The Definitive Guide to Hazing Lawsuits and Accountability for Families in City of Naples, Texas
For a parent in City of Naples, Texas, the call you dread might not come from a distant city, but from just down the road at a major Texas university. Imagine your child, excited to join a campus organization for friendship and opportunity, instead ending up in a hospital in College Station, Austin, or Houston with kidney failure because of a forced, violent hazing ritual. This is not a hypothetical fear; it is a brutal reality playing out right now in Texas courts. We are The Manginello Law Firm, PLLC, known as Attorney911, and we are actively litigating one of the most severe hazing cases in the country. Our mission is to provide families in Morris County, across the Dallas-Fort Worth metro area, and throughout Texas with the knowledge and legal power to seek justice and accountability when campus traditions turn into abuse.
This comprehensive guide is written specifically for you—parents, family members, and students in City of Naples, Omaha, Daingerfield, and all surrounding Morris County communities. Whether your child attends a local college or a major university hours away, the legal principles and institutional patterns are the same. We will explain what modern hazing truly looks like in 2025, break down Texas and federal law, expose the national histories of fraternities and sororities present on Texas campuses, and outline the practical steps your family can take towards accountability and recovery. Our firm represents victims in these complex cases because we believe “enough is enough.”
IMMEDIATE HELP FOR HAZING EMERGENCIES:
- 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).
- In the first 48 hours:
- Seek medical attention immediately—do not wait.
- Preserve evidence BEFORE it disappears: screenshot all group chats (GroupMe, iMessage, WhatsApp), photograph injuries from multiple angles, and save any physical items.
- Write down everything your child tells you—names, dates, locations, acts.
- Do NOT:
- Confront the fraternity, sorority, or team.
- Sign anything from a university or insurance company.
- Post details on public social media.
- Allow your child to delete messages or “clean up” evidence.
- Contact an experienced hazing attorney within 24–48 hours. Evidence vanishes quickly, and institutions move faster to control the narrative. Call us at 1-888-ATTY-911 for a free, confidential consultation.
Hazing in 2025: What It Really Looks Like for Texas Students
Hazing is not a harmless prank or a simple rite of passage. Under Texas law, it is any intentional, knowing, or reckless act that endangers the mental or physical health or safety of a student for the purpose of initiation or affiliation into any organization. For families in City of Naples, understanding that this can happen in spirit groups, athletic teams, campus clubs, or military-style organizations like the Corps of Cadets—not just “fraternity parties”—is crucial.
Modern hazing has evolved with technology and become more insidious. It often falls into three escalating categories:
1. Subtle Hazing: Behaviors that emphasize power imbalance and condition new members for worse treatment. This includes forced servitude (being an on-call driver, cleaning members’ apartments), social isolation, being assigned a derogatory nickname, or mandatory attendance at events that sabotage academics and sleep.
2. Harassment Hazing: Acts that cause emotional or physical distress. This encompasses sleep deprivation through 3 AM wake-up calls, verbal abuse and humiliation, forced consumption of unpalatable food (like excessive milk or hot sauce), and “voluntary” but coerced extreme physical exercise disguised as “workouts” or “conditioning.”
3. Violent Hazing: Activities with a high potential for serious injury, sexual assault, or death. This is the category that leads to lawsuits and criminal charges. It includes:
- Forced Alcohol Consumption: “Big/Little” nights, “family tree” drinking games, lineups, and keg stands where refusal means social exile.
- Physical Assault: Paddling, beatings, “glass ceiling” tackling rituals, and extreme calisthenics leading to injuries like rhabdomyolysis (severe muscle breakdown).
- Sexualized Hazing: Forced nudity, simulated sexual acts, and degrading positions.
- Psychological Torture: Kidnapping, confinement, threats, and coercive control.
In 2025, much of this is coordinated through encrypted group chats, documented on social media, and moved to off-campus Airbnbs or remote properties to avoid university oversight. The mantra of “brotherhood” or “sisterhood” is weaponized to enforce a code of silence, making victims and witnesses terrified to come forward.
