Hazing in Texas: A Comprehensive Legal Guide for East Tawakoni Families

If you are a parent in East Tawakoni, watching your child leave for college is a moment filled with pride and hope. You imagine them building a future, making lifelong friends, and finding their place in the world. But for some families in our quiet Texas community, that dream turns into a nightmare when a phone call reveals their child has been hurt, humiliated, or worse—all in the name of “tradition” or “brotherhood.”

Right now, just a few hours south of us in Houston, our firm is fighting one of the most serious hazing lawsuits in Texas. We represent Leonel Bermudez, a University of Houston student who suffered catastrophic injuries during his fall 2025 pledge period with the Pi Kappa Phi Beta Nu chapter. The allegations are harrowing: forced consumption of food until vomiting, extreme physical workouts, sleep deprivation, and being sprayed in the face with a hose in a manner “similar to waterboarding.” This culminated in Bermudez developing rhabdomyolysis—severe skeletal muscle breakdown—and acute kidney failure. He was hospitalized for four days, and his future health remains at risk. This is not an isolated incident from years past; this is an active, ongoing $10 million lawsuit filed in late 2025 that we are litigating today.

This comprehensive guide is written specifically for you—the parents, grandparents, and families of East Tawakoni and across Rains County. Whether your child attends a local college, has journeyed to a major university in Dallas, Houston, or College Station, or is involved in any campus organization, you have the right to understand the reality of modern hazing, Texas law, and the path to accountability. We will unravel what hazing truly looks like in 2025, explain your legal rights under Texas statutes, examine the patterns at our state’s major universities, and show you how experienced legal counsel can help your family seek justice and prevent this from happening to another student from our community.

Immediate Help for Hazing Emergencies

If you are reading this because you suspect your child is in danger right now, here is what to do:

• If your child is in immediate physical danger: Call 911 first. Then, call us at 1-888-ATTY-911.

• In the first 48 hours, you must:

  1. Get Medical Attention: Even if your child insists they are “fine,” seek evaluation from an emergency room or urgent care. Internal injuries like rhabdomyolysis may not be immediately apparent.
  2. Preserve Evidence: This is critical. Help your child take screenshots of all group chats (GroupMe, WhatsApp, texts), photograph any injuries from multiple angles, and save any physical items involved. Do not delete anything.
  3. Document Everything: Write down everything your child tells you—names, dates, locations, and specific acts—while their memory is fresh.
  4. Contact an Attorney: Call our firm at 1-888-ATTY-911 for an immediate, confidential consultation. Evidence disappears quickly; universities and organizations move fast to control the narrative.

• What NOT to do:

  • Do not confront the fraternity, sorority, or team directly.
  • Do not let your child delete messages or “clean up” their phone.
  • Do not sign anything from the university or an insurance company.
  • Do not post details on public social media.

Hazing in 2025: What It Really Looks Like

For families in East Tawakoni, where community and trust are paramount, the calculated cruelty of modern hazing can be difficult to comprehend. It has evolved far beyond stereotypes of simple pranks or initiations. Today, hazing is a systematic process of control, humiliation, and endangerment that leverages technology, psychology, and secrecy.

A Modern Definition

Hazing is any intentional, knowing, or reckless act—occurring on or off campus—that endangers the mental or physical health or safety of a student for the purpose of joining, affiliating with, or maintaining membership in any organization. The critical legal point, especially under Texas law, is that a victim’s “consent” is not a defense. When a young person faces immense social pressure, fear of exclusion, and a power imbalance, their agreement is not considered voluntary.

The Categories of Abuse Today

Hazing manifests in several overlapping forms:

• Alcohol & Substance Hazing: The most common and deadly form. This includes forced chugging, drinking games with penalties, “lineups” where pledges must consume alcohol rapidly, and coerced consumption of drugs or unknown substances.
• Physical Hazing: This ranges from paddling and beatings to extreme, punitive calisthenics (“smokings”) that cause injuries like rhabdomyolysis. It also includes sleep deprivation, food/water restriction, and exposure to extreme elements.
• Sexualized & Humiliating Hazing: Forced nudity, simulated sexual acts, degrading costumes or positions, and acts involving racial or sexist slurs and role-playing. This inflicts deep psychological trauma.
• Psychological Hazing: Verbal abuse, isolation from friends and family, threats, and manipulative “confession” sessions designed to break down a person’s sense of self.
• Digital Hazing: A 21st-century evolution. Pledges may be subjected to 24/7 monitoring via group chats, forced to post humiliating content on social media, tracked via location-sharing apps, or harassed if they do not respond instantly to messages at all hours.

Where Hazing Happens

While fraternities and sororities are often the focus, hazing is not exclusive to Greek life. It persists in:

• Corps of Cadets and ROTC programs
• Athletic teams (from football to cheerleading)
• Marching bands and performance groups
• Spirit organizations and “tradition” clubs
• Some academic, cultural, and service organizations

The common threads are hierarchy, tradition, and a culture of secrecy that pressures members to protect the group’s reputation at all costs.

Law & Liability Framework: Texas Statutes and Federal Law

When hazing impacts an East Tawakoni family, the legal journey will be governed by Texas law and may involve federal statutes. Understanding this framework is the first step toward accountability.

Texas Hazing Law (Education Code Chapter 37)

Texas has clear, strong statutes criminalizing hazing. The law defines hazing broadly and outlines serious penalties.

