The Complete Guide to Fraternity & Sorority Hazing in Texas: A Resource for Madisonville Families

If Your Child Was Hazed at a Texas University, You’re Not Alone

You sent your child to college with pride and hope, imagining football games, new friends, and a bright future. Then the phone call comes—or doesn’t come. Your son stopped answering texts. Your daughter sounds exhausted and secretive. You learn about late-night “mandatory meetings,” unexplained injuries, or worse, a hospitalization for something called rhabdomyolysis, kidney failure, or alcohol poisoning. When you ask questions, you’re met with vague answers, “it’s just tradition,” or worse, stonewalling from the university. The nightmare scenario that feels uniquely yours is, in fact, unfolding across Texas right now, from the University of Houston to Texas A&M, and it can affect students from right here in Madisonville, Texas.

This guide is for you—parents and families in Madisonville, Madison County, and across Central Texas. We are The Manginello Law Firm, PLLC (Attorney911, the Legal Emergency Lawyers™), and we represent victims of severe hazing and their families. Right now, we are fighting one of the most serious hazing cases in Texas history: the $10 million lawsuit filed on behalf of Leonel Bermudez against the University of Houston, the Pi Kappa Phi Beta Nu chapter, its housing corporation, and 13 individual members. This case, detailed in exclusive Click2Houston, ABC13, and Hoodline coverage, involves forced consumption, simulated waterboarding, extreme physical workouts that caused life-threatening rhabdomyolysis and acute kidney failure, and a fraternity culture so toxic the chapter was shut down. We use this active litigation as proof of our seriousness—this is what we do, and this is happening in Texas.

For families in Madisonville—a proud community between the Piney Woods and the Brazos Valley, where many students head to Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas A&M in College Station, or other Texas campuses—the dangers of hazing may feel distant until they knock on your door. This comprehensive guide will explain exactly what hazing looks like in 2025, the Texas laws that govern it, the national fraternity patterns repeated here, and what legal options exist when universities and Greek organizations fail to protect your child.

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).
• We provide immediate help—that’s why we’re the Legal Emergency Lawyers™.

In the First 48 Hours:

• Get medical attention immediately, even if the student insists they are “fine.”
• Preserve evidence BEFORE it’s deleted:
  • Screenshot group chats, texts, DMs immediately.
  • Photograph injuries from multiple angles.
  • Save physical items (clothing, receipts, objects).
• Write down everything while memory is fresh (who, what, when, where).
• DO NOT:
  • Confront the fraternity/sorority directly.
  • Sign anything from the university or insurance company.
  • Post details on public social media.
  • Let your child 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. Call 1-888-ATTY-911 for an immediate, confidential consultation.

What Hazing Really Looks Like in 2025: Beyond the Stereotypes

Hazing is not just “boys will be boys” or harmless pranks. Modern hazing is a calculated system of control, humiliation, and risk that often leaves permanent physical and psychological scars. For Madisonville parents, understanding its forms is the first step in recognizing it.

The Three Tiers of Hazing

1. Subtle Hazing: Behaviors that emphasize power imbalance. Often dismissed as “tradition,” they create a culture of compliance.

• Deception & Secrecy: Being told to lie to parents, RAs, or university officials.
• Servitude: Acting as a 24/7 on-call driver, cleaner, or errand-runner for older members.
• Social Isolation: Being cut off from non-member friends or requiring permission to socialize.

2. Harassment Hazing: Behaviors that cause emotional or physical discomfort, creating a hostile environment.

• Sleep Deprivation: Mandatory late-night “meetings” or 3 AM wake-up calls.
• Verbal Abuse: Yelling, insults, degrading names, threats of expulsion.
• Forced Consumption: Eating/drinking unpleasant or excessive amounts (e.g., milk, hot dogs, raw eggs).
• Strenuous Activity: “Smokings” with hundreds of push-ups or squats beyond safe limits.

