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The Complete Guide to Hazing Lawsuits & Campus Accountability for Montgomery, Texas Families

Your child calls home from college. Their voice is different—strained, tired, secretive. They mention “mandatory” late-night meetings, intense “bonding” workouts, and a constant pressure to prove their loyalty. You find unexplained bruises, notice their grades plummeting, and see a spark in their eyes has vanished. As a parent in Montgomery, Texas, that sinking feeling tells you something is very wrong. You’re not imagining it, and you’re not alone.

Right now, in Harris County just south of us, our firm is actively fighting one of the most serious hazing cases in Texas. We represent Leonel Bermudez, a University of Houston student who was hospitalized for four days with acute kidney failure after enduring extreme hazing by the Pi Kappa Phi Beta Nu chapter. His urine was brown from severe muscle breakdown. He was forced through 100+ push-ups and 500 squats, sprayed in the face with a hose “similar to waterboarding,” made to consume milk and hot dogs until vomiting, and subjected to the humiliation of a mandatory “pledge fanny pack” filled with degrading items. The chapter is now shut down, and we are pursuing a $10 million lawsuit against the university, the national fraternity, and the individual members who orchestrated this abuse.

This is not a distant news story. For families in Montgomery, Conroe, Willis, and across Montgomery County, this reality hits close to home. Our children attend Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas A&M University in College Station, the University of Houston, and campuses across the state. They join fraternities, sororities, Corps of Cadets units, and athletic teams seeking community, only to find danger disguised as tradition.

This guide is for you—the Montgomery parent, the Texas student, the family facing the nightmare of campus hazing. We will explain what hazing really looks like in 2025, break down Texas and federal law, show you the proven patterns from national tragedies, and detail what’s happening at Texas universities. Most importantly, we will show you how to protect your child, hold powerful institutions accountable, and find a path forward.

IMMEDIATE HELP FOR A HAZING EMERGENCY IN MONTGOMERY

If you are reading this because your child is in crisis right now:

• Call 911 if there is a medical emergency.
• Then call us immediately at 1-888-ATTY-911. We are the Legal Emergency Lawyers™ for a reason.
• In the first 48 hours:
  • Get medical attention.
  • DO NOT DELETE ANYTHING. Screenshot group chats (GroupMe, iMessage, WhatsApp), photograph injuries, save any physical evidence.
  • Write down everything your child tells you—dates, times, names, locations.
  • DO NOT confront the organization, post on social media, or sign anything from the university.
• We serve Montgomery County and all of Texas. Call us from Conroe, The Woodlands, Willis, or anywhere your child attends school.

What Hazing Really Looks Like in 2025: Beyond the Stereotypes

Hazing is not just “boys being boys” or “harmless initiation.” It is a calculated pattern of abuse designed to assert power and create loyalty through fear and suffering. For Montgomery families, understanding its modern forms is critical.

The Three Tiers of Hazing:

1. Subtle Hazing: Often dismissed as “tradition,” this establishes the power imbalance. It includes forced servitude (being an on-call driver, cleaning members’ rooms), social isolation, deceptive “scavenger hunts,” and mandatory all-night “study sessions” that interfere with classes at SHSU or A&M.

2. Harassment Hazing: This causes measurable psychological and physical distress. It encompasses sleep deprivation, verbal abuse and humiliation, food/water restriction, forced consumption of unpleasant substances (hot sauce, excessive milk), and extreme “workouts” or “smokings” presented as “conditioning.”

3. Violent Hazing: This has a high potential for death or catastrophic injury. This is what happened to Leonel Bermudez at UH. It includes:

   • Forced/Coerced Alcohol Consumption: “Big/Little” nights, “family tree” drinking games, lineups, keg stands.
   • Physical Assault: Paddling, beatings, “glass ceiling” tackling rituals, dangerous physical tests.
   • Sexualized Hazing: Forced nudity, simulated sexual acts, degrading costumes.
   • Environmental Dangers: Exposure to extreme cold, being tied up or restrained, kidnapping to remote locations.

The Digital Evolution: Hazing now lives on smartphones. Montgomery students are subjected to 24/7 monitoring via GroupMe, forced to share their location, required to post humiliating content on social media, and threatened with expulsion from group chats for non-compliance. This digital trail is often the most critical evidence in a case.