The Texas and Federal Law Framework Protecting Naples Families
Texas has robust hazing statutes designed to protect students, and understanding them is your family’s first step toward accountability.
Texas Education Code, Chapter 37 (Hazing Law):
- Definition: Hazing is any intentional, knowing, or reckless act, on or off campus, that endangers a student’s physical or mental health for the purpose of initiation into, affiliation with, or maintaining membership in an organization.
- Criminal Penalties: Hazing is a crime. It is a Class B misdemeanor, but rises to a Class A misdemeanor if it causes bodily injury, and becomes a state jail felony if it causes serious bodily injury or death. Individuals who fail to report hazing or who retaliate against reporters also commit crimes.
- Critical Protections:
- Consent is NOT a Defense (§37.155): It does not matter if your child “agreed” to participate. The law recognizes that peer pressure and power imbalances negate true consent.
- Immunity for Good-Faith Reporting (§37.154): Students who call 911 or report hazing in good faith to seek medical help are protected from university discipline and some criminal liability related to underage drinking that may surface during the incident.
- Organizational Liability (§37.153): The fraternity, sorority, or club itself can be prosecuted and fined up to $10,000 per violation if it authorized the hazing or if an officer knew and failed to report it.
Federal Laws That Apply:
- The Stop Campus Hazing Act (2024): Requires colleges receiving federal aid to publicly report hazing incidents and strengthen prevention programs. This increases transparency for families researching campus safety.
- Title IX: If hazing involves sexual harassment, sexual assault, or gender-based hostility, your child’s school has a legal duty to investigate and address it under federal law.
- The Clery Act: Requires universities to disclose campus crime statistics, which can include hazing-related assaults, alcohol offenses, and other crimes.
Criminal vs. Civil Cases:
- Criminal Cases: Brought by the state (DA’s office) to punish offenders with jail, fines, and probation. A criminal conviction is powerful but not required for a civil case.
- Civil Lawsuits: Brought by the victim and family to recover compensation and hold all responsible parties accountable. This is where we help families seek justice for medical bills, trauma, lost educational opportunities, and to force institutional change. A civil case can proceed independently of any criminal action.
A Live Case from Texas: Leonel Bermudez vs. University of Houston & Pi Kappa Phi
Right now, we are fighting a landmark hazing case that epitomizes everything wrong with the current system. It serves as a stark warning for what can happen to any Texas student.
We represent Leonel Bermudez, a University of Houston student who pledged the Pi Kappa Phi fraternity’s Beta Nu chapter in Fall 2025. His bid for friendship and community nearly killed him. The hazing included:
- A mandatory “pledge fanny pack” filled with condoms, a sex toy, and nicotine devices for humiliation.
- Forced labor: Hours-long “study blocks,” weekly interviews, and overnight chauffeuring duties.
- Extreme physical abuse: Sprints, bear crawls, wheelbarrow races, and being sprayed in the face with a hose “similar to waterboarding.”
- Violent rituals: Being forced to consume massive quantities of milk, hot dogs, and peppercorns until vomiting, followed by immediate sprints. Another pledge was hog-tied face-down on a table for over an hour.
- The catastrophic workout: On November 3, 2025, Bermudez was forced to do 100+ push-ups and 500 squats under threat of expulsion. He collapsed.
The result? Rhabdomyolysis and acute kidney failure. His muscles broke down, he passed brown urine, and was hospitalized for four days with critically high enzyme levels, facing a risk of permanent kidney damage.
This is not an isolated chapter issue. We filed a $10 million lawsuit against a universe of defendants who failed our client: the University of Houston, the UH System Board of Regents, Pi Kappa Phi’s national headquarters, the chapter’s housing corporation, and 13 individual fraternity leaders. This case, covered by Click2Houston and ABC13, proves that severe, life-threatening hazing is a present-day crisis in Texas. The chapter was suspended and its charter surrendered, but only after a young man’s life was forever altered.
The Texas Hazing Landscape: Universities Attended by Naples Families
Families in City of Naples and Morris County send their children to a range of Texas universities, from nearby schools to major hubs. Hazing is a risk across this spectrum.
