Hazing Lawsuits in Texas: A Guide for Mineral Wells Families Seeking Justice for Fraternity & Sorority Abuse

An Immediate Crisis for a Mineral Wells Family

Imagine you’re a parent here in Mineral Wells, and your phone rings late on a Tuesday night. Your child, a freshman at a Texas university, is slurring their words. Between sobs, they confess they were forced to drink an entire bottle of liquor at a fraternity “bid night.” They’re scared, disoriented, and miles away in a crowded off-campus house. You tell them to call 911 immediately, but they’re terrified of getting the chapter in trouble or being labeled a “snitch.” The line goes dead. This is not a hypothetical fear; it is the reality facing Texas families right now, including those right here in Palo Pinto County.

In late 2025, this nightmare became horrifically real for another Texas family. Their son, Leonel Bermudez, a transfer student at the University of Houston (UH), was subjected to brutal hazing as a pledge of the Pi Kappa Phi Beta Nu chapter. What began with humiliating rules—like carrying a “pledge fanny pack” filled with condoms and sex toys—escalated to extreme physical abuse. He endured hours of sprints, bear crawls, and wheelbarrow races. He was sprayed in the face with a hose “similar to waterboarding,” forced to lie in vomit-soaked grass, and made to consume milk, hot dogs, and peppercorns until he was sick, only to be forced to sprint again.

The breaking point came on November 3, 2025. Bermudez was forced through over 100 push-ups and 500 squats under threat of expulsion. Days later, he collapsed. His urine was brown. Rushed to the hospital, he was diagnosed with rhabdomyolysis—severe skeletal muscle breakdown—and acute kidney failure. He spent four days hospitalized, facing the risk of permanent kidney damage. Attorney911 attorneys Ralph Manginello and Mr. Lupe Peña filed a $10 million lawsuit on his behalf against UH, the Pi Kappa Phi national headquarters, the chapter’s housing corporation, and 13 individual fraternity leaders. Within weeks, the chapter was suspended and its members voted to surrender their charter.

This case is not an isolated event in a far-off city. It is proof of a systemic crisis in Texas Greek life—a crisis that directly impacts families in Mineral Wells, Palo Pinto County, Weatherford, and throughout North Texas whose children attend schools across the state. The same national organizations, the same dangerous traditions, and the same institutional failures are present everywhere.

If you are a parent in Mineral Wells whose child has been hurt, humiliated, or threatened in connection with a fraternity, sorority, athletic team, Corps of Cadets program, or spirit group, this guide is for you. We will explain what hazing looks like today, the Texas laws designed to protect your child, the national patterns that make these incidents foreseeable, and the legal path to accountability and justice for your family.

IMMEDIATE HELP FOR HAZING EMERGENCIES:

• If your child is in danger RIGHT NOW:
  • Call 911 for medical emergencies.
  • Then call Attorney911: 1-888-ATTY-911 (1-888-288-9911).
• In the first 48 hours:
  • Get medical attention immediately.
  • Preserve evidence: Screenshot group chats and texts; photograph injuries; save physical items.
  • Write down everything (who, what, when, where) while memory is fresh.
  • Do NOT: Confront the organization, sign anything from the university, post on social media, or let your child delete evidence.
• Contact an experienced hazing attorney: Evidence disappears fast. Call 1-888-ATTY-911 for an immediate, confidential consultation.

Hazing in 2025: It’s More Than “Just Partying”

For parents in Mineral Wells who may not be familiar with modern campus culture, understanding hazing requires moving beyond old stereotypes. It is not “boys being boys” or harmless initiation. Under Texas law, hazing is any intentional, knowing, or reckless act that endangers the mental or physical health of a student for the purpose of joining or maintaining membership in a group. Consent is not a defense.

Today’s hazing is a sophisticated blend of psychological pressure, digital control, and physical risk, often disguised as “tradition” or “team building.” It occurs in fraternities, sororities, NCAA athletic teams, the Corps of Cadets at Texas A&M, spirit groups like the Texas Cowboys, marching bands, and other campus organizations.

The Modern Taxonomy of Abuse

1. Subtle Hazing (The Gateway): These acts establish power imbalance and normalize control.

• Mandatory Servitude: Being on-call 24/7 as a designated driver, cleaner, or errand-runner.
• Social Isolation: Being cut off from non-member friends or family.
• Deception: Being forced to sign secrecy oaths or lie to university officials and parents.

