Hazing in Texas: A Comprehensive Guide for Cotulla Families Seeking Justice and Accountability

When your child leaves home for college from a tight-knit community like Cotulla, you imagine them building a future at a Texas university. You don’t imagine them lying in a hospital bed in Houston, suffering from acute kidney failure after being forced to perform hundreds of squats until their muscles break down. You don’t imagine them being sprayed in the face with a hose “like waterboarding” or carrying a humiliating “pledge fanny pack” 24/7. Yet this is the exact reality faced by Leonel Bermudez, a student at the University of Houston, in a case our firm, Attorney911, is actively litigating right now.

For parents and families in Cotulla, La Salle County, and across South Texas, the nightmare of hazing is not a distant abstraction. Whether your child attends school at nearby Texas A&M International University in Laredo, Texas A&M University-Kingsville, or one of Texas’s major hubs like the University of Houston or Texas A&M in College Station, they are entering ecosystems with documented histories of dangerous initiation practices. This guide is written specifically for you—to explain what hazing looks like in 2025, how Texas law protects your child, and what steps you can take if the unthinkable happens.

If This Just Happened: Immediate Steps for Cotulla Families

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: Even if your child insists they are “fine,” have them evaluated. Injuries like rhabdomyolysis (severe muscle breakdown) may not show symptoms immediately.
2. Preserve Digital Evidence: Screenshot EVERYTHING—GroupMe chats, text messages, Instagram DMs, Snapchat stories. Do not let your child delete anything out of embarrassment or fear.
3. Photograph Injuries: Take clear, timestamped photos of any bruises, burns, or other marks from multiple angles.
4. Write It Down: Document everything your child tells you—names, dates, locations, specific acts—while their memory is fresh.
5. Secure Physical Evidence: Save clothing, receipts, or any objects used in hazing.
6. Do NOT:
   • Confront the fraternity, sorority, or team directly.
   • Sign anything from the university or an insurance adjuster.
   • Post details on public social media.
   • Allow the university to handle it “internally” without legal counsel.

Contact an experienced hazing attorney within 24-48 hours. Evidence disappears quickly. Universities and national organizations move faster to control narratives than families realize. We are here to help you navigate this crisis. Call 1-888-ATTY-911.

The Stark Reality: A Live Case from the University of Houston

To understand the severity of modern hazing, you need to look no further than the lawsuit we filed in late 2025. This is not a historical example; it is our current, active litigation and serves as a critical warning for every Texas family.

The Victim: Leonel Bermudez, a student at the University of Houston (UH).

The Organizations: The Pi Kappa Phi fraternity’s Beta Nu chapter at UH, its national headquarters, the UH System Board of Regents, and 13 individual fraternity leaders.

The Hazing Acts (As Alleged in the Complaint):

• Humiliation & Control: Pledges were forced to carry a “pledge fanny pack” 24/7 containing condoms, a sex toy, nicotine devices, and other degrading items. They endured enforced dress codes, hours-long “study blocks,” and overnight chauffeuring duties.
• Physical Torture: Activities included extreme sprints, bear crawls, and “save-your-brother” drills at locations like the Pi Kappa Phi house, a Culmore Drive residence, and Yellowstone Boulevard Park. Bermudez was forced to lie in vomit-soaked grass, sprayed in the face with a hose in a manner “similar to waterboarding,” and threatened with actual waterboarding.
• Forced Consumption & Extreme Exercise: He was forced to consume excessive amounts of milk, hot dogs, and peppercorns until vomiting, then immediately forced to sprint. On November 3, 2025, he was ordered to perform over 100 push-ups and 500 squats under threat of expulsion from the pledge process.

The Medical Catastrophe: This relentless abuse led Bermudez to develop rhabdomyolysis—a life-threatening condition where skeletal muscle breaks down and floods the bloodstream. He passed brown urine, could not stand without help, and was hospitalized for four days with acute kidney failure. Lab tests showed critically elevated creatine kinase levels, confirming severe muscle damage and kidney injury. He faces an ongoing risk of permanent kidney damage.