For Parents of Students at Major Texas Universities:
1. Texas A&M University (College Station):
- Culture & Risk: Home to a large, tradition-steeped Greek system and the Corps of Cadets, both with documented hazing issues.
- Documented Incidents:
- Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE): A 2021 lawsuit alleged pledges were doused with industrial-strength cleaner and other substances, causing severe chemical burns requiring skin graft surgeries.
- Corps of Cadets: A 2023 lawsuit described cadets being bound in a “roasted pig” position with an apple in their mouth and subjected to simulated sexual acts.
- Key Takeaway: The combination of powerful Greek life and military-style discipline in the Corps creates unique environments where abusive traditions can be normalized as “character-building.”
2. University of Texas at Austin:
- Culture & Risk: A massive Greek life scene with a high degree of transparency compared to other schools. UT publishes an online hazing violations log.
- Documented Incidents (from UT’s Public Log):
- Pi Kappa Alpha (2023): New members were directed to consume milk and perform strenuous calisthenics, resulting in probation.
- Texas Wranglers (Spirit Group): Sanctioned for forced workouts and alcohol-related hazing.
- Sigma Alpha Epsilon: Faced a 2024 lawsuit from an Australian exchange student who alleged assault at a party, resulting in a dislocated leg, broken nose, and fractured tibia.
- Key Takeaway: UT’s public log is a tool for accountability, demonstrating that even with oversight, hazing persists. This public record can be crucial evidence in a civil lawsuit.
3. University of Houston:
- Culture & Risk: A large, urban commuter school with an active and diverse Greek community. The Leonel Bermudez case, detailed above, is the most severe recent example.
- Historical Context: Prior incidents include a 2016 Pi Kappa Alpha case where a pledge suffered a lacerated spleen.
- Key Takeaway: Proximity to a major city does not prevent hazing; it can facilitate off-campus, underground hazing in apartments and rental houses, complicating university oversight.
4. Southern Methodist University (Dallas):
- Culture & Risk: A private university with a prominent, affluent Greek life culture.
- Documented Incidents: The Kappa Alpha Order chapter was suspended in 2017 for reported paddling, forced drinking, and sleep deprivation of new members.
- Key Takeaway: Private university status can mean less public transparency. Holding organizations accountable here often requires skilled litigation to obtain internal records through discovery.
5. Baylor University (Waco):
- Culture & Risk: A faith-based institution with its own history of institutional failure regarding student safety, alongside a traditional Greek system.
- Documented Incidents: In 2020, 14 Baylor baseball players were suspended following a hazing investigation.
- Key Takeaway: No institution—religious or secular—is immune. A university’s public-facing values can sometimes conflict with its failure to protect students internally.
For Students at Regional and Local Campuses:
Hazing is not confined to “big football schools.” It occurs at universities across Texas where Naples students may enroll, including Texas A&M University-Commerce, Stephen F. Austin State University, and others with active Greek life or athletic programs. The legal principles of accountability remain the same.
Understanding the Organizations: National Histories and Local Chapters
When hazing occurs at a Texas chapter, it is rarely an isolated “rogue” incident. National fraternities and sororities have decades of documented hazing patterns, and their headquarters possess deep knowledge of the risks.
Why National Histories Matter in Court:
In civil litigation, we can subpoena national headquarters for their records. A pattern of similar incidents across the country proves they knew or should have known their chapters were at high risk for specific, dangerous behaviors. This establishes “foreseeability,” a cornerstone of negligence law. If a national organization failed to implement or enforce meaningful prevention, they can be held liable.
National Organization Snapshots with History of Incidents:
- Pi Kappa Alpha (Pike): National history includes the Stone Foltz case at Bowling Green State (2021), a fatal alcohol hazing that resulted in a $10 million settlement. Their “Big/Little” drinking tradition is a known, deadly script.
- Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE): One of the deadliest fraternities historically. Nationals have faced lawsuits for traumatic brain injuries, chemical burns (as at Texas A&M), and multiple alcohol-poisoning deaths across the U.S.
