When the Phone Calls from Campus Aren’t Right: A Guide for Alice Families on Hazing, Injury, and the Law

If you’re a parent in Alice, your child leaving for college is a milestone filled with pride and maybe a little worry. You picture them in class, making new friends, and building a future. You don’t picture a frantic phone call, a rushed trip to a distant hospital, or the confusing, evasive language of a university administrator telling you your child was hurt in a “membership incident.”

Right now, in Texas, we are actively fighting one of the most serious hazing cases in the country. Our client, Leonel Bermudez, a University of Houston student, was subjected to a brutal pledge period with the Pi Kappa Phi Beta Nu chapter that left him with rhabdomyolysis—a severe skeletal muscle breakdown—and acute kidney failure. His urine turned brown. He was hospitalized for four days and faces a risk of permanent kidney damage. The alleged hazing included carrying a degrading “pledge fanny pack,” being sprayed in the face with a hose “similar to waterboarding,” forced consumption of food until vomiting, and extreme physical workouts. We filed a $10 million lawsuit against the University of Houston, Pi Kappa Phi’s national headquarters, and 13 individual fraternity leaders. This is happening here in Texas, right now.

This guide is for you—parents and families in Alice, Orange Grove, Ben Bolt, and across Jim Wells County. We will explain what modern hazing really looks like, the Texas laws designed to protect your child, and what you can do if your worst fears become reality. Whether your student is at a local college, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, or a major hub like UT Austin or Texas A&M in College Station, the dangers are real, and the legal path to accountability is complex.

IMMEDIATE HELP FOR HAZING EMERGENCIES:

If your child is in danger RIGHT NOW:
- Call 911 for medical emergencies.
- Then call Attorney911: 1-888-ATTY-911 (1-888-288-9911).
In the first 48 hours:
- Get medical attention immediately.
- Preserve evidence: Screenshot group chats (GroupMe, texts), photograph injuries, save any physical items.
- Write down everything your child tells you (who, what, when, where).
- Do NOT: Confront the organization, sign anything from the university, or post details on social media.
Contact us within 24–48 hours. Evidence disappears fast. Call 1-888-ATTY-911 for an immediate, confidential consultation.

Hazing in 2025: It’s Not Just “Boyish Pranks”

For families in Alice, where community and respect run deep, the calculated cruelty of modern hazing can be hard to comprehend. It is a systematic abuse of power, not a series of pranks. It is any intentional or reckless act that endangers a student’s physical or mental health for the purpose of joining or maintaining membership in a group. This happens in fraternities, sororities, athletic teams, spirit groups like marching bands, and even academic clubs.

Today’s hazing often blends digital control with physical and psychological abuse:

Digital Hazing & Coercion: 24/7 group chat mandates (GroupMe, WhatsApp), forced location sharing, social media humiliation, and sleep deprivation via constant phone alerts.
Alcohol & Substance Hazing: The most deadly pattern. Forced consumption games like “lineups,” “family tree,” or “Big/Little” nights where pledges are given handles of liquor.
Physical & “Ritualized” Hazing: Extreme calisthenics (“smokings”), paddling, exposure to extreme weather, forced eating or drinking until vomiting, and dangerous “retreats” at off-campus Airbnbs.
Psychological & Sexualized Hazing: Verbal abuse, isolation, forced nudity, simulated sexual acts, and degrading role-playing.

The core dynamic is coercion, not choice. The power imbalance between new members and older brothers/sisters, coupled with the fear of social exclusion, destroys genuine consent.

The Texas Law That Protects Your Child: Chapter 37

Texas has clear laws against hazing. For Alice families, understanding these statutes is the first step toward accountability. The primary law is the Texas Education Code, Chapter 37, Subchapter F.