Texas Hazing Law & Liability: A Plain-English Guide for Montgomery Families

Texas takes hazing seriously. The law that governs your child’s case is the Texas Education Code, Chapter 37, Subchapter F. Here’s what Montgomery parents need to know:

The Definition (Sec. 37.151): Hazing is 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 any organization.

• Key Point: It can be reckless, not just intentional. If they should have known the risk, it’s hazing.
• Location Doesn’t Matter: Whether it happens at a fraternity house in College Station, a Corps dorm in Huntsville, or a remote Airbnb, it’s still hazing.

Criminal Penalties (Sec. 37.152):

• 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.

The Most Important Rule (Sec. 37.155): CONSENT IS NOT A DEFENSE. It does not matter if your child “agreed” to participate. The law recognizes the immense power imbalance and peer pressure in these situations.

Who Can Be Held Liable in a Civil Lawsuit?

1. The Individuals: The members who planned, carried out, or covered up the hazing.
2. The Local Chapter: The fraternity, sorority, or club as an entity.
3. The National Organization: Headquarters that collect dues, set policies, and have a history of ignoring warnings (like Pi Kappa Phi National in the Bermudez case).
4. The University: Schools like SHSU, A&M, or UH can be liable for negligent supervision if they knew or should have known about the dangers and failed to act.
5. Third Parties: Property owners, landlords, or alcohol providers.

National Hazing Tragedies: The Patterns That Repeat in Texas

These are not abstract cases. They are blueprints that show exactly how hazing kills and injures, and they establish the legal precedents we use to fight for Montgomery families.

The Alcohol Poisoning Pattern:

• Stone Foltz (Bowling Green State, Pi Kappa Alpha, 2021): Forced to drink a bottle of whiskey; died. $10+ million in settlements.
• Max Gruver (LSU, Phi Delta Theta, 2017): Died during a “Bible study” drinking game. Led to Louisiana’s felony hazing law.
• Andrew Coffey (Florida State, Pi Kappa Phi, 2017): Died after a “Big Brother” night. His national organization is the same one we are suing in the UH case.

The Physical & Ritualized Violence Pattern:

• Chun “Michael” Deng (Baruch College, Pi Delta Psi, 2013): Died from traumatic brain injury after a blindfolded tackling ritual at a retreat. The national fraternity was criminally convicted.

The Athletic & Institutional Failure Pattern:

• Northwestern University Football (2023-2025): Widespread sexualized and racist hazing led to massive lawsuits, coach firings, and confidential settlements, proving hazing pervades athletic programs.

What This Means for You: When a fraternity at Texas A&M uses the same forced drinking game that killed a student at LSU, that national organization cannot claim it was “unforeseeable.” This pattern evidence is the bedrock of holding them accountable.

The Texas University Landscape: A Montgomery-Focused Analysis

Montgomery County families send students to a range of Texas universities. Each campus has its own Greek life ecosystem, history of incidents, and legal landscape.

Sam Houston State University (Huntsville, TX)

For many Montgomery and Conroe students, SHSU is a primary destination. Its proximity makes hazing incidents here a direct concern for our community.

• Campus Snapshot: A growing university with an active Greek life community and a strong emphasis on tradition.
• Hazing Reality: SHSU, like all Texas public universities, is subject to Texas hazing law and the Clery Act. Incidents may involve fraternities, sororities, or other student organizations. The jurisdictional path for a case often leads through Walker County courts.
• Action for Montgomery Parents: If your SHSU student is harmed, evidence must be preserved immediately. Reporting channels include the SHSU Dean of Students Office and University Police. Given the close-knit nature of the community, securing experienced legal counsel who can navigate potential institutional pressures is critical.

Texas A&M University (College Station, TX)

A flagship institution for countless Montgomery County families, Texas A&M’s unique cultures present specific hazing risks.

• The Corps of Cadets: This military-style program has faced serious hazing allegations, including a 2023 lawsuit where a cadet alleged being bound in a “roasted pig” position with an apple in his mouth. The university stated it handled the matter internally.
• Fraternity Hazing: In 2021, a Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE) lawsuit alleged pledges were doused with industrial-strength cleaner, causing severe chemical burns requiring skin grafts. The chapter was suspended.
• For Montgomery Families: A&M’s size and entrenched traditions mean investigations require attorneys who are not intimidated by a powerful institution. We have the experience from the BP Texas City litigation to take on such defendants.

