framework

• Definition & Scope: As noted, it’s broad, covering on- and off-campus acts that endanger physical or mental health for affiliation purposes. Recklessness is enough—they don’t need to have intended the exact injury.
• 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 itself can be fined up to $10,000 per violation if it authorized or encouraged the hazing, or if an officer knew and failed to report it.
• Immunity for Good-Faith Reporting: A person who reports hazing in good faith is immune from civil or criminal liability. Many universities also have medical amnesty policies to encourage calling 911.

Civil Liability: The Path to Justice & Compensation

A criminal case is brought by the state to punish. A civil lawsuit, which our firm handles, is brought by the victim and family to recover damages and force accountability. They can proceed simultaneously.

Who Can Be Sued in a Civil Hazing Case?

1. Individual Perpetrators: The members who planned, carried out, or supplied means for the hazing.
2. Chapter Officers & Leaders: The pledgemaster, president, risk manager—those who had a duty to prevent harm.
3. The Local Chapter: If it holds assets or insurance.
4. The National Fraternity/Sorority: This is often where significant resources and liability lie. Nationals collect dues, set policies, and are responsible for supervising chapters. Their knowledge of prior incidents at other chapters can establish “foreseeability.”
5. The University: Public universities (UH, Texas A&M, UT) have some sovereign immunity, but can be liable for gross negligence, Title IX violations (if hazing is sexualized), or failing to act on known, recurring dangers. Private schools (SMU, Baylor) have fewer immunity barriers.
6. Third Parties: Landlords of off-campus houses, alcohol providers (under dram shop laws), security companies.

Federal Law Overlay

• Stop Campus Hazing Act (2024): Requires colleges receiving federal aid to report hazing incidents more transparently and maintain public hazing data.
• Title IX: If hazing involves sexual harassment or assault, it triggers the university’s Title IX obligations for investigation and response.
• Clery Act: Requires reporting of certain campus crimes; hazing incidents often overlap with assault or alcohol crimes.

National Hazing Case Patterns: The Script Texas Chapters Follow

The horrific case at UH is not an anomaly. It follows a national script written by decades of tragedy. Understanding these patterns shows Hillsboro families that what happened to their child was foreseeable—and therefore preventable by the organizations they trusted.

The Alcohol Poisoning Script: “Big/Little” & Bid Nights

• Stone Foltz, Bowling Green State (Pi Kappa Alpha, 2021): Pledge forced to drink a bottle of liquor; died of alcohol poisoning. $10M+ settlement.
• Max Gruver, LSU (Phi Delta Theta, 2017): Died during “Bible study” drinking game. Led to Louisiana’s felony hazing “Max Gruver Act.”
• Andrew Coffey, Florida State (Pi Kappa Phi, 2017): Died after “Big Brother” night. FSU suspended all Greek life.
• Timothy Piazza, Penn State (Beta Theta Pi, 2017): Died from falls after a bid acceptance drinking event; 18 members charged. Led to Pennsylvania’s “Timothy J. Piazza Anti-Hazing Law.”

Takeaway for Texas: The forced consumption of milk, hot dogs, and peppercorns until vomiting in the UH Pi Kappa Phi case is a variation on this theme. National fraternities have known for years that forced consumption rituals kill.

The Physical Brutality Script: “Traditions” of Violence

• 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. The national fraternity was criminally convicted.
• Danny Santulli, Univ. of Missouri (Phi Gamma Delta, 2021): Pledge suffered permanent, catastrophic brain damage from forced drinking. Settlements with 22 defendants.

Takeaway for Texas: The “hog-tying” of another pledge in the UH case, the extreme workouts at Yellowstone Park, and the hose spraying “like waterboarding” are part of this brutal physical script.

The Institutional Cover-Up Script: Silence Over Safety

In nearly every major case, a pattern emerges: delays in calling 911, destruction of evidence (deleted messages, discarded bottles), coaching of witnesses, and initial statements that downplay the events. This is not panic; it’s a practiced response to protect the organization.