2. Harassment Hazing (Systemic Abuse): This causes clear emotional and physical discomfort.

• Sleep Deprivation: 3 AM wake-up calls for “meetings” or tasks.
• Verbal Abuse: Yelling, screaming, demeaning name-calling, and threats.
• Forced Consumption: Eating excessive amounts of bland food (like milk or bread) or unpleasant substances.
• Strenuous Exercise: “Smokings” or extreme calisthenics framed as “conditioning.”

3. Violent Hazing (Catastrophic Risk): These acts have a high potential for severe injury or death.

• Forced Alcohol Consumption: The single most common cause of hazing deaths. This includes “lineup” drinking games, “Big/Little” nights with handles of liquor, and trivia games where wrong answers mean drinking.
• Physical Beatings: Paddling, punching, kicking, or dangerous “tests” like blindfolded tackles.
• Sexualized Hazing: Forced nudity, simulated sexual acts, or sexual assault.
• Kidnapping & Restraint: Being bound, tied up, or transported blindfolded to remote locations.

The Digital Dimension: Today, hazing is amplified and documented online. Pledges are controlled through 24/7 GroupMe chats, harassed if they don’t respond instantly, and forced to post humiliating content on TikTok or Instagram. This digital trail, however, often becomes the most powerful evidence in court.

Texas Hazing Law & Liability: The Legal Backbone for Mineral Wells Families

Texas has a robust legal framework to combat hazing. For families in Mineral Wells navigating this crisis, understanding these laws is the first step toward accountability.

The Texas Education Code: Chapter 37, Subchapter F

§ 37.151 – Definition: Hazing is any intentional, knowing, or reckless act, on or off campus, that endangers a student’s mental or physical health for the purpose of initiation into, affiliation with, or maintaining membership in any organization.

Key Takeaway for Parents: Location doesn’t matter. If the act is tied to joining a group and is dangerous, it’s hazing under Texas law. The “reckless” standard is critical—they don’t need to have intended harm, only to have disregarded the obvious risk.

§ 37.152 – Criminal Penalties:

• 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.

§ 37.155 – Consent is NOT a Defense: This statute explicitly shatters the most common excuse. Even if your child “agreed” to participate under intense peer pressure and fear of exclusion, it is still a crime.

§ 37.153 – Organizational Liability: The fraternity, sorority, or team itself can be prosecuted and fined up to $10,000 per violation if it authorized or encouraged the hazing, or if an officer knew and failed to report it.

Civil Liability vs. Criminal Charges

It is crucial to understand the two parallel legal paths:

• Criminal Case: Brought by the state (e.g., Palo Pinto County District Attorney, Harris County District Attorney). Aim is punishment (jail, fines, probation).
• Civil Lawsuit: Brought by the victim and their family. Aim is compensation for damages (medical bills, pain and suffering, future care) and institutional accountability.

You can pursue a civil case even if no criminal charges are ever filed. The standards of proof are different. Our role at Attorney911 is to build the civil case that forces all responsible parties—from the individual member who poured the drink to the national headquarters that ignored prior warnings—to be held financially and publicly accountable.

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

• Stop Campus Hazing Act (2024): Requires universities receiving federal aid to publicly report hazing incidents and strengthen prevention programs by 2026.
• Title IX: If hazing involves sexual harassment or assault, the university has specific, mandatory investigation obligations.
• Clery Act: Requires universities to report certain campus crime statistics, which can include hazing-related assaults.

National Case Patterns: A Playbook of Tragedy and Precedent

The hazing that injured Leonel Bermudez at UH did not occur in a vacuum. It follows a decades-old national playbook. Understanding these patterns shows how foreseeable—and preventable—these tragedies are.

The Alcohol Poisoning Pattern

• Timothy Piazza (Penn State, Beta Theta Pi, 2017): Died after falling repeatedly during a bid-acceptance drinking night; brothers delayed calling 911 for 12 hours. Resulted in the Timothy J. Piazza Anti-Hazing Law in Pennsylvania.
• Stone Foltz (Bowling Green State, Pi Kappa Alpha, 2021): Died after being forced to drink a bottle of whiskey. Family reached a $10 million settlement ($7M from national Pike, ~$3M from university).
• Max Gruver (LSU, Phi Delta Theta, 2017): Died during a “Bible study” drinking game. Led to Louisiana’s Max Gruver Act, a felony hazing statute.