- Pi Kappa Phi: The national organization is a defendant in our Leonel Bermudez case. It also had the Andrew Coffey case at Florida State (2017), a fatal alcohol hazing.
- Phi Delta Theta: The Max Gruver case at LSU (2017) involved a fatal “Bible study” drinking game and led to Louisiana’ felony hazing law.
- Kappa Alpha Order: Has faced repeated suspensions for physical hazing, including at SMU.
This pattern evidence is powerful. It shows that what happened to a student at UH or Texas A&M was not a freak accident, but a predictable and preventable recurrence of a known danger within that organization’s culture.
The Hidden Network: Texas Greek Organization Public Records
To hold every responsible entity accountable, you must identify them all. We maintain a Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine built from public records to map the complex ecosystem behind Greek letters. For families in the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington metro area, which includes Morris County, this network is vast.
Public Records Directory: Fraternities, Sororities & Greek Organizations Connected to Texas Campuses
The following are real Texas-registered entities from IRS and public data filings. This directory illustrates the depth of our investigative work and the many potential defendants behind a single chapter.
Organizations in the North Texas / DFW Metro Area (Relevant to Naples Families):
- Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. – EIN: 521278573 – Dallas, TX 75241 – IRS B83 Public Filing.
- Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated Nu Iota Chapter Baylor University – EIN: 521346485 – Waco, TX 76703 – IRS B83 Public Filing.
- Beta Upsilon Chi – EIN: 742911848 – Fort Worth, TX 76244 – IRS B83 & Cause IQ Metro Listing.
- Texas Kappa Sigma Educational Foundation Inc. – EIN: 741380362 – Fort Worth, TX 76147 – IRS B83 & Cause IQ Metro Listing.
- Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity – Fort Worth Alumni Chapter – EIN: 752755600 – Fort Worth, TX 76101 – IRS B83 Public Filing.
- Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority – EIN: 364091267 – Waco, TX 76710 – IRS B83 Public Filing (also listed in Houston/Beaumont metro data).
- Sigma Chi Fraternity – Zeta Eta Chapter – EIN: 756060974 – Commerce, TX 75429 – IRS B83 Public Filing (Texas A&M University-Commerce).
Statewide University & Honor Society Entities:
- Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi – Texas A&M University Chapter – EIN: 900293166 – College Station, TX 77843 – IRS B83 Public Filing.
- Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi – University of Texas at El Paso – EIN: 383742830 – El Paso, TX 79968 – IRS B83 Public Filing.
- Alpha Sigma Phi Fraternity, Inc. – Theta Delta Chapter – EIN: 475370943 – Houston, TX 77204 – IRS B83 Public Filing.
- Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity – Epsilon Kappa Chapter – EIN: 746064445 – Nederland, TX 77627 – IRS B83 Public Filing (Connects to Lamar University/BEAUMONT).
This is a small sample from a database tracking over 1,400 Greek-related entities across 25 Texas metros. When we take a case, we use this data to identify every potential liable party: the undergraduate chapter, its local housing corporation, its alumni association, its national headquarters, and its insurance carriers. We leave no stone unturned.
Building a Powerful Hazing Case: Evidence, Strategy, and Damages
Winning a hazing case requires converting trauma into a compelling legal narrative backed by irrefutable evidence. This is where our experience as complex litigation attorneys, including our work on the BP Texas City explosion cases, becomes critical.
1. Evidence Collection: The Digital Crime Scene
The most critical evidence today is digital and disappears fast. We act swiftly to preserve:
- Group Chats: Screenshots and forensic recovery of messages from GroupMe, WhatsApp, iMessage, Discord, and fraternity-specific apps showing planning, coordination, and bragging.
- Social Media: Posts, stories, DMs, and location tags on Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, and Facebook that document events, injuries, and participants.
- Internal Documents: Pledge manuals, “tradition” lists, chapter meeting notes, and emails subpoenaed from the national organization.
- University Records: Prior conduct violations for the same chapter obtained through public records requests or discovery, proving the school had notice of a dangerous pattern.
