The Ultimate Guide to Hazing Lawsuits in Texas: A Resource for Quinlan Families

If your child is heading to college anywhere in Texas, this is the guide you need. In November 2025, a horrifying story emerged from the University of Houston. A freshman named Leonel Bermudez, who had just accepted a bid from the Pi Kappa Phi Beta Nu chapter, was hospitalized for four days with acute kidney failure and rhabdomyolysis after enduring what attorneys described as brutal, systematic hazing. The lawsuit filed by The Manginello Law Firm details forced consumption of food until vomiting, “waterboarding” with a hose, humiliating “pledge fanny pack” requirements, and extreme physical drills that nearly killed him. This is happening right now in Texas, and it’s why Attorney911, the Legal Emergency Lawyers™, is fighting one of the most serious hazing lawsuits in the country on behalf of Mr. Bermudez.

For parents in Quinlan, Texas—whether your student is commuting to nearby Texas A&M University-Commerce in Hunt County or attending school hours away at UT Austin, Texas A&M in College Station, or the University of Houston—the reality is that hazing remains a dangerous, persistent threat in Greek life, Corps programs, athletics, and campus organizations. This comprehensive guide explains what hazing looks like today, how Texas law addresses it, what we’ve learned from national tragedies, and what Quinlan families can do to protect their students and seek accountability when things go wrong.

If This Just Happened: Immediate Steps for Quinlan Families

Medical Emergency: If your child is injured, intoxicated, or in danger, call 911 immediately. Then call Attorney911 at 1-888-ATTY-911.

First 48 Hours Are Critical:

1. Preserve Evidence Before It Disappears: Screenshot all group chats (GroupMe, WhatsApp, iMessage, Discord), text messages, and social media posts. Take clear photos of any injuries from multiple angles. Do NOT let your child delete anything, no matter how embarrassing.
2. Document Everything: Write down names, dates, locations, and what happened while memories are fresh. Include what your child tells you about who was there and what was said.
3. Seek Medical Attention: Even if injuries seem minor, get medical documentation. Tell healthcare providers the truth about what caused the injuries—this creates a crucial medical record.
4. Do NOT:
   • Confront the fraternity, sorority, or organization directly.
   • Sign anything from the university or any insurance company.
   • Post details on public social media.
   • Allow your child to attend “one last meeting” to “talk things out.”
5. Contact an Experienced Texas Hazing Attorney: Evidence vanishes quickly—messages are deleted, witnesses are coached, and universities often move to control the narrative. Call Attorney911 at 1-888-ATTY-911 for a free, confidential consultation. We can help you preserve evidence and understand your legal options. We serve families throughout Texas, including here in Quinlan and Hunt County.

Hazing in 2025: What It Really Looks Like Beyond the Stereotypes

Hazing isn’t just “boys being boys” or harmless pranks. Modern hazing is a calculated system of power, control, and degradation that adapts to avoid detection. For Quinlan parents who might not be familiar with current campus dynamics, understanding these forms is crucial.

Digital Hazing & 24/7 Control: The smartphone has become a primary hazing tool. Pledges are often required to carry their phones at all times, respond instantly to messages at any hour (3 AM wake-up texts are common), and share their location via apps like Find My Friends or Snapchat Maps. Humiliating tasks are assigned through GroupMe, and evidence is often recorded and shared in private group chats.

The “It’s Optional” Deception: Many organizations now frame dangerous activities as “voluntary” to create legal cover. The social pressure, however, makes refusal impossible without facing exclusion, ridicule, or denial of full membership status. This is a calculated loophole that courts are increasingly seeing through.

Disguised as “Wellness” or “Team Building”: Extreme physical abuse is often rebranded as “mandatory workouts,” “conditioning,” or “team building exercises.” The notorious hazing at UH’s Pi Kappa Phi chapter involved “save-your-brother” drills, hundreds of squats, and bear crawls that were framed as physical training but were actually punitive and dangerous.

Retreat Hazing: To avoid campus security and surveillance, dangerous hazing is frequently moved to off-campus houses, Airbnbs, or remote properties. The Pi Kappa Phi case involved hazing at a Culmore Drive residence and early-morning workouts at Yellowstone Boulevard Park in Houston.