3. Violent Hazing: Activities with high potential for injury, sexual assault, or death. This is what hospitalized Leonel Bermudez.

• Forced Alcohol Consumption: “Big/Little” nights, “family tree” drinking games, lineups, forced chugging.
• Physical Beatings: Paddling, punching, kicking.
• Sexualized Hazing: Forced nudity, simulated sexual acts (“elephant walk”), sexual coercion.
• Dangerous “Tests”: Blindfolded tackles (“glass ceiling” ritual), being restrained, exposure to extreme cold/heat.
• “Waterboarding” Tactics: As alleged in the UH Pi Kappa Phi case, being sprayed in the face with a hose until unable to breathe.

The Digital Front: How Hazing Has Evolved

Hazing no longer stays in the basement. It lives on your child’s phone:

• 24/7 Digital Control: GroupMe, WhatsApp, or Discord chats where pledges must respond immediately at all hours.
• Social Media Humiliation: Forced to post embarrassing TikToks, Instagram stories, or Snapchats.
• Location Tracking: Required to share live location via Find My Friends or Snap Map.
• Evidence Destruction: Members quickly delete incriminating messages after incidents.

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

Texas has strong legal frameworks to address hazing, but navigating them requires understanding both criminal and civil sides.

Texas Education Code, Chapter 37: The Anti-Hazing Statute

The law governing hazing for all Texas schools, including those your Madisonville student may attend, is clear:

• Definition (Sec. 37.151): Hazing is any intentional, knowing, or reckless act (on or off campus) that endangers the mental or physical health or safety of a student for the purpose of initiation, affiliation, or membership in any organization.
• Criminal Penalties (Sec. 37.152):
  • Class B Misdemeanor: Hazing that doesn’t cause serious injury.
  • Class A Misdemeanor: Hazing that causes injury requiring medical treatment.
  • State Jail Felony: Hazing that causes serious bodily injury or death.
• Consent is NOT a Defense (Sec. 37.155): Even if your child “agreed,” it’s still a crime. The law recognizes peer pressure and coercion.
• Immunity for Good-Faith Reporting (Sec. 37.154): Students who call 911 or report hazing in good faith are protected from prosecution for minor related offenses (like underage drinking).

Civil Liability: Holding Organizations Accountable

A criminal case is brought by the state to punish. A civil lawsuit is brought by the victim and family to recover damages and force accountability. Potentially liable parties include:

1. Individual Perpetrators: The members who planned, carried out, or covered up the hazing.
2. The Local Chapter: As a legal entity, it can be sued for creating a dangerous culture.
3. The National Fraternity/Sorority Headquarters: Often where the deepest pockets and insurance are. They can be liable if they knew or should have known about dangerous traditions (a pattern we regularly prove using our data resources).
4. The University: Public universities (like UH, Texas A&M, UT) have some sovereign immunity, but can be sued for gross negligence or deliberate indifference. Private schools (like SMU, Baylor) have fewer protections.
5. Housing Corporations & Alumni Boards: Separate legal entities that own property or oversee chapters.

Federal Overlays: Title IX, Clery, and the Stop Campus Hazing Act

• Title IX: If hazing involves sexual harassment or assault, federal Title IX procedures and potential liability are triggered.
• Clery Act: Requires universities to report certain crimes, including hazing-related assaults.
• Stop Campus Hazing Act (2024): Requires colleges receiving federal aid to increase hazing transparency and public reporting by 2026.

National Hazing Case Patterns: The Script Texas Chapters Follow

The horrific details of the UH Pi Kappa Phi case are not an anomaly. They follow a national script. Understanding these patterns shows Madisonville families how predictable—and preventable—these tragedies are.