The Institutional Response: The Pi Kappa Phi national headquarters suspended the Beta Nu chapter on November 6, 2025. On November 14, chapter members voted to surrender their charter, effectively shutting it down. The University of Houston called the alleged conduct “deeply disturbing,” promised disciplinary action up to expulsion, and stated it was cooperating with law enforcement.

This case, covered by Click2Houston and ABC13, is a $10 million lawsuit. It exemplifies the brutal reality of hazing in Texas today and demonstrates the level of serious litigation required to hold powerful institutions accountable. As reported by Hoodline, this is the standard of abuse happening now.

Hazing in 2025: Beyond Stereotypes

Hazing is not just “boys being boys” or “harmless tradition.” It is a systematic pattern of coercion and abuse designed to assert power and create loyalty through trauma. For Cotulla families, understanding its modern forms is crucial.

1. Alcohol & Substance Hazing: The most common and deadly form. This includes forced chugging, drinking games with penalties, “Big/Little” nights where pledges are given handles of liquor, and coerced consumption of drugs or unknown substances.

2. Physical Hazing: This ranges from “smokings” (extreme, punitive calisthenics) and paddling to sleep deprivation, food/water restriction, and exposure to extreme elements. The rhabdomyolysis in the UH case is a direct result of physical hazing.

3. Psychological & Sexualized Hazing: This includes forced nudity, simulated sexual acts, humiliating costumes or roles, verbal abuse, isolation from friends and family, and threats of expulsion from the group for non-compliance.

4. Digital Hazing: A 21st-century evolution. Pledges may be forced to post embarrassing content on social media, participate in degrading TikTok challenges, or are subjected to 24/7 monitoring and demands via GroupMe or WhatsApp, leading to severe sleep deprivation.

Where It Happens: While fraternities and sororities are often the focus, hazing permeates:

• Athletic teams (from football to cheerleading)
• Corps of Cadets and ROTC programs
• Marching bands and performance groups
• Spirit and tradition organizations (like “Texas Cowboys”)
• Academic clubs and honor societies

The common thread is a power imbalance between new members and older members, exploited under the guise of “tradition” or “team building.”

Texas Law & Liability: The Legal Framework Protecting Your Child

Texas has specific statutes to combat hazing, found in the Education Code, Chapter 37, Subchapter F. Understanding this framework is the first step toward accountability.

Texas Definition of Hazing (Sec. 37.151): Hazing is any intentional, knowing, or reckless act, on or off campus, directed against a student for the purpose of pledging, initiation, affiliation, or maintaining membership in an organization that:

• Endangers the mental or physical health or safety of a student.

Key Provisions for Cotulla Families:

• Criminal Penalties (Sec. 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.
• Consent is NOT a Defense (Sec. 37.155): It does not matter if your child “agreed” to participate. The law recognizes that consent under peer pressure and coercion is not valid.
• Organizational Liability (Sec. 37.153): The organization itself (fraternity, sorority, team) can be fined up to $10,000 per violation if it authorized or encouraged the hazing, or if an officer knew about it and failed to report it.
• Immunity for Good-Faith Reporting (Sec. 37.154): Individuals who report hazing in good faith to university officials or law enforcement are immune from civil or criminal liability. Many universities also have medical amnesty policies to encourage calling 911 in alcohol-related emergencies.

Civil vs. Criminal Cases:

• Criminal Cases: Brought by the state (DA’s office). Aim to punish offenders with jail time, fines, or probation. Charges can include hazing, assault, furnishing alcohol to minors, or manslaughter.
• Civil Cases: Brought by the victim and their family. Aim to secure compensation for damages (medical bills, pain and suffering, lost future earnings) and hold all responsible parties accountable. A criminal conviction is not required to file a civil lawsuit. Our firm focuses on complex civil hazing litigation, as in the Bermudez case.