Texas University Focus: Where Hillsboro Students Go to School

Families in Hillsboro and Hill County send their children to universities across our state. Most are within a few hours’ drive, making the connection direct and the need for localized knowledge critical.

University of Houston: The Current Epicenter

For Hillsboro Families: UH is a major destination, especially for students seeking a large, diverse, urban university experience. The current Pi Kappa Phi lawsuit we are litigating serves as the starkest warning.

• The Case: Bermudez v. UH & Pi Kappa Phi. A $10M lawsuit alleging systematic hazing leading to rhabdomyolysis and kidney failure. The chapter has been suspended and surrendered its charter.
• UH’s Greek Ecosystem: Over 40 fraternities and sororities across four governing councils (IFC, Panhellenic, NPHC, MGC). Major nationals like Pi Kappa Phi, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, and Pi Kappa Alpha have chapters here.
• UH’s Legal Posture: As a public university, UH will assert sovereign immunity. However, cases can proceed based on gross negligence or individual employee actions. Their public statement calling the Pi Kappa Phi conduct “deeply disturbing” is part of the official record.
• Action for UH Families: Report to UH Dean of Students and UHPD. Understand that Harris County courts will likely have jurisdiction. Evidence preservation is paramount, as digital trails in a major metro are both extensive and fragile.

Texas A&M University: Tradition & the Corps

For Hillsboro Families: Many Aggies come from communities like ours. The culture of tradition is powerful, and hazing risks exist both in Greek life and the famed Corps of Cadets.

• Corps of Cadets Hazing: Lawsuits have alleged degrading physical hazing, including being bound in “roasted pig” positions. The university typically handles these through internal Corps discipline.
• Fraternity Hazing: Sigma Alpha Epsilon at A&M faced a lawsuit where pledges alleged being doused in industrial-strength cleaner, causing severe chemical burns requiring skin grafts.
• Action for A&M Families: Reporting avenues include the Student Conduct Office and the Corps Commandant’s office. Brazos County courts are relevant. The deep-seated culture of “tradition” can be an obstacle to transparency.

University of Texas at Austin: Transparency & Persistent Problems

For Hillsboro Families: UT Austin is the flagship and a top choice. It also maintains one of the most transparent public hazing violation logs in the country.

• Public Hazing Log: UT’s website lists sanctioned organizations. Recent entries include Pi Kappa Alpha for forced milk consumption and strenuous calisthenics, and spirit groups for alcohol-related hazing.
• Fraternity Incidents: Sigma Alpha Epsilon at UT faced a lawsuit from an Australian exchange student alleging a brutal assault at a party.
• Action for UT Families: Use the public log to check an organization’s history. Report to UT’s Student Conduct and Community Standards. Travis County courts will be involved. The existing public record can be a powerful tool in litigation.

Baylor University & Southern Methodist University: Private School Challenges

For Hillsboro Families: These prestigious private universities attract Hill County students. Their private status changes the legal landscape slightly (less sovereign immunity) but often increases institutional defensiveness.

• Baylor: Has faced major scandals (athletic sexual assault) that inform its response to hazing issues. Baseball team hazing led to multiple suspensions.
• SMU: Has faced fraternity suspensions, including Kappa Alpha Order for paddling and forced drinking.
• Action for Private School Families: Internal processes may be more opaque. These institutions fiercely protect their reputations. Legal actions often must compel discovery to uncover internal reports.

The Greek Ecosystem: National Histories Meet Local Chapters

The fraternity that hazed your child at a Texas school is part of a national network. That network’s history is not just background; it is evidence. Our Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine tracks this data so we don’t start from zero.