University of Houston (Houston, TX)

The Leonel Bermudez case is our active, flagship litigation and a stark warning for all Texas parents.

• The Active Case: As detailed, the Pi Kappa Phi Beta Nu chapter hazed Bermudez into rhabdomyolysis and kidney failure using forced consumption, physical torture, and psychological humiliation. The chapter is closed, and the lawsuit proceeds.
• UH’s Greek Ecosystem: UH hosts a large number of IFC fraternities, Panhellenic sororities, and NPHC (Divine Nine) organizations. Our firm maintains detailed intelligence on these groups, their national histories, and their local housing corporations.
• Legal Venue: Cases against UH and its affiliated organizations are filed in Harris County, where we are based and deeply experienced.

University of Texas at Austin & Other Texas Campuses

• UT Austin maintains a public hazing violations log, showing repeated sanctions against groups like Pi Kappa Alpha for forced calisthenics and alcohol hazing. This transparency can be used as evidence in lawsuits.
• Baylor University and Southern Methodist University (SMU) have faced hazing scandals in athletics and Greek life, demonstrating that private universities are not immune.

The Organizations Behind the Letters: National Histories & Local Liability

The fraternity your child joins in Montgomery is not an island. It is part of a national brand with a history—a history that often includes tragedy.

Why National Histories Matter in Court:
If we sue a local chapter of Pi Kappa Alpha, we can point to the national organization’s $7+ million settlement in the Stone Foltz death. We argue they knew the deadly risks of “Big/Little” alcohol hazing and failed to prevent it here. This is called foreseeability, and it is a key to unlocking national liability and deeper insurance coverage.

A Sample of National Patterns (Directly Relevant to Texas Campuses):

• Pi Kappa Alpha (ΠΚΑ): Foltz death ($10M+ settlements); multiple other alcohol hazing deaths.
• Sigma Alpha Epsilon (ΣΑΕ): Dozens of deaths and injuries nationally; chemical burn lawsuit at Texas A&M.
• Phi Delta Theta (ΦΔΘ): Max Gruver death (LSU); led to felony hazing law.
• Pi Kappa Phi (ΠΚΦ): Andrew Coffey death (FSU); active litigation in our UH Bermudez case.
• Kappa Alpha Order (ΚΑ): Repeated hazing suspensions, including at SMU.

Building a Hazing Case: Evidence, Strategy, and Damages for Montgomery Families

When you come to us, we don’t start from scratch. We deploy a systematic, data-driven investigation built on years of complex litigation experience.

1. The Evidence Engine:

• Digital Forensics: We recover deleted group chats, social media posts, and location data. The “pledge fanny pack” rule in the Bermudez case was documented in messages.
• Institutional Discovery: We subpoena national fraternity records to find prior incident reports at other chapters. We obtain university conduct files through public records requests and litigation discovery.
• Expert Network: We work with medical experts to explain injuries like rhabdomyolysis, economists to calculate lifelong damages, psychologists to document PTSD, and digital forensic specialists.

2. The Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine:
We maintain a proprietary database of Texas Greek organizations, built from public records. For Montgomery cases, this means we can quickly identify:

• The legal entity behind a fraternity house.
• The national organization’s Employer Identification Number (EIN) and registered agents.
• Local alumni chapters and housing corporations that may hold insurance.

Sample Public Records Data Relevant to Montgomery & Regional Campuses:

• Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity, EIN 746064445, Nederland, TX 77627 (Epsilon Kappa Chapter)
• Beta Nu Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity Housing Corporation Inc, EIN 462267515, Frisco, TX 75035
• Sigma Chi Fraternity Zeta Eta, PO Box 1403, Commerce, TX 75429 (Texas A&M University-Commerce chapter)
• Frank Heflin Foundation (Phi Delta Theta alumni), EIN 203507402, Canyon, TX 79015

This is not speculation; it’s actionable intelligence drawn from IRS and state filings.