- Medical Records: Comprehensive documentation from ER visits, hospitalizations, specialists, and mental health professionals linking injuries directly to the hazing events.
Our video on using your cellphone to document a legal case provides crucial guidance for the initial evidence preservation every family should know.
2. Overcoming Standard Institutional Defenses
We anticipate and dismantle the common defenses used by fraternities and universities:
- “The Victim Consented”: Texas law (§37.155) nullifies this. We demonstrate the coercive power imbalance and peer pressure.
- “It Was a Rogue Chapter”: We use national pattern evidence and prior incident reports to prove the national organization knew of the risks and failed to supervise.
- “It Happened Off-Campus”: Location does not absolve liability. Universities and nationals still have a duty if they sponsor or are aware of the organization’s activities.
- “We Have Anti-Hazing Policies”: We expose the gap between paper policies and actual enforcement, showing a history of lax or nonexistent consequences for prior violations.
3. Recoverable Damages for Hazing Victims
A successful civil lawsuit seeks to make the victim whole and hold defendants accountable. Recoverable damages include:
- Economic Damages: All past and future medical expenses (ER, hospitalization, surgery, therapy, lifelong care for permanent injuries), lost wages, and loss of future earning capacity.
- Non-Economic Damages: Compensation for physical pain and suffering, severe emotional distress (PTSD, anxiety, depression), humiliation, and loss of enjoyment of life.
- Wrongful Death Damages (for families): Funeral costs, loss of financial support, and the profound loss of companionship, love, and guidance.
- Punitive Damages: In cases of egregious misconduct or cover-ups, courts may award punitive damages to punish the defendant and deter future behavior.
Practical Guides & Critical FAQs for Naples Families
For Parents: What To Do Right Now
- Listen Without Judgment: If your child opens up, create a safe space. Your priority is their safety and health.
- Seek Medical Care: Even if injuries seem minor, get a professional evaluation. Conditions like rhabdomyolysis or internal trauma can be delayed.
- Preserve ALL Evidence: Help your child screenshot every relevant message and photograph every injury. Write down a timeline with names.
- Report Strategically: You can report to campus police and the Dean of Students, but be aware the university’s interest may be in limiting liability. Consult an attorney first.
- Contact a Specialized Attorney Early: Do not wait for the university to complete its internal investigation. Critical evidence can be destroyed in days. We offer free, confidential consultations at 1-888-ATTY-911.
For Students: Your Safety and Rights
- You Have the Right to Leave: You can quit any organization at any time, no matter what they’ve told you. Your safety is more important than membership.
- Texas Law Protects Good-Faith Reporters: If you call 911 for someone in medical distress, you are generally protected from university discipline for related conduct like underage drinking.
- Document Everything Secretly: Use your phone to take notes, record conversations (Texas is a one-party consent state), and screenshot messages.
- You Are Not to Blame: “Consent” under pressure is not real consent. The law is on your side.
Critical Mistakes That Can Ruin a Hazing Case:
- Deleting Evidence: It may feel embarrassing, but deleted messages look like a cover-up and destroy your case. Preserve everything.
- Confronting the Organization: This triggers their defense lawyers, leading to evidence destruction and witness coaching. Let your attorney handle all communication.
- Signing University Paperwork: Schools may offer a quick “resolution” that requires signing away your right to sue. Do not sign anything without legal advice.
- Posting on Social Media: Defense investigators monitor everything. Inconsistencies between posts and official statements will be used against you.
- Waiting Too Long: Texas has a two-year statute of limitations for personal injury, but key evidence and witness memories fade within weeks. Watch our video on Texas statutes of limitations and act with urgency.
Frequently Asked Questions:
- “Can we sue the university?” Yes, depending on the facts. Public universities have some immunity, but exceptions exist for gross negligence or violations of duties like Title IX. We investigate to build the strongest possible case against all responsible parties.
- “Will this be public?” Most cases settle confidentially before trial. We always prioritize our client’s privacy and seek sealed records where possible.