The Physical & Ritualized Hazing Pattern

• Chun “Michael” Deng (Baruch College, Pi Delta Psi, 2013): Died from traumatic brain injury after a blindfolded “glass ceiling” tackling ritual at a retreat. The national fraternity was criminally convicted.
• Danny Santulli (Univ. of Missouri, Phi Gamma Delta, 2021): Suffered permanent brain damage after a “pledge dad reveal” drinking event. His family settled with 22 defendants.

What These Cases Mean for Mineral Wells

These national cases create legal precedent. They establish that national fraternities and universities are on notice about these specific, dangerous rituals. When a Pi Kappa Phi chapter at UH engages in forced physical exertion leading to rhabdomyolysis, or a Sigma Alpha Epsilon chapter at Texas A&M uses industrial cleaner in hazing, the national organization cannot claim it was an “unforeseeable accident.” This pattern evidence is the bedrock of a successful civil lawsuit.

Texas University Focus: Where Mineral Wells Students Are at Risk

Families in Mineral Wells and Palo Pinto County send their children to universities across Texas. While some attend nearby schools like Texas Tech University in Lubbock or Tarleton State University in Stephenville, many are drawn to the state’s largest Greek life hubs: Texas A&M, UT Austin, Baylor, SMU, and the University of Houston. Each campus has its own history and ongoing battle with hazing culture.

University of Houston: The Active Battleground

The Leonel Bermudez case is the most severe current example, but UH has a documented history.

• Official Policy: UH prohibits hazing on and off campus and provides reporting channels through the Dean of Students and UHPD.
• Past Incidents: Past sanctions have included the suspension of chapters for alcohol-related hazing and physical endangerment.
• For Mineral Wells Families: A case at UH may involve Houston Police Department or Harris County jurisdictions. A civil lawsuit would likely be filed in Harris County courts. The Bermudez case demonstrates that UH chapters of national fraternities are engaging in the same high-risk behaviors seen nationwide.

Texas A&M University: Tradition and Risk in the Corps and Greek Life

For many in Mineral Wells, Texas A&M is a premier destination. Its unique Corps of Cadets culture and powerful Greek system present specific risks.

• Corps of Cadets Hazing: In 2023, a lawsuit alleged a cadet was subjected to degrading hazing, including being bound in a “roasted pig” position with an apple in his mouth.
• Fraternity Hazing: A Sigma Alpha Epsilon lawsuit alleged pledges were doused with a substance causing severe chemical burns requiring skin grafts.
• For Mineral Wells Families: A&M cases can involve Brazos County courts and the University Police Department. The intersection of Corps tradition and fraternity culture requires attorneys who understand both systems.

University of Texas at Austin: Public Records and Recurring Violations

UT Austin maintains one of the most transparent public hazing violation logs in the state—which ironically documents a persistent problem.

• Public Hazing Log: UT’s website lists sanctioned organizations. Recent entries include:
  • Pi Kappa Alpha (2023): New members directed to consume milk and perform strenuous calisthenics.
  • Various spirit groups and fraternities for forced workouts and alcohol-related hazing.
• For Mineral Wells Families: This public log is a powerful tool. It shows patterns and prior knowledge, which can be used to prove an organization or the university itself was on notice of dangerous conduct. Cases may be filed in Travis County courts.

Southern Methodist University & Baylor University

These private, influential universities have their own documented struggles.

• SMU: A Kappa Alpha Order chapter was suspended for paddling and forced drinking. As a private institution, SMU has fewer public reporting requirements, often necessitating litigation to uncover the truth.
• Baylor: Has faced hazing scandals within its baseball program and, like SMU, operates under its own disciplinary systems. Its history with institutional response to crisis adds complexity.

The Greek Ecosystem: National Organizations Behind the Local Chapters

When your child is harmed by a chapter at a Texas school, they are almost always part of a national organization with a history, an insurance policy, and a legal playbook. For Mineral Wells families, understanding this network is key to identifying all responsible parties.

The Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine: Mapping Liability

At Attorney911, we don’t start from scratch. We use a proprietary data engine built from public records to map the entire Greek ecosystem in Texas. This includes:

IRS B83 Filings (Tax-Exempt Greek Organizations): Over 125 registered entities in Texas, including house corporations and alumni chapters that often hold insurance and assets. Examples relevant to statewide campuses include:

• Beta Nu Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity Housing Corporation Inc (EIN: 462267515 | Frisco, TX 75035)
• Texas Kappa Sigma Educational Foundation Inc (EIN: 741380362 | Fort Worth, TX 76147)
• Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity – Frisco TX Alumni Chapter (EIN: 920575785 | Frisco, TX 75034)
• Alpha Sigma Phi Fraternity Inc – Theta Delta Chapter (EIN: 475370943 | Houston, TX 77204)

Cause IQ Metro Analysis: We track Greek organizations across Texas metros. In the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington Metro (which influences North Texas and families in Mineral Wells), there are over 500 Greek-related entities. This includes undergraduate chapters, alumni groups, and honor societies tied to the very universities Mineral Wells students attend.

Brand Overlap: The same dangerous national brands appear across campuses. Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, for example, appears in IRS data and has undergraduate chapters in Houston and Waco, connecting incidents across the state.

Why This Data Matters for Your Case

If your child is hazed by the “Theta Chapter” of a fraternity at their school, we immediately investigate:

1. The local chapter’s officers and members.
2. The housing corporation (a separate legal entity that owns the house and carries insurance).
3. The alumni advisory board that may have supervised.
4. The national headquarters that sets policy and collects dues.
5. The university that recognized and failed to supervise the group.

Our data engine helps us quickly identify these entities, preventing them from hiding behind legal complexity. The national history of organizations like Pi Kappa Alpha, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, and Phi Delta Theta (all named in fatal national cases) proves they knew the risks long before your child was hurt.

Building a Hazing Case: Evidence, Strategy, and Damages

Pursuing a hazing case against a national fraternity and a major university is complex litigation. It requires an investigative strategy as sophisticated as the defenses you will face.

The Evidence That Wins Cases

We focus on collecting and preserving:

• Digital Communications: GroupMe, WhatsApp, iMessage, Discord. We recover deleted messages and use digital forensics to establish timelines, threats, and planning.
• Social Media & Photos: Posts, stories, and videos that document the acts, injuries, or culture of humiliation.
• Internal Organization Documents: Pledge manuals, “lineage” books, and emails that reveal traditional hazing practices.
• University Records: Prior conduct violations for the same chapter, obtained through discovery or public records requests.
• Medical Records: Documentation from ER visits, hospitalizations, and psychological treatment that directly links the injuries to the hazing events.
• Witness Testimony: Other pledges, former members, and bystanders who can corroborate the story.

Overcoming Institutional Defenses

We anticipate and defeat the standard defenses:

• “They Consented”: We cite Texas law §37.155 and use evidence of coercion and power imbalance.
• “Rogue Individuals, Not the National”: We introduce pattern evidence from other chapters and prove the national failed to enforce its own policies.
• “It Was Off-Campus”: We argue foreseeability and show the university and national still exercised control and benefit.
• “Insurance Doesn’t Cover Intentional Acts”: With Mr. Peña’s insurance defense background, we navigate coverage disputes and argue for negligent supervision claims that trigger coverage.

Recoverable Damages for Your Family

A successful civil lawsuit seeks to make your family whole and hold defendants accountable through:

• Economic Damages: All past and future medical expenses, rehabilitation costs, lost tuition, and diminished future earning capacity.
• Non-Economic Damages: Compensation for physical pain, emotional suffering, trauma (PTSD, anxiety, depression), and loss of enjoyment of life.
• Wrongful Death Damages (if applicable): Funeral costs, loss of companionship, and emotional anguish for the family.
• Punitive Damages: In cases of especially reckless or malicious conduct, to punish the defendants and deter future behavior.