Public Records Directory: The Organizations Behind the Letters

Our firm maintains a database of over 1,400 Greek-related entities in Texas. For Hillsboro families, this means we can immediately identify the legal entities that may hold liability and insurance. For example, from public IRS and metro records:

• Beta Nu Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity Housing Corporation Inc (EIN 462267515) – Frisco, TX 75035
• Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity – Epsilon Kappa Chapter Alumni (Beaumont, TX – alumni association for Lamar Univ.)
• Texas Kappa Sigma Educational Foundation Inc (EIN 741380362) – Fort Worth, TX 76147
• Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority – Mu Epsilon Chapter (Beaumont, TX – undergraduate chapter at Lamar)
• Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi – Texas A&M University Chapter (EIN 900293166) – College Station, TX 77843

These entities—house corporations, alumni associations, educational foundations—are the legal and financial backbones of chapters. Knowing their names, EINs, and addresses is the first step in holding them accountable.

Why National History Matters in Your Texas Case

If a Pi Kappa Phi chapter at UH engages in forced consumption and extreme workouts, the national headquarters cannot claim ignorance. Their own history includes:

• Andrew Coffey’s death at Florida State (2017) from a “Big Brother” drinking event.
• Multiple other chapter suspensions and closures for hazing across the country.

This establishes “foreseeability.” A jury can be shown that Pi Kappa Phi National knew this type of behavior was a lethal risk in its chapters but failed to implement effective oversight to stop it. The same applies to:

• Pi Kappa Alpha: Stone Foltz’s death and a pattern of alcohol hazing.
• Sigma Alpha Epsilon: Numerous deaths, injuries, and lawsuits nationwide, including at Texas A&M and UT.
• Phi Delta Theta: Max Gruver’s death.

In litigation, we subpoena the national organization’s “risk management” files, incident reports, and internal communications to prove they knew the dangers and that their policies were mere window-dressing.

Building a Hazing Case: Evidence, Strategy, and Damages

Pursuing justice after hazing is a complex, multi-front battle against well-resourced defendants. Our approach is methodical, evidence-driven, and draws on our unique strengths.

The Attorney911 Advantage in Hazing Litigation

• Insurance Insider Knowledge: Our attorney, Mr. Lupe Peña, spent years as an insurance defense attorney for national firms. He knows how fraternity and university insurers evaluate claims, use “independent” medical exams to downplay injuries, and drag out cases to pressure families. We know their playbook because we used to run it. Learn more about Mr. Peña’s background at https://attorney911.com/attorneys/lupe-pena/.
• Complex Institutional Litigation Experience: Managing partner Ralph Manginello was one of the few Texas attorneys involved in the BP Texas City explosion litigation. We have faced billion-dollar defendants with endless legal budgets. Universities and national fraternities do not intimidate us. We know how to manage massive discovery, hire the right experts, and prepare a case for trial. See Ralph’s profile at https://attorney911.com/attorneys/ralph-manginello/.
• Dual Civil & Criminal Expertise: Ralph’s membership in the Harris County Criminal Lawyers Association (HCCLA) means we understand the criminal hazing process and can effectively advise clients when cases have both criminal and civil components.
• Spanish-Language Services: Mr. Peña is fluent in Spanish, ensuring we can serve all Texas families with compassion and clarity.

Critical Evidence in a Modern Hazing Case

1. Digital Communications: GroupMe, WhatsApp, and iMessage chats are the modern “smoking gun.” We work with digital forensics experts to recover deleted messages. These show planning, coercion, boasts, and cover-up attempts.
2. Social Media & Photos: Videos and photos of the hazing, often shared within the group, are devastating evidence.
3. Medical Records: Documentation of injuries (ER reports, lab tests for rhabdomyolysis, psychological diagnoses for PTSD) directly links the harm to the acts.
4. Organizational Records: Obtained through discovery, these include the national’s prior incident reports, the chapter’s “pledge education” materials, and university disciplinary files on past violations.
5. Witness Testimony: Other pledges, former members, roommates, and bystanders. We often find that once one victim comes forward, others find the courage to join.