Who Can Be Held Liable in a Civil Lawsuit?

1. Individual Students who planned, participated in, or covered up the hazing.
2. The Local Chapter as a legal entity.
3. The National Fraternity/Sorority Headquarters if they failed to adequately supervise the chapter or ignored prior patterns of misconduct.
4. The University if it was deliberately indifferent to known risks or failed to enforce its own policies.
5. Third Parties like landlords of off-campus houses or property owners where hazing occurred.

The National Pattern: History Repeats Itself

The tragedy at UH is not an isolated incident. It fits a decades-long national pattern where certain organizations see the same deadly scripts play out repeatedly.

• Pi Kappa Alpha (Pike): At Bowling Green State University (2021), pledge Stone Foltz died after being forced to drink a bottle of alcohol. His family secured a $10 million settlement. At Northern Illinois University (2012), David Bogenberger’s death led to a $14 million settlement.
• Beta Theta Pi: At Penn State (2017), Timothy Piazza died after a fall during a alcohol-heavy bid night, captured on chapter house cameras. The case led to Pennsylvania’ Timothy J. Piazza Anti-Hazing Law’ and resulted in dozens of criminal convictions.
• Phi Delta Theta: At LSU (2017), Maxwell Gruver died during a “Bible study” drinking game, leading to Louisiana’s ‘Max Gruver Act’ which made hazing a felony.
• Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE): Has faced numerous lawsuits, including a $1 million suit at Texas A&M where pledges suffered severe chemical burns from being doused in industrial cleaner.

These national histories matter because they establish foreseeability. When a chapter at a Texas school repeats the same dangerous conduct that has killed students elsewhere, it becomes much harder for the national organization to claim it was an “unforeseeable accident.” This pattern evidence is a powerful tool in building a civil case for families in Cotulla.

Texas Universities: Where Cotulla Families Send Their Kids

Parents in Cotulla and La Salle County often see their children attend universities close to home or across the state. Each campus has its own Greek ecosystem and history of hazing incidents.

For South Texas & Laredo Area Families

Many students from our region attend schools in the Laredo and South Texas areas, which are part of the broader Texas Greek landscape tracked in our intelligence engine.

Texas A&M International University (Laredo) & Laredo College: While smaller than flagship campuses, Greek life and student organizations exist here. Hazing incidents at regional schools often follow the same patterns as larger institutions but may receive less public scrutiny.

University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (Edinburg): As a growing university, UTRGV has developing Greek communities. Vigilance is key as organizations establish traditions.

Major Texas Universities with Documented Hazing Issues

1. University of Houston (UH)

• Recent Major Case: The ongoing Leonel Bermudez vs. Pi Kappa Phi case detailed above.
• Campus Climate: A large, urban campus with a significant Greek life presence across multiple councils (IFC, Panhellenic, NPHC, Multicultural).
• For Cotulla Families: A direct connection through our active litigation. This case shows UH is not immune to severe, systemic hazing.

2. Texas A&M University (College Station)

• Notable Incidents: The Texas A&M Corps of Cadets has faced lawsuits alleging degrading hazing, including a 2023 case where a cadet claimed he was bound in a “roasted pig” position. The Sigma Alpha Epsilon chapter faced a $1 million lawsuit after pledges suffered chemical burns requiring skin grafts.
• Unique Context: The Corps of Cadets culture carries its own set of tradition-based risks alongside traditional Greek life.

3. University of Texas at Austin

• Transparency Tool: UT Austin maintains a public Hazing Violations Log, a resource more universities should adopt.
• Documented Cases: The log shows repeated sanctions against fraternities like Pi Kappa Alpha for forcing calisthenics and milk chugging, and spirit groups like the Texas Wranglers for forced workouts and alcohol-related hazing.

4. Texas A&M University-Kingsville

• Proximity to Cotulla: As a closer-to-home option for some families, it’s important to note that Greek life exists here. Our data engine tracks Greek organizations in the Corpus Christi/Kingsville metro area, indicating an active Greek ecosystem.