Practical Guide for Mineral Wells Parents & Students

For Parents: Warning Signs and Steps to Take

Warning Signs:

• Unexplained injuries, bruises, or burns.
• Extreme fatigue, sleep deprivation, or drastic weight change.
• Secretive behavior about organizational activities.
• Personality changes: new anxiety, depression, or withdrawal.
• Constant, anxious phone use related to group chats.
• Requests for large sums of money with vague explanations.

If You Suspect Hazing:

1. Prioritize Safety: If in immediate danger, call 911.
2. Listen Without Judgment: Create a safe space for your child to talk.
3. Seek Medical Care: Even if injuries seem minor. Tell the doctor it may be hazing-related.
4. Preserve Evidence: Help your child screenshot texts and group chats. Photograph injuries.
5. Contact an Attorney: Before reporting to the university. Call 1-888-ATTY-911. We can guide you on reporting strategically while protecting evidence and rights.
6. Do Not: Confront the organization, sign university settlement offers, or post on social media.

For Students: Your Rights and Safety

• You Have the Right to Be Safe: No tradition is worth your life or health.
• “Consent” is Not a Defense in Texas: You cannot legally agree to be abused.
• Good-Faith Reporter Protections: Texas law and most university policies protect those who call for help in an emergency, even if underage drinking was involved.
• Exiting Safely: You can quit anytime. Send a clear written resignation. If you fear retaliation, document it and report it to campus police and the Dean of Students.

Critical Mistakes That Can Damage a Case

• Deleting evidence (texts, photos, group chats).
• Confronting the fraternity/sorority directly, prompting a cover-up.
• Signing university “resolution” forms without an attorney’s review.
• Posting details on social media, giving defense attorneys material to use against you.
• Waiting too long, allowing evidence to disappear and witnesses to scatter.

Why Attorney911 Is the Right Firm for Mineral Wells Hazing Cases

When your family is facing the trauma of hazing, you need advocates who are not intimidated by powerful institutions and who understand the precise mechanics of these cases. As Texas-based hazing litigation specialists, we serve families in Mineral Wells, Palo Pinto County, and across the state.

Our Proven Advantages in Hazing Litigation

1. Insurance Insider Knowledge (Mr. Lupe Peña):
Mr. Peña spent years as an insurance defense attorney for a national firm. He knows exactly how fraternity and university insurance companies value claims, deploy delay tactics, and fight coverage. We know their playbook because we used to help write it. This insight is invaluable when negotiating settlements or arguing coverage in court.

2. Complex Institutional Litigation Experience (Ralph Manginello):
We have faced billion-dollar defendants before. 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 state university requires the same level of resources, expert coordination, and federal court experience. We are not intimidated by their deep pockets or high-powered defense firms.

3. Active, High-Stakes Case Leadership:
We are not theorizing about hazing law; we are actively litigating one of the most serious cases in the country. We represent Leonel Bermudez in his $10 million lawsuit against the University of Houston and Pi Kappa Phi. This gives us real-time, frontline expertise in defeating the exact defenses you will face.

4. Data-Driven Investigation:
We don’t guess. We use our Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine—built from IRS data, university records, and national databases—to immediately identify every potentially liable entity behind a chapter. This allows us to build a comprehensive case from day one.

5. Spanish-Language Services:
Mr. Peña speaks fluent Spanish. We are committed to serving the full diversity of Texas families with compassion and understanding.

Your Next Step: A Free, Confidential Consultation

If hazing has impacted your family, you do not have to navigate this alone. The path to accountability starts with a conversation.

Contact The Manginello Law Firm, PLLC (Attorney911) Today:

• Call: 1-888-ATTY-911 (1-888-288-9911)
• Direct: (713) 528-9070
• Website: https://attorney911.com
• Email: ralph@atty911.com or lupe@atty911.com
• Hablamos Español: Se habla Español. Contacte a Lupe Peña.

In your free consultation, we will:

• Listen carefully to your story.
• Review any evidence you have preserved.
• Explain your legal options under Texas and federal law.
• Discuss our investigative strategy and what to expect.
• Answer your questions about the process and our contingency fee structure (you pay nothing unless we recover money for you).

We serve families across Texas from our offices in Houston, Austin, and Beaumont. Whether your child was injured at a university hours from Mineral Wells or closer to home, we have the knowledge, resources, and determination to fight for the justice your family deserves.

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 | Cell: (713) 443-4781
Website: https://att