Specific Tactics We See in Texas Cases:

• Forced Consumption: Alcohol (handles of liquor, “gauntlet” drinking games), food (milk, hot dogs, raw eggs, hot sauce until vomiting), or unknown substances.
• Physical Endurance: “Smokings” with excessive calisthenics (like the 100+ push-ups and 500 squats in the UH case), sleep deprivation, exposure to extreme temperatures, or forced standing for hours.
• Humiliation & Degradation: Wearing embarrassing clothing or costumes (the “pledge fanny pack” with condoms and sex toys), being verbally berated in “interview” sessions, performing sexualized acts, or being subjected to racist, sexist, or homophobic abuse.
• Servitude: Acting as a 24/7 on-call driver, cleaning members’ rooms, doing errands, or completing “scavenger hunts” that invade privacy or risk arrest.

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

Texas has specific laws governing hazing, and they apply whether your child is at a school in Hunt County or anywhere else in the state. Understanding this framework is the first step toward accountability.

Texas Education Code, Chapter 37, Subchapter F: This is Texas’s primary anti-hazing statute. It defines hazing broadly as any intentional, knowing, or reckless act—on or off campus—that endangers the mental or physical health of a student for the purpose of initiation, affiliation, or membership in an organization.

Key Provisions for Parents:

• Consent is NOT a Defense (§37.155): Even if your child “agreed” to participate, it is not a legal defense against hazing charges. The law recognizes the power imbalance and coercion inherent in these situations.
• Criminal Penalties Are Serious (§37.152): Hazing is a Class B misdemeanor, but it becomes a Class A misdemeanor if it causes bodily injury and a STATE JAIL FELONY if it causes serious bodily injury or death. Individuals can also be charged for failing to report hazing.
• Organizations Can Be Prosecuted (§37.153): The fraternity, sorority, or club itself can face criminal fines up to $10,000 and loss of university recognition.
• Good-Faith Reporting is Protected (§37.154): Individuals who report hazing in good faith are immune from civil or criminal liability for the report itself. Many universities also have medical amnesty policies to encourage calling 911.

Civil Lawsuits: The Path to Compensation & Accountability
A criminal case is brought by the state to punish wrongdoing. A civil lawsuit is brought by the victim and family to recover damages and force institutional change. They can run simultaneously. In a civil hazing case, we seek to hold every responsible party accountable:

1. The Individuals Who Participated: Members who planned, executed, or covered up the hazing.
2. The Local Chapter: As an entity, for fostering a culture that allowed or encouraged hazing.
3. The National Organization: Headquarters that collect dues, set policies, and often have deep knowledge of prior incidents across the country. Their failure to adequately supervise and enforce their own rules is a major source of liability.
4. The University: Schools have a legal duty to protect students. Liability may arise if they knew or should have known about a pattern of hazing and failed to act, or if they negligently supervised recognized organizations.
5. Property Owners & Third Parties: Landlords of off-campus houses, Airbnb hosts, or alcohol providers may share liability under certain conditions.

Federal Laws That Apply:

• The Stop Campus Hazing Act (2024): Requires colleges receiving federal aid to publicly report hazing incidents and strengthen prevention programs (fully phased in by 2026).
• Title IX: If hazing involves sexual harassment or gender-based discrimination, federal Title IX procedures and protections are triggered.
• Clery Act: Requires reporting of certain crimes, including assaults and alcohol-related offenses that often accompany hazing.

The National Hazing Tragedy Playbook: Lessons for Texas Families

The heartbreaking case at UH is not an isolated incident. It follows a national playbook of tragedy that has repeated itself for decades. Understanding these patterns shows why hazing is foreseeable and preventable—and why institutions that ignore these patterns bear heavy liability.

The Deadly “Big/Little” or “Bid Acceptance” Night: This script has killed multiple students.

• Stone Foltz (Bowling Green State, Pi Kappa Alpha, 2021): Forced to drink a bottle of alcohol; died of alcohol poisoning. Result: $10+ million in settlements, criminal convictions, and chapter closures.
• Timothy Piazza (Penn State, Beta Theta Pi, 2017): Consumed lethal alcohol during a bid acceptance; fell repeatedly; help was delayed. Result: Dozens of criminal charges, landmark Pennsylvania anti-hazing law, and national reforms.
• Andrew Coffey (Florida State, Pi Kappa Phi, 2017): Died from alcohol poisoning at a “Big Brother” event. Result: Fraternity chapter closed, FSU temporarily suspended all Greek life.