5. Baylor University & Southern Methodist University (SMU)
As private institutions with prominent Greek life, both have faced hazing scandals, from baseball team suspensions at Baylor to chapter suspensions at SMU. They have significant resources to defend themselves in litigation.

The Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine: Our Data-Driven Advantage for Your Case

When you contact our firm about a hazing incident, you are not starting from zero. We maintain a proprietary Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine built from thousands of public records. This allows us to immediately identify every entity that may bear responsibility. For families in Cotulla, this means we understand the specific Greek landscape affecting your child, whether they are at a school in Laredo or Houston.

What Our Data Includes:

• IRS Records: Over 125 Texas-registered Greek organizations (house corporations, alumni chapters, honor societies) with Employer Identification Numbers (EINs) and legal addresses.
• Texas University Database: 96 campus locations across the state.
• Metro-Level Analysis: Tracking of Greek organizations across 25 Texas metropolitan areas.
• National Brand Overlaps: Cross-referencing to connect local chapters to their national headquarters and histories.

A Snapshot of Greek Organizations in the Laredo & South Texas Region:
While our full directory is vast, here are examples of the types of organizations we track that operate in the broader region serving South Texas students:

• Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority – EIN: 364091267 – Waco, TX 76710 (IRS B83 filing)
• Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Chapter – Edinburg, TX (Academic honor society)
• Alpha Sigma Phi Fraternity Inc., Iota Phi Chapter – EIN: 831418972 – Corpus Christi, TX 78412 (IRS B83 filing – Texas A&M-Corpus Christi)
• Kappa Sigma Fraternity – Rho-Psi Colony – Corpus Christi, TX (Cause IQ listing – TAMU-CC colony)
• Texas A&M University-Kingsville – Greek life includes chapters of national fraternities and sororities with registered housing corporations and alumni entities.

This intelligence allows us to quickly map the network of liability—from the individual members in the room to the local chapter corporation, the alumni board, the national headquarters, and their insurers. We don’t have to guess who to sue; we use data to build the strongest possible case from day one.

Building a Hazing Case: Evidence, Strategy, and Damages

Pursuing a hazing case against a national fraternity or university is complex litigation. It requires a strategic, evidence-based approach from attorneys who are not intimidated by powerful opponents.

Critical Evidence We Pursue:

1. Digital Communications: GroupMe, WhatsApp, iMessage, and Discord logs are the modern “smoking gun.” We work with digital forensics experts to recover deleted messages.
2. Social Media: Posts, stories, and DMs on Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok that document activities or discussions.
3. Internal Organization Documents: Pledge manuals, “tradition” books, meeting minutes, and emails from national headquarters.
4. University Records: Prior conduct violations of the same organization, Clery Act reports, and internal investigation files obtained through discovery.
5. Medical Records: Documentation of injuries, ER visits, lab reports (like elevated CK levels), and psychological evaluations for PTSD, depression, or anxiety.

Types of Damages in a Hazing Case:

• Economic Damages: All past and future medical expenses, lost wages, costs of psychological care, and diminished future earning capacity if injuries are permanent.
• Non-Economic Damages: Compensation for physical pain, emotional suffering, trauma, humiliation, and loss of enjoyment of life.
• Wrongful Death Damages: In the ultimate tragedy, families can seek damages for funeral costs, loss of financial support, and the profound grief and loss of companionship.

We build comprehensive life-care plans with economists and medical experts to ensure we fully account for the lifelong impact of catastrophic injuries like traumatic brain injury or permanent organ damage.

Practical Guide for Cotulla Parents & Students

For Parents – Warning Signs:

• Unexplained injuries, bruises, or burns.
• Extreme fatigue or sleep deprivation unrelated to academics.
• Sudden secrecy about organizational activities.
• Personality changes: increased anxiety, depression, or withdrawal.
• Constant, anxious phone use related to group chats.
• Requests for large sums of money with vague explanations.