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

• Stone Foltz – Bowling Green State (Pi Kappa Alpha, 2021): Pledge forced to drink a whole bottle of alcohol; died. $10 million settlement.
• Max Gruver – LSU (Phi Delta Theta, 2017): Pledge died during “Bible study” drinking game. Led to Louisiana’s Max Gruver Act (felony hazing).
• Andrew Coffey – Florida State (Pi Kappa Phi, 2017): Pledge died at “Big Brother” night. FSU suspended all Greek life.

The Pattern: A structured, tradition-based event where new members are forced to consume lethal amounts of alcohol, often while older members watch. Delayed medical care is common.

The Physical Endurance & Brutality Script

• Chun “Michael” Deng – Baruch College (Pi Delta Psi, 2013): Pledge died from traumatic brain injury after blindfolded “glass ceiling” tackle ritual at a retreat. National fraternity criminally convicted.
• Timothy Piazza – Penn State (Beta Theta Pi, 2017): Pledge died after falls during bid night; brothers delayed calling 911 for hours. Security footage was key. Led to Timothy J. Piazza Anti-Hazing Law in Pennsylvania.

The Pattern: Ritualized physical abuse disguised as “tests of heart” or “tradition.” Often occurs off-campus or at retreats to avoid scrutiny.

The Texas A&M Chemical Burns Case: Sigma Alpha Epsilon

In a 2021 case, Texas A&M SAE pledges alleged they were doused with a mixture including industrial-strength cleaner, causing severe chemical burns requiring skin graft surgeries. The lawsuit sought $1 million, and the chapter was suspended. This shows hazing tactics evolving into shocking new forms of cruelty.

Why These Histories Matter for Your Case: In court, we use these national patterns to prove foreseeability. If Pi Kappa Phi nationals knew about the alcohol death at FSU, why didn’t they stop similar “Big/Little” traditions at UH? This forms the basis for negligence claims against the national organizations that profit from these chapters.

Texas Campus Focus: Where Madisonville Students Go to School

Madisonville families have deep ties to Texas universities. Many students commute to or reside at nearby Sam Houston State University in Huntsville. Many others head to the major hubs: Texas A&M University in College Station, the University of Texas at Austin, the University of Houston, Baylor University in Waco, or Southern Methodist University in Dallas. Each campus has its own hazing landscape.

University of Houston: The Active Litigation Frontline

As the home of our flagship Leonel Bermudez v. UH & Pi Kappa Phi case, UH exemplifies institutional failure. The alleged hazing at the Pi Kappa Phi Beta Nu chapter included:

• The degrading “pledge fanny pack” rule (condoms, sex toys, nicotine).
• Extreme workouts at Yellowstone Boulevard Park.
• Forced consumption of milk, hot dogs, and peppercorns until vomiting.
• Hose spraying “similar to waterboarding.”
• A hog-tying incident against another pledge.
• The medical outcome: Rhabdomyolysis, acute kidney failure, brown urine, 4-day hospitalization.

UH’s Response: Called conduct “deeply disturbing,” cooperated with law enforcement. The chapter was suspended Nov. 6, 2025, and voted to surrender its charter Nov. 14, 2025. This rapid closure is a common damage-control tactic, not a substitute for accountability to the victim.

Texas A&M University: Corps Culture and Greek Life

For Madisonville families with Aggies, understand the dual risks:

• Corps of Cadets Hazing: In a 2023 lawsuit, a cadet alleged being bound in a “roasted pig” position with an apple in his mouth, among other degrading acts. The case sought over $1 million.
• Fraternity Hazing: Beyond the SAE chemical burns case, A&M has a large Greek system where national patterns play out.

A&M’s Challenge: Balancing fierce tradition with student safety. When tradition becomes abuse, the institution can be held liable for failing to intervene.

University of Texas at Austin: Public Transparency, Persistent Problems

UT Austin maintains a public Hazing Violations Log, offering more transparency than most. Recent entries show recurring issues:

• Pi Kappa Alpha (2023): New members directed to consume milk and perform strenuous calisthenics. Sanction: Probation.
• Various spirit groups and fraternities sanctioned for forced drinking, strenuous activity, and humiliation.