Physical “Traditions” That Turn Deadly:

• Chun “Michael” Deng (Baruch College, Pi Delta Psi, 2013): Blindfolded and brutally tackled during a “glass ceiling” ritual at a retreat; died from brain trauma. Result: National fraternity convicted of manslaughter, banned from Pennsylvania for 10 years.
• Max Gruver (LSU, Phi Delta Theta, 2017): Died during a “Bible study” drinking game where wrong answers meant forced drinking. Result: $6.1 million verdict, felony hazing law in Louisiana (the Max Gruver Act).

Severe, Life-Altering Injuries:

• Danny Santulli (U. of Missouri, Phi Gamma Delta, 2021): Suffered permanent brain damage, leaving him unable to walk, talk, or see after a pledge event. Result: Multi-million dollar settlements with 22 defendants.
• Texas A&M Sigma Alpha Epsilon (2021): Pledges allegedly doused with industrial-strength cleaner, causing severe chemical burns requiring skin grafts. Result: Chapter suspended, $1 million lawsuit filed.

The Takeaway for Quinlan Families: These are not “accidents.” They are the predictable results of known, dangerous practices that national fraternities and universities have documented for years. When these same patterns surface at Texas schools, it demonstrates willful ignorance and gross negligence.

The Texas University Landscape: Where Quinlan Students Go and the Hazing Realities They Face

Families in Quinlan and Hunt County send their students to a variety of Texas institutions. Our firm maintains intelligence on the Greek ecosystems and hazing histories across these campuses to best serve our clients.

For Quinlan Families: The Local & Regional Campus Connection

Texas A&M University-Commerce (Hunt County):
Located right here in Hunt County, TAMU-Commerce is a primary destination for Quinlan students. As a campus with Greek life, it is governed by the same Texas hazing laws. The university has student conduct policies prohibiting hazing, and incidents would fall under the jurisdiction of Commerce PD and the Hunt County court system. Any family in Quinlan dealing with a hazing issue at TAMU-Commerce needs local Texas legal counsel familiar with these venues.

Other Major Universities Quinlan Families Attend:
Quinlan students frequently attend flagship institutions across Texas. These schools have complex Greek systems with documented hazing issues:

University of Houston – The Current Front Line
Our firm is currently leading the high-stakes litigation against UH and Pi Kappa Phi in Harris County. The Bermudez case alleges systematic failure. UH’s Greek system is large and active. Beyond this case, UH has suspended chapters for hazing in the past, including Pi Kappa Alpha in 2016 after a pledge suffered a lacerated spleen. The university’s reporting channels include the Dean of Students and UHPD, but as our lawsuit alleges, policies are only as good as their enforcement.

Texas A&M University – College Station
The Corps of Cadets and a massive Greek system create a high-risk environment. Notable incidents include:

• Sigma Alpha Epsilon Chemical Burns Lawsuit (2021): As noted above, a severe case resulting in skin grafts.
• Corps of Cadets “Roasted Pig” Lawsuit (2023): A cadet alleged being bound with zip ties in a degrading position with an apple in his mouth as part of hazing.
  Texas A&M’s size and tradition-heavy culture mean hazing persists despite publicized anti-hazing stances. Cases here may involve Brazos County courts and a web of affiliated organizations.

University of Texas at Austin
UT Austin operates one of the most transparent hazing databases in the country at hazing.utexas.edu. This public log shows a pattern of violations:

• Pi Kappa Alpha (2023): Sanctioned for forcing new members to consume milk and perform strenuous calisthenics.
• Texas Wranglers & Other Spirit Groups: Regularly appear on the list for alcohol-related hazing and forced physical activity.
  This transparency is a double-edged sword—it shows the problem is ongoing, but it also provides families with powerful evidence of prior knowledge and pattern.

Southern Methodist University & Baylor University
These private institutions have significant Greek life but often less public disclosure. SMU’s Kappa Alpha Order chapter was suspended for paddling and alcohol hazing. Baylor has faced hazing scandals within its athletic programs, including baseball. Civil cases against private universities involve different strategic considerations than those against public institutions.