- “How much does a lawyer cost?” We work on a contingency fee basis for civil cases. This means you pay no upfront fees; we only get paid if we win a settlement or verdict for you. Learn more in our video on how contingency fees work.
- “What if my child is afraid to come forward?” We understand the fear of retaliation and social stigma. We can help navigate anonymous reporting options and develop a safety plan. The national anti-hazing hotline (1-888-NOT-HAZE) is also an anonymous resource.
Why Attorney911 is the Right Firm for Texas Hazing Cases
When your family faces a hazing crisis, you need attorneys who understand both the profound human cost and the complex legal battle against powerful institutions. You need the Legal Emergency Lawyers™.
Our Unique Qualifications for Hazing Litigation:
- Active, High-Stakes Case Experience: We are currently litigating the Leonel Bermudez v. UH & Pi Kappa Phi case. This isn’t theoretical knowledge; we are in the courtroom right now fighting one of Texas’s most severe hazing lawsuits.
- Insider Knowledge of Insurance Defense: Our attorney, Mr. Lupe Peña (he/him), spent years as an insurance defense lawyer for a national firm. He knows exactly how fraternity and university insurance companies evaluate claims, deploy delay tactics, and fight coverage. We know their playbook because we used to run it.
- Experience Against Billion-Dollar Defendants: Attorney Ralph Manginello was one of the few plaintiff lawyers involved in the BP Texas City explosion litigation. We are not intimidated by deep-pocketed national fraternities or university legal teams. We have the resources and tenacity to take them on.
- Data-Driven Investigation: We don’t start from scratch. Our Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine—tracking over 1,400 Greek entities—allows us to immediately identify all potentially liable organizations and their insurance networks.
- Houston-Based, Serving All Texas: With offices in Houston, Austin, and Beaumont, we serve families across the state. For families in City of Naples and Morris County, we understand the connections to DFW-area and statewide universities. We are ready to help you, whether your child was hazed at Texas A&M, UH, UT, or any other Texas campus.
- Spanish-Language Services Available: Hablamos Español. Mr. Peña is fluent and can provide full consultation and representation to Spanish-speaking families.
We combine aggressive litigation strategy with genuine compassion. We understand the trauma your family is enduring, and we are committed to securing not just compensation, but real accountability and change to prevent this from happening to another student.
Your Next Step: A Free, Confidential Consultation
If hazing has impacted your family, you do not have to navigate this nightmare alone. The institutions involved have lawyers protecting their interests from day one. You deserve the same advocacy.
Contact The Manginello Law Firm, PLLC (Attorney911) today.
- Call our 24/7 line: 1-888-ATTY-911 (1-888-288-9911)
- Direct Line: (713) 528-9070
- Cell: (713) 443-4781
- Email: ralph@atty911.com or lupe@atty911.com (Se habla Español)
- Website: https://attorney911.com
In a free consultation, we will:
- Listen carefully to your story.
- Review any evidence you have preserved.
- Explain your legal rights and options under Texas law.
- Discuss our investigative strategy to identify all responsible parties.
- Answer your questions about the process, timeline, and our contingency fee structure.
There is no obligation. Everything you tell us is confidential. Our goal is to provide you with clarity and a path forward during an overwhelmingly difficult time.
Legal Disclaimer:
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Reading this does not create an attorney-client relationship. Hazing law is complex, and every case is unique. We encourage you to seek legal counsel from a qualified attorney to discuss the specific facts of your situation. The outcome of any case depends on the specific facts, applicable law, and many other factors.
Plain Text Links to Key Resources
News Coverage of the Leonel Bermudez / UH Pi Kappa Phi Hazing Lawsuit: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/https://abc13.com/post/waterboarding-forced-eating-physical-punishment-lawsuit-alleges-abuse-faced-injured-pledge-uhs-pi-kappa-phi-fraternity/18186418/
Attorney911 Educational YouTube Videos:
How to document evidence with your phone: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLbpzrmogTs
Understanding Texas statutes of limitations: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRHwg8tV02c
How contingency fees work: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=upcI_j6F7Nc
Attorney911 Main Website & Contact:https://attorney911.com