3. Recoverable Damages:
Hazing cases seek to make families whole and punish egregious conduct.

• Economic Damages: All medical bills (ER, hospitalization, therapy), future medical care, lost wages, lost educational costs.
• Non-Economic Damages: Pain and suffering, mental anguish, humiliation, loss of enjoyment of life.
• Wrongful Death Damages: Funeral costs, loss of companionship, emotional trauma for parents and siblings.
• Punitive Damages: To punish and deter exceptionally reckless or malicious conduct.

A Practical Guide for Montgomery Parents, Students, and Witnesses

For Parents: The First 72-Hour Checklist

1. Prioritize Health: Get medical care and a full evaluation. Request all records.
2. Preserve, Don’t Delete: Help your child screenshot everything—GroupMe, texts, Instagram DMs. Photograph injuries. Put physical evidence (clothing, paddles) in a bag.
3. Document: Write a timeline with names, dates, locations, and what was said.
4. Secure Counsel: Call us at 1-888-ATTY-911 before reporting. We can guide you on protecting evidence and navigating university conversations.
5. Avoid Common Pitfalls: Do not confront the chapter, sign university resolutions, or post on social media.

For Students: Is This Hazing?
Ask yourself: Am I being pressured? Would I do this if there were no social consequences? Is it dangerous or degrading? Would I hide it from my parents or the Dean? If yes, it is hazing. Your “consent” under pressure is not a legal defense for them. Your safety comes first.

Critical Mistakes That Can Destroy a Case

• Deleting evidence to “protect the chapter.”
• Confronting the organization before securing legal advice.
• Signing a university’s “internal resolution” agreement that waives your right to sue.
• Waiting for the school to “handle it” while evidence disappears and witnesses are coached.

Why Attorney911 Is the Right Firm for Montgomery Hazing Cases

When your family faces a hazing crisis, you need more than a general personal injury lawyer. You need attorneys who understand how universities, national fraternities, and their insurance companies fight—and how to win.

Our Proven Advantages:

1. Insider Insurance 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 argue coverage exclusions. We know their playbook because we used to run it.

2. Experience Against Billion-Dollar Defendants: Managing partner Ralph Manginello was one of the few plaintiff attorneys involved in the BP Texas City explosion litigation. Taking on a national fraternity or a major Texas university does not intimidate us. We have federal court experience and a 25-year record of complex litigation.

3. Active, High-Stakes Hazing Litigation: We are not theorists. We are in the fight right now, leading the Leonel Bermudez v. UH & Pi Kappa Phi lawsuit. This gives us unparalleled, current insight into hazing discovery, defense strategies, and settlement dynamics.

4. The Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine: We invest in investigative depth. Our proprietary database of Texas Greek organizations means we start your case with knowledge, not guesswork.

5. Dual Civil & Criminal Capability: Ralph Manginello’s membership in the Harris County Criminal Lawyers Association (HCCLA) means we understand the criminal exposure that often accompanies hazing. We can advise on all facets of the legal battle.

6. We Serve Montgomery County & All of Texas: From our offices in Houston, Austin, and Beaumont, we represent families across the state. Whether your child was hazed at SHSU, Texas A&M, UH, or any other campus, we have the resources and reach to help. Se habla Español.

Your Next Step: A Confidential, No-Obligation Consultation

If hazing has impacted your family in Montgomery, Conroe, The Woodlands, or anywhere in Texas, you do not have to face this alone. The institutions responsible are counting on your fear, confusion, and exhaustion. Do not let them win.

Contact The Manginello Law Firm, PLLC (Attorney911) today.

We offer a completely confidential, no-obligation consultation. We will:

• Listen to your story with empathy and without judgment.
• Review the evidence you have.
• Explain your legal options under Texas law.
• Outline a potential strategy for seeking accountability and justice.
• Answer all your questions about the process, timeline, and costs.

We work on a contingency fee basis for personal injury cases, meaning you pay nothing unless we win your case.

Call the Legal Emergency Lawyers™ now: 1-888-ATTY-911 (1-888-288-9911).

You can also reach us directly at (713) 528-9070, or via email at ralph@atty911.com. For Spanish-language services, contact Mr. Lupe Peña at lupe@atty911.com.

Visit our website at https://attorney911.com to learn more about our practice, our attorneys, and our commitment to holding powerful institutions accountable.

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)
Direct: (713) 528-9070
Website: https://attorney911.com
Email: ralph@atty911.com