The Organizations Behind the Letters: National Histories Matter

The fraternity or sorority your child is rushing has a national history that directly impacts their risk and your legal case. These are not isolated local clubs; they are chapters of multinational organizations with track records.

Pi Kappa Phi (ΠΚΦ) – The Defendant in Our Current UH Case

• National History: Andrew Coffey’s death at Florida State (2017).
• Texas Presence: Active at UH (Beta Nu chapter, now closed), Texas A&M, UT Austin, and others.
• Why It Matters: The national organization had prior, fatal notice of the dangers of its “Big Brother” events and alcohol hazing. This foreshadowing is critical in proving negligence in the Bermudez lawsuit.

Pi Kappa Alpha (ΠΚΑ / “Pike”) – A Persistent Pattern

• National History: Stone Foltz death (BGSU, 2021), multiple other fatalities and serious injuries nationwide.
• Texas Presence: Chapters at UH, Texas A&M, UT Austin, SMU, Baylor, Texas Tech, and many others.
• Why It Matters: PIKE nationals have paid tens of millions in settlements. Their national pattern of “Big/Little” alcohol hazing establishes they knew the extreme risks their Texas chapters were running.

Sigma Alpha Epsilon (ΣΑΕ / “SAE”) – Numerous Recurrences

• National History: Over a dozen hazing-related deaths since 2006, leading them to famously abolish the “pledge” status in 2014. Yet incidents continue, including traumatic brain injury lawsuits.
• Texas Presence: Chapters at UT Austin, Texas A&M (site of the chemical burn case), Texas Tech, SMU, and others.
• Why It Matters: Despite national reform efforts, local chapters continue dangerous practices. Nationals can be liable for failing to adequately enforce their own reforms.

Other High-Risk Nationals with Texas Chapters:

• Phi Delta Theta (ΦΔΘ): Max Gruver’s death at LSU.
• Phi Gamma Delta (ΦΓΔ / “Fiji”): Danny Santulli’s catastrophic brain injury at Missouri.
• Kappa Alpha Order (ΚΑ): Multiple suspensions for physical hazing, including at SMU.

For a Quinlan family, this means the organization your child is joining may have a dangerous, documented history that the national HQ and the university were aware of—powerful evidence for a lawsuit.

Building a Hazing Case: Evidence, Strategy, and What We Do at Attorney911

When hazing causes injury or death, obtaining justice requires a methodical, evidence-driven approach against well-funded opponents. This is where our experience makes the difference.

Our Investigative Process – The Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine:
We don’t start from scratch. For Texas cases, we deploy a proprietary data engine built from public records tracking over 1,400 Greek organizations across 25 Texas metros. This includes IRS filings on house corporations, alumni chapters, and university records. For example, our data shows the network behind Greek life in the Dallas-Fort Worth metro (510+ organizations) and Houston metro (188+ organizations) that serve students from Quinlan.

Critical Evidence We Secure:

1. Digital Forensics: Deleted GroupMe chats, Snapchats, Instagram DMs, and text messages. We work with experts to recover what organizations try to destroy.
2. Internal Fraternity/University Records: Through discovery, we obtain prior incident reports, risk management files, pledge education manuals, and internal emails showing what nationals and school officials knew and when.
3. Medical & Psychological Documentation: Comprehensive records detailing the physical injury (e.g., rhabdomyolysis lab reports) and the psychological trauma (PTSD, anxiety, depression diagnoses).
4. Witness Testimony: Interviewing other pledges, former members, roommates, and bystanders who can corroborate the events and culture.

Our Legal Strategy – Why Choose Attorney911?

• Insurance Insider Knowledge: Our attorney, Mr. Lupe Peña (he/him), spent years as an insurance defense attorney for a national firm. He knows exactly how fraternity and university insurance companies evaluate claims, fight coverage, and use delay tactics. We know their playbook because we used to run it.
• Complex Institutional Litigation Experience: Managing Partner Ralph Manginello was one of the few Texas attorneys involved in the BP Texas City explosion litigation. We are not intimidated by billion-dollar corporations or powerful universities. We have federal court experience and a proven track record in multi-million dollar wrongful death and catastrophic injury cases.
• Dual Civil & Criminal Understanding: Ralph’s membership in the Harris County Criminal Lawyers Association (HCCLA) means we understand the criminal hazing process, which often runs parallel to civil cases. We can effectively advise clients navigating both systems.
• Full Damage Recovery: We work with economists, life care planners, and medical experts to build a comprehensive picture of all damages: past/future medical costs, lost earning capacity, pain and suffering, and in wrongful death cases, the profound loss to the family.