The Takeaway for Parents: Public logs are a starting point. They show pattern evidence—if an org is on probation for hazing and does it again, the university’s weak response becomes part of the liability case.

Sam Houston State University (Huntsville): The Local Campus

For many Madisonville students, SHSU is the most accessible university. While smaller than the state giants, its Greek life and student organizations are not immune to hazing risks. Incidents may be less publicized but are just as serious. Jurisdiction for any legal action would involve Walker County courts.

Baylor University & Southern Methodist University

As private institutions, SMU and Baylor have their own disciplinary processes. SMU’s Kappa Alpha Order chapter was suspended for paddling and forced drinking. Baylor has faced scrutiny across its athletic and Greek systems. Private status doesn’t mean immunity from civil lawsuits.

The Greek Organizational Landscape: Tracking the Entities Behind the Letters

When hazing occurs, it’s not just “a few bad kids.” It’s a failure of a network of legal entities. Our firm maintains the Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine, built from public IRS records, university data, and commercial databases. We track over 1,423 Greek-related organizations across 25 Texas metros to identify every potentially liable party.

Public Records Directory: Fraternity & Sorority Entities Relevant to Madisonville Families

The following are real Texas-registered organizations (from IRS B83 filings and Cause IQ data) that represent the kind of structured entities behind campus chapters. This is the level of detail we investigate to build a case.

Entities in the Broader Region & Statewide Hubs:

• Kappa Sigma – Mu Camma Chapter Inc (EIN: 133048786) | 3007 Earl Rudder Fwy S, College Station, TX 77845
• Pi Kappa Phi Delta Omega Chapter Building Corporation (EIN: 371768785) | 4102 Eastshore St, Missouri City, TX 77459
• Beta Nu Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity Housing Corporation Inc (EIN: 462267515) | 10601 Big Horn Trl, Frisco, TX 75035
• Sigma Chi Fraternity Epsilon Xi Chapter (EIN: 746084905) | 4300 Martin Luther King Blvd, Houston, TX 77204
• Texas Kappa Sigma Educational Foundation Inc (EIN: 741380362) | PO Box 470061, Fort Worth, TX 76147
• Farm House Fraternity Inc (EIN: 751565336) | 3 Greek Cir, Lubbock, TX 79416 (Texas Tech University Chapter)
• Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi (EIN: 900293166) | 114 Henderson Hall 4233 TAMU, College Station, TX 77843 (Texas A&M University)
• Sigma Alpha Epsilon – Texas Sigma Incorporated (EIN: 882755427) | 2104 Old Ranch Rd, San Marcos, TX 78666

Why This Directory Matters: Each of these entities may hold insurance, own property, or exercise control over a chapter. In a lawsuit, we don’t just sue “the fraternity”; we sue the housing corporation, the alumni board, the national headquarters, and the educational foundation—maximizing the avenues for accountability and recovery.

National Histories Create Local Liability

When a Sigma Alpha Epsilon chapter at Texas A&M pours cleaner on pledges, that’s not an isolated incident. SAE has a national history of hazing deaths and injuries. When a Pi Kappa Phi chapter at UH forces dangerous workouts, Pi Kappa Phi nationals have the history of Andrew Coffey’s death at FSU. This “pattern and practice” evidence is crucial in court. It proves the national organization knew the risks and failed to take reasonable steps to prevent them at their Texas chapters—a core concept of negligence.

Building a Hazing Case: Evidence, Strategy, and Damages

If hazing has injured your child, taking legal action is about more than compensation. It’s about accountability, prevention, and ensuring your child’s future needs are met. Here is how a serious hazing case is built.

Critical Evidence: The Digital Crime Scene

The evidence in a 2025 hazing case is largely digital. Preservation is step one.