What Texas Law Says:

Definition (Sec. 37.151): Hazing is any intentional, knowing, or reckless act that endangers the mental or physical health of a student for the purpose of initiation into or affiliation with an organization.
Criminal Penalties (Sec. 37.152): Hazing is a Class B misdemeanor. It becomes a state jail felony if it causes serious bodily injury or death.
Consent is NOT a Defense (Sec. 37.155): Even if your child “agreed” to participate, it is not a legal defense for those who haze. The law recognizes the coercive environment.
Personal & Organizational Liability (Sec. 37.153): Both the individuals who commit the acts and the organization itself can face criminal charges and fines up to $10,000.
Immunity for Reporters (Sec. 37.154): Individuals who in good faith report hazing or seek medical help are protected from civil or criminal liability for their own minor involvement (like underage drinking).

Criminal vs. Civil Cases:

Criminal Cases: Brought by the state (DA’s office) to punish with jail, fines, probation. This does not compensate your family.
Civil Lawsuits: Brought by your family to seek compensation (damages) and hold all responsible parties accountable—from the individual members to the national fraternity headquarters and, in some cases, the university itself.

A criminal conviction is not needed to file a civil suit. Our civil case for Leonel Bermudez seeks compensation for his medical bills, ongoing care, pain and suffering, and to hold the University of Houston and Pi Kappa Phi nationally accountable for allowing this culture to fester.

The Greek Ecosystem: What Alice Families Are Really Up Against

When your child joins a fraternity or sorority at a Texas university, they aren’t just joining a local club. They are connecting to a vast, financially complex network of legally separate entities. Our firm maintains a Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine built from public records to map this exact network. This is why experienced counsel is critical; we know where to look for liability and insurance coverage.

Where Alice Families Send Their Kids: Local and Statewide Campuses
Students from Alice and Jim Wells County attend universities across Texas. Common destinations include:

Local/Regional Schools: Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, Texas A&M University-Kingsville, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (Edinburg), Del Mar College.
Major Texas Hubs: University of Houston, Texas A&M University (College Station), The University of Texas at Austin, Baylor University (Waco), Texas State University (San Marcos).

Public Records: The Texas Greek Organizational Network
Behind every fraternity house name are legal entities—house corporations, alumni chapters, educational foundations—each with its own tax ID (EIN) and potential insurance policy. For example, public IRS records show Texas-based Greek organizations like:

Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity – EIN 74 6064445 – Nederland, TX 77627
Beta Nu Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity Housing Corporation Inc – EIN 46 2267515 – Frisco, TX 75035
Texas Kappa Sigma Educational Foundation Inc – EIN 74 1380362 – Fort Worth, TX 76147
Sigma Chi Fraternity Epsilon Xi Chapter – EIN 74 6084905 – Houston, TX 77204
Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi – EIN 90 0293166 – College Station, TX 77843 (Texas A&M University)

The Corpus Christi metro area, closely tied to Alice, has at least 21 Greek-related organizations per Cause IQ data, including chapters at TAMU-CC and TAMU-Kingsville. Statewide, our data tracks over 1,423 fraternity and sorority organizations across 25 Texas metros.

This network matters because when hazing causes injury, liability—and insurance coverage—can extend far beyond the students in the room. It can reach the alumni board that owns the house, the national headquarters that collected dues but failed to supervise, and the university that provided recognition.

Building a Case: Evidence, Strategy, and Why Experience Matters

In the hours and days after a hazing incident, the organization’s primary goal is often to contain the damage—delete messages, coach witnesses, and control the narrative. Your family’s goal must be to preserved evidence and understand the full scope of liability.

Critical Evidence We Secured in the UH Pi Kappa Phi Case:

Digital Communications: Group chats planning events, detailing punishments, and discussing “what to say if asked.”
Medical Records: Hospitalization reports, lab tests showing critically high creatine kinase levels (proof of rhabdomyolysis), and diagnoses of acute kidney injury.
Witness Testimony: Accounts from other pledges and former members.
Institutional Records: Prior complaints to the university, national fraternity risk management files, and housing corporation documents.