Practical Guide for Quinlan Parents & Students

For Parents – Warning Signs:

• Your child is suddenly secretive about organization activities.
• Unexplained injuries, constant exhaustion, or drastic weight change.
• They seem anxious, depressed, or withdraw from family and old friends.
• Their phone is constantly buzzing with group chat demands at all hours.
• They have unexplained financial charges (for alcohol, costumes, “fines”).

For Students – If You’re Being Hazed:

• Your safety comes first. If you are in danger, call 911.
• Screenshot Everything. Preserve texts, group chats, and social media posts immediately.
• Tell Someone You Trust. A parent, a resident advisor, a counselor.
• Know Your Rights. In Texas, you cannot be punished for calling 911 in a medical emergency, even if underage drinking is involved (good-faith reporter protection).
• You Can Leave. You have the legal right to quit anytime. True brotherhood/sisterhood isn’t built on abuse.

Critical Mistakes to Avoid:

• Deleting Evidence: It may feel embarrassing, but it’s crucial to your case.
• Confronting the Organization Directly: This allows them to destroy evidence and craft defenses.
• Signing University Settlement Papers Quickly: Universities may offer a quick resolution that waives your right to sue for full damages.
• Waiting Too Long: Evidence disappears, witnesses graduate, and statutes of limitation apply.

Why Attorney911 Is the Right Choice for Texas Hazing Cases

We are The Manginello Law Firm, PLLC, operating as Attorney911, the Legal Emergency Lawyers™. We are based in Houston with offices in Austin and Beaumont, and we serve hazing victims and their families across Texas, including in Quinlan, Hunt County, and throughout North Texas.

We are currently fighting the fight. We represent Leonel Bermudez in his $10 million lawsuit against the University of Houston, Pi Kappa Phi nationals, and the individual members who allegedly caused his life-altering injuries. We are not theorists; we are litigators in the trenches right now, holding powerful institutions accountable.

What Makes Us Different:

• We Speak Your Language: Mr. Lupe Peña is a fluent Spanish speaker, ensuring Hispanic families in our community feel understood and respected.
• We Work on Contingency: You pay nothing upfront. Our fee comes only from a successful recovery, so we are invested in your success.
• We Are Local Texas Counsel: We understand Texas courts, Texas juries, and Texas universities. For Quinlan families, having Texas-based counsel is essential when dealing with state laws and institutions.
• Our Sole Focus is Your Family’s Recovery: We handle the legal burden so you can focus on healing.

If Hazing Has Impacted Your Quinlan Family, Contact Us Today

You don’t have to navigate this crisis alone. The universities and national fraternities have teams of lawyers. You need an experienced, dedicated team on your side.

Contact Attorney911 for a Free, Confidential Consultation:

• Call: 1-888-ATTY-911 (1-888-288-9911)
• Direct: (713) 528-9070
• Cell: (713) 443-4781
• Email: ralph@atty911.com or lupe@atty911.com
• Website: https://attorney911.com
• Se habla Español: Contact Mr. Lupe Peña directly for consultation in Spanish.

In your free consultation, we will listen carefully to your story, explain your legal options in clear terms, and outline the path forward. We serve families throughout Texas, and we are here to help you seek the answers, accountability, and recovery you deserve.

Plain Text Links to Key Resources:

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

• Click2Houston investigation: 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 Eyewitness News timeline: https://abc13.com/post/waterboarding-forced-eating-physical-punishment-lawsuit-alleges-abuse-faced-injured-pledge-uhs-pi-kappa-phi-fraternity/18186418/

Attorney911 Educational Videos:

• Using your phone to document evidence: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLbpzrmogTs
• Texas statutes of limitations: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRHwg8tV02c
• Client mistakes that can ruin a case: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3IYsoxOSxY
• How contingency fees work: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=upcI_j6F7Nc

Main Website:

• Contact Attorney911: 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 applicable law. If you need legal advice, please contact The Manginello Law Firm, PLLC, for a consultation regarding your individual situation.