1. Group Chats (GroupMe, WhatsApp, Discord): The #1 source of evidence. Shows planning, boasting, threats, and cover-up attempts. Screenshot everything immediately, even if embarrassing.
2. Social Media (Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok): Photos/videos of events, injuries, or humiliating acts. Location tags can prove where hazing occurred.
3. Text Messages & Emails: Communication with pledge educators or officers.
4. Medical Records: ER reports, lab tests (like CK levels for rhabdomyolysis), hospitalization records, psychological evaluations for PTSD.
5. University Records: Prior conduct violations for the same organization, obtained via discovery or public records requests.
6. Witness Testimony: Other pledges, former members, roommates.

Our video on using your phone to document a legal case guides families through this critical first step.

Recoverable Damages: Making Your Child Whole

A civil lawsuit seeks to compensate for all losses, which can be substantial in severe hazing cases:

• Economic Damages: All medical bills (past and future), lost tuition from withdrawing, lost future earning capacity if permanently disabled.
• Non-Economic Damages: Physical pain, emotional distress, PTSD, humiliation, loss of enjoyment of life.
• Wrongful Death Damages (if applicable): Funeral costs, loss of companionship, family’s emotional suffering.
• Punitive Damages: In cases of extreme recklessness or cover-ups, to punish the defendants and deter future conduct.

Cases like Stone Foltz’s ($10M), Max Gruver’s ($6.1M verdict), and others show that juries and institutions will award significant sums for hazing deaths and catastrophic injuries.

Overcoming Institutional Defenses

We know the defenses because we’ve fought them. Fraternities and universities will argue:

• “The Victim Consented.” We counter: Texas law (Sec. 37.155) says consent is not a defense. Coercion under peer pressure is not true consent.
• “It Was a Rogue Chapter.” We counter: Using our data engine, we show the national organization’s prior knowledge and lack of effective oversight.
• “It Happened Off-Campus.” We counter: Universities and nationals still have a duty of care. Foreseeability doesn’t stop at the campus border.
• “We Have Anti-Hazing Policies.” We counter: A paper policy is meaningless without enforcement. We subpoena records showing prior, unpunished violations.

Our insider advantage? Associate Attorney Mr. Lupe Peña spent years as an insurance defense attorney for a national firm. He knows exactly how fraternity and university insurers will try to deny, delay, and undervalue claims. We use their playbook against them.

Practical Guides & FAQs for Madisonville Parents and Students

For Parents: A Step-by-Step Action Plan

1. Prioritize Health & Safety: Get medical care. Remove your child from the dangerous environment.
2. Preserve Evidence: Follow the 48-hour checklist at the top of this guide.
3. Document Conversations: Write down what your child tells you, with dates.
4. Seek Legal Counsel BEFORE Reporting: Consult with us to understand your rights and develop a strategy before engaging with the university or police. This protects against missteps.
5. Understand University Reporting: You can report to the Dean of Students and campus police, but know that the university’s primary interest is often limiting its own liability.

For Students: If You’re Being Hazed

• Trust Your Instincts: If it feels dangerous, degrading, or coercive, it probably is hazing.
• Your Safety Comes First: You have the right to leave any situation. Call 911 if you or someone else is in medical distress—you have good-faith immunity.
• Preserve Evidence Secretly: Screenshot, photograph, record (Texas is a one-party consent state).
• You Are Not Alone: Contact us confidentially. We can help you navigate an exit strategy and protect your rights.

Critical Mistakes That Can Ruin a Case

Watch our video on client mistakes that can ruin your injury case. For hazing, avoid:

• Deleting Evidence: The #1 mistake. Preserve everything.
• Confronting the Fraternity Directly: This triggers evidence destruction and witness coaching.
• Signing University Settlement Offers: These are often low-ball and may waive your right to sue.
• Posting on Social Media: Defense attorneys scavenge social media for inconsistencies.
• Waiting Too Long: Texas has a two-year statute of limitations for personal injury in most cases. Evidence decays and witnesses disappear. Learn more in our video on Texas statutes of limitations.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can we sue a public university like Texas A&M or UH?
Yes. While sovereign immunity provides some protection, exceptions exist for gross negligence, intentional acts, and Title IX violations. We structure lawsuits to overcome these barriers.