For Students – If You’re Being Hazed:

1. Your Safety is Paramount: If you are in immediate danger, call 911.
2. Preserve Evidence: Take screenshots. Photograph injuries. Save everything.
3. 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 immunity).
4. Talk to Someone: Confide in a trusted family member, RA, or counselor. You do not have to handle this alone.
5. Consult a Lawyer Before Talking to University Officials: Universities have institutional interests. We can help you navigate these conversations to protect your rights.

Critical Mistakes to Avoid:

• Deleting Evidence: Do not delete texts or group chats, no matter how embarrassing.
• Confronting the Organization Directly: This prompts them to destroy evidence and circle the wagons.
• Signing University Settlement Offers: Never sign anything from the university or an insurance company without having an attorney review it.
• Posting on Social Media: What you post can be used against you. Let your legal team control the narrative.
• Waiting Too Long: Texas has a two-year statute of limitations for personal injury cases, but evidence decays daily.

Why Attorney911 for Your Cotulla Hazing Case

When your family is in crisis, you need advocates with proven experience taking on the largest institutions and the specific expertise to dismantle hazing defenses.

1. Insider Insurance Knowledge (Mr. Lupe Peña): Mr. Peña is a former insurance defense attorney for a national firm. He knows exactly how fraternity and university insurers evaluate claims, fight coverage, and use delay tactics. We know their playbook because we used to run it. Learn more about Mr. Peña’s background.

2. Complex Institutional Litigation Experience: Managing Partner Ralph Manginello was one of the few Texas attorneys involved in the BP Texas City explosion litigation, facing down billion-dollar defendants. Fraternities and universities have deep pockets and fierce defense firms; we are not intimidated. Learn about Ralph Manginello’s experience.

3. Active, High-Stakes Hazing Litigation: We are not theorizing about hazing law; we are actively fighting one of the most serious cases in the country right now with the Leonel Bermudez lawsuit. This gives us current, real-world insight into the strategies national organizations use.

4. Data-Driven Investigation: Our Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine, featuring over 1,400 tracked organizations, means we start your case with a map of liability, not a blank slate.

5. Spanish-Language Services: Mr. Peña speaks fluent Spanish (Se habla Español). We are committed to serving all Texas families with cultural competence and understanding.

6. Contingency Fee Basis: We handle cases on a contingency fee basis—you pay no attorney fees unless we win your case. This allows families from Cotulla and all backgrounds to access high-quality legal representation. See how contingency fees work.

Call to Action for Cotulla and South Texas Families

If you are a parent in Cotulla, Encinal, or anywhere in La Salle County and suspect your child has been hazed at any Texas university—whether it’s Texas A&M International, Texas A&M Kingsville, UH, Texas A&M, or any other campus—you have the right to answers and accountability.

The organizations responsible often rely on silence and fear. You do not have to face them alone.

Contact The Manginello Law Firm, PLLC (Attorney911) today for a free, confidential consultation.

We will listen to your story with empathy, review any evidence you have, and explain your legal options clearly and honestly. We serve families across Texas from our offices in Houston, Austin, and Beaumont.

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

Let us use our experience, our data, and our commitment to justice to help your family through this difficult time. Enough is enough.

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. Contact Attorney911 at 1-888-ATTY-911 for a consultation regarding your specific situation.

Plain Text Links to Key Resources:

• Click2Houston coverage of UH Pi Kappa Phi case: 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 coverage of UH hazing lawsuit: https://abc13.com/post/waterboarding-forced-eating-physical-punishment-lawsuit-alleges-abuse-faced-injured-pledge-uhs-pi-kappa-phi-fraternity/18186418/
• Attorney911 Video on Documenting Evidence: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLbpzrmogTs
• Attorney911 Video on Statutes of Limitation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRHwg8tV02c
• Attorney911 Main Website: https://attorney911.com