Recoverable Damages for Hillsboro Families

A civil lawsuit seeks to make the victim and family whole and punish egregious conduct. Recoverable damages can include:

• Economic Damages: All medical expenses (past and future), lost wages, lost earning capacity if injuries are permanent, and educational costs (missed semesters, transfer expenses).
• Non-Economic Damages: Compensation for physical pain, emotional distress, humiliation, PTSD, anxiety, and loss of enjoyment of life.
• Wrongful Death Damages: In the ultimate tragedy, families can recover funeral costs, loss of financial support, and loss of companionship, love, and guidance.
• Punitive Damages: In cases of gross negligence or conscious indifference, courts can award damages to punish the defendant and deter future conduct. The repeated, brutal nature of hazing often supports such claims.

Our firm has a proven track record in multi-million dollar wrongful death and catastrophic injury cases. You can learn more about our wrongful death practice at https://attorney911.com/law-practice-areas/wrongful-death-claim-lawyer/.

A Practical Guide for Hillsboro Parents, Students, and Witnesses

For Parents: Recognizing the Signs & Taking Action

Warning Signs:

• Unexplained injuries, bruises, or burns.
• Extreme exhaustion, sleep deprivation.
• Sudden shifts in mood—withdrawal, anxiety, depression.
• Secrecy about group activities, defensive answers.
• Constant, anxious phone use related to group chats.
• Requests for unusual amounts of money.

Steps to Take:

1. Prioritize Safety & Health: Get medical care immediately.
2. Preserve Evidence: Help your child screenshot all communications. Photograph injuries.
3. Document Everything: Write a timeline with names, dates, and details.
4. Consult an Attorney BEFORE Reporting: We can guide you on how to report to maximize safety and evidence preservation. Universities often prioritize damage control.
5. Beware of Early Settlement Offers: The university or fraternity insurance may offer a quick, low-cost settlement to make the problem disappear. Do not sign anything without legal counsel.

For Students: Your Rights and Safety

• You Have the Right to Be Safe: “Tradition” is not an excuse for abuse.
• You Can Leave: You have the legal right to quit a group at any time. True brotherhood/sisterhood isn’t based on fear.
• Report Anonymously: Most schools have anonymous hotlines. The National Anti-Hazing Hotline is 1-888-NOT-HAZE.
• Call 911 Without Fear: Texas law and most school policies offer amnesty for those seeking medical help in an emergency.
• Preserve Evidence: Take screenshots. Save everything. Tell a trusted adult.

Critical Mistakes That Can Damage a Case

We’ve detailed common pitfalls in a dedicated video: Client Mistakes That Can Ruin Your Injury Case. Key mistakes include:

• 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 too long. Texas has a statute of limitations. Learn more in our video: Is There a Statute of Limitations on My Case?.

Why Choose The Manginello Law Firm / Attorney911?

From our offices in Houston, Austin, and Beaumont, we serve Hillsboro families and victims across Texas. We are not just personal injury lawyers; we are institutional litigators with a specific focus on the unique horrors of hazing cases. We combine Mr. Peña’s insurance defense insight with Ralph Manginello’s experience taking on corporate giants and a deep understanding of Texas law and university systems.

We are currently fighting for Leonel Bermudez against the University of Houston and Pi Kappa Phi. We see the patterns, we understand the defenses, and we are not afraid to go the distance. We work on a contingency fee basis—you pay nothing unless we win your case. Learn how this works in our video: How Do Contingency Fees Work?

Your Next Step: A Free, Confidential Consultation

If hazing has impacted your family in Hillsboro, Hill County, or anywhere in Texas, you do not have to face this alone. The institutions involved will have teams of lawyers. You deserve expert advocates in your corner.

Contact us today for a free, confidential case evaluation. We will listen to your story, review any evidence you have, explain your legal options in clear terms, and help you decide the best path forward for your family. There is no obligation.

Call Attorney911 24/7: 1-888-ATTY-911 (1-888-288-9911)
Direct: (713) 528-9070 | Cell: (713) 443-4781
Website: https://attorney911.com
Email: ralph@atty911.com | For Spanish: lupe@atty911.com

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 and university policies can change. Every case is unique, and outcomes depend on specific facts and evidence. If you or your child has been affected by hazing, we strongly encourage you to consult with a qualified attorney to 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