How much does a hazing lawsuit cost?
We work on a contingency fee basis. You pay no upfront fees or hourly costs. We only get paid if we win your case, taking a percentage of the recovery. This makes justice accessible to every family. Understand how it works in our video on contingency fees.

Will my child’s name be public?
Most cases settle confidentially before trial. We aggressively pursue protective orders and sealed settlements to protect your family’s privacy.

What if the hazing happened at an off-campus house or Airbnb?
Location does not shield liability. If the event was organized by a university-recognized group or known to members, the organization and its national headquarters can still be held responsible.

Why Choose The Manginello Law Firm / Attorney911?

When your family is in crisis, you need more than a lawyer. You need advocates who understand the institutional playbook, have the resources to fight it, and the compassion to guide you through the process.

We Are Currently in the Fight: We are lead counsel in the Leonel Bermudez v. UH & Pi Kappa Phi $10 million hazing lawsuit. We are not theorists; we are litigators actively taking on a major Texas university and a national fraternity. This is our expertise in real time.

Insider Insurance Knowledge: Mr. Lupe Peña (he/him) is a former insurance defense attorney for a national firm. He knows how the other side values claims, uses Independent Medical Exams (IMEs) to downplay injuries, and drags out cases. He uses this insider knowledge to secure maximum compensation for our clients.

Complex Institutional Litigation Experience: Managing Partner Ralph Manginello (he/him) was one of the few plaintiff attorneys involved in the BP Texas City explosion litigation, taking on a billion-dollar corporation. That same tenacity and strategic depth is applied to hazing cases against wealthy national fraternities and university systems. He is also a member of the Harris County Criminal Lawyers Association (HCCLA), giving us dual civil-criminal insight crucial when hazing involves criminal charges.

Data-Driven Investigation: We don’t start from scratch. We use our Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine—tracking over 1,400 Greek organizations—to immediately identify house corporations, alumni boards, and national entities that other firms might miss. We turn data into leverage.

A Record of Results: We have secured multi-million dollar settlements and verdicts in wrongful death and catastrophic injury cases. We know how to work with economists and life-care planners to build a compelling case for lifelong damages.

We Serve Madisonville & All of Texas: From our offices in Houston, Austin, and Beaumont, we serve families across the state. If your child was hazed at Sam Houston State, Texas A&M, UT, UH, or any Texas campus, we have the experience and resources to help. Se habla Español—Mr. Peña provides fluent Spanish-language legal services.

Your Next Step: A Confidential, No-Obligation Consultation

If you suspect or know your child has been hazed, time is your most precious commodity. Evidence disappears daily. University investigations begin. The statute of limitations ticks.

Contact us today for a free, confidential case evaluation. In this consultation, we will:

• Listen to your story without judgment.
• Review any evidence you have gathered.
• Explain the legal landscape and your family’s options.
• Outline a potential strategy for investigation and action.
• Answer all your questions about process, timing, and fees.
• There is no pressure to hire us. Our goal is to empower you with information.

You don’t have to face this alone. Call the Legal Emergency Lawyers™.

The Manginello Law Firm, PLLC / Attorney911
Call: 1-888-ATTY-911 (1-888-288-9911)
Direct: (713) 528-9070 | Cell: (713) 443-4781
Website: https://attorney911.com
Email: ralph@atty911.com (Ralph Manginello) | lupe@atty911.com (Lupe Peña)

Plain Text Links to Key Resources

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

• Click2Houston report: 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: 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 your case: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3IYsoxOSxY
• How contingency fees work: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=upcI_j6F7Nc

Attorney911 Main Website:

• https://attorney911.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, 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)
Website: https://attorney911.com