Our Strategic Advantages for Texas Families:
Our leadership in the Bermudez case is not an accident. It stems from a proven track record in the most complex institutional litigation:

Insurance Insider Knowledge: Our attorney, Mr. Lupe Peña, spent years as an insurance defense attorney for a national firm. He knows exactly how fraternity and university insurers value claims, deploy delay tactics, and fight coverage. We know their playbook because we used to run it.
Complex Institutional Litigation: Managing partner Ralph Manginello was one of the few Texas attorneys involved in the BP Texas City explosion litigation. Taking on billion-dollar defendants prepared us for the deep-pocketed resistance from national fraternities and large universities.
Data-Driven Investigation: We don’t start from scratch. We use our Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine to immediately identify all potentially liable entities—from the local chapter to the alumni housing corporation in Frisco.
Dual Civil & Criminal Expertise: Ralph’s membership in the Harris County Criminal Lawyers Association (HCCLA) means we understand the interplay between criminal hazing charges and civil lawsuits. We can effectively advise clients navigating both systems.

Practical Steps for Alice Parents & Students

If You Suspect Hazing:

Talk with Your Child: Ask open, non-judgmental questions. “Are you safe?” “Is anyone making you do things that scare you or make you uncomfortable?”
Look for Signs: Unexplained injuries, extreme fatigue, drastic personality changes, secretive phone use, sudden academic decline, or fear of talking about the group.
Trust Your Instincts. You know your child best.

If Hazing Has Occurred:

Health First: Seek immediate medical care. Tell doctors exactly what happened so it’s documented.
Preserve Evidence: This is urgent.
- Screenshot all relevant group chats, texts, and social media posts.
- Photograph injuries over several days.
- Write down a detailed timeline with names.
- Save any physical items (torn clothing, paddles, receipts).
- Do not let your child delete anything.
Report Carefully: You can report to campus police, the Dean of Students, and local police. However, consider consulting with an attorney first to understand the implications.
Contact a Specialist Attorney: Before giving formal statements, signing university paperwork, or speaking with insurance adjusters, call us. We can protect your child’s rights and begin an immediate investigation.

Why Alice Families Choose Attorney911

We are The Manginello Law Firm, PLLC, operating as Attorney911, the Legal Emergency Lawyers™. While our offices are in Houston, Austin, and Beaumont, we serve hazing victims and their families across Texas, including right here in Alice and Jim Wells County.

We took on the Bermudez case because we have the unique skill set required to win:

We Understand Texas Institutions: From the University of Houston to Texas A&M, we know these campuses, their policies, and their patterns.
We Fight for Full Accountability: We don’t just chase quick settlements. We investigate to hold every responsible party accountable—the individuals who committed the acts, the local chapter, the national organization that enabled them, and the university that failed in its duty to protect.
We Provide Compassionate, Zealous Advocacy: We know this is a traumatic, confusing time. We guide families through every step with clarity and compassion, fighting relentlessly for justice and the compensation needed for recovery.

You are not powerless. What happened to your child is a crime and a civil wrong. Texas law gives you a path to justice.

Contact Us for a Free, Confidential Consultation

If your child has been injured or has died due to hacing, bullying, or abuse connected to a campus organization, we want to help. Contact us today for a free, no-obligation case evaluation.

Call Attorney911 24/7: 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: Mr. Lupe Peña provides fluent Spanish-language legal services.

We will listen to your story, review any evidence you have, explain your legal options under Texas law, and help you make the best decision for your family’s future. The consultation is confidential, and we work on a contingency fee basis—you pay no attorney fees unless we win your case.

Legal Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Reading this does not create an attorney-client relationship. Every case is unique, and outcomes depend on specific facts and law. If you need legal advice, please contact an attorney directly. Attorney911 is a trademark of The Manginello Law Firm, PLLC. Principal office in Houston, Texas.