• Definition & Crime: Hazing is any intentional, knowing, or reckless act that endangers the physical or mental health or safety of a student for the purpose of initiation, affiliation, or membership. It is a Class B misdemeanor. However, if the hazing causes serious bodily injury, it becomes a state jail felony. If it results in death, it is also a state jail felony.
• Consent is NOT a Defense: Texas Education Code § 37.155 states unequivocally that the victim’s consent to the activity is not a defense against hazing charges. This recognizes the coercive power dynamics at play.
• Organizational Liability: The fraternity, sorority, or other student organization itself can be prosecuted and fined up to $10,000 per violation if it authorized or encouraged the hazing.
• Immunity for Good-Faith Reporting: Individuals who report hazing in good faith to university officials or law enforcement are immune from civil or criminal liability for their own minor involvement (like underage drinking). This is designed to remove barriers to calling for help.

Criminal vs. Civil Cases: Two Paths to Accountability

It is vital to understand the two parallel legal tracks.

• Criminal Cases: Brought by the state (e.g., the Rains County District Attorney’s Office or a county attorney where the school is located). The goal is punishment—fines, probation, or jail time for individuals. Charges can include hazing, assault, furnishing alcohol to minors, or even manslaughter in a death.
• Civil Lawsuits: Brought by the victim and their family. The goal is compensation for damages and institutional accountability. This is where our firm operates. A civil suit can target:
  • The individuals who perpetrated the acts.
  • The local chapter as an entity.
  • The national fraternity or sorority headquarters.
  • The university (for negligent supervision or failure to act).
  • Property owners and landlords.

A criminal conviction is not required to file a successful civil lawsuit. We build civil cases on evidence and the legal principles of negligence and premises liability.

Federal Law Overlay

• Title IX: If hazing involves sexual harassment, assault, or gender-based discrimination, the university has federally mandated obligations to respond under Title IX.
• The Clery Act: Requires universities to report certain crimes, including assaults and hazing-related incidents, in their annual security reports.
• The Stop Campus Hazing Act (2024): A new federal law requiring increased transparency from colleges. By 2026, institutions must publish more detailed hazing incident reports, enhancing public awareness and institutional accountability.

National Hazing Case Patterns: The Stories That Shape the Law

The tragic cases that make national headlines are not distant abstractions; they establish legal precedents, drive legislative change, and reveal the deadly patterns that repeat across the country. For an East Tawakoni family, these stories demonstrate what is at stake and prove that accountability is possible.

The Alcohol Poisoning Pattern

This is the most frequent cause of hazing deaths.

• Timothy Piazza (Penn State, Beta Theta Pi, 2017): Died from traumatic brain injuries after a night of forced drinking. Brothers delayed calling 911 for hours. The case led to sweeping reforms in Pennsylvania and criminal convictions for multiple fraternity members.
• Max Gruver (LSU, Phi Delta Theta, 2017): Died of alcohol poisoning after a “Bible study” drinking game. His death led to the Max Gruver Act in Louisiana, making hazing a felony.
• Stone Foltz (Bowling Green State, Pi Kappa Alpha, 2021): Died after being forced to drink a bottle of alcohol. His family reached a $10 million settlement with the university and national fraternity. The chapter president was later held personally liable for $6.5 million.

Physical & Ritualized Hazing

• Chun “Michael” Deng (Baruch College, Pi Delta Psi, 2013): Died from brain injuries after a violent, blindfolded tackling ritual called “the glass ceiling” during a fraternity retreat. The national fraternity was criminally convicted of manslaughter and assault—a landmark case establishing organizational liability.

Athletic and Institutional Hazing

• Northwestern University Football (2023-2025): Widespread allegations of sexualized and racist hazing led to multiple lawsuits, the firing of the head coach, and confidential settlements, proving hazing is entrenched in multi-million dollar athletic programs.

What This Means for Your Family: These cases show that successful litigation can drive change. They provide a roadmap for holding powerful institutions—national fraternities and major universities—responsible. The patterns of forced drinking, cover-ups, and institutional indifference seen nationally are the same patterns we investigate in Texas cases.

Texas University Focus: Where East Tawakoni Students Study

Families in East Tawakoni and Rains County send their students to a variety of Texas institutions, from nearby regional campuses to the state’s largest flagship universities. Each campus has its own Greek life ecosystem and history of hazing incidents.

University of Houston (UH)

Many East Tawakoni students choose UH for its strong academic programs and proximity to home. The university has a large, active Greek community and has faced serious hazing incidents.

• The Active Case – Leonel Bermudez & Pi Kappa Phi: As detailed in the recent Click2Houston and ABC13 reports, our client’s case against UH and Pi Kappa Phi’s Beta Nu chapter alleges a campaign of extreme abuse in fall 2025. Hazing occurred at the chapter house, a residence on Culmore Drive, and during workouts at Yellowstone Boulevard Park. The “pledge fanny pack” rule, forced overconsumption, and violent physical drills led to Bermudez’s hospitalization with kidney failure. Following the reports, the chapter was suspended and voted to surrender its charter.
• UH’s Greek Landscape: UH hosts chapters of national organizations with known hazing histories, including Pi Kappa Alpha, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, and others involved in fatal cases nationwide.
• For East Tawakoni Families: A hazing case at UH would likely involve the Harris County court system. Evidence preservation is critical, as digital messages between students in East Tawakoni and Houston can be key. UH’s Office of Dean of Students is the primary reporting channel, but legal action often requires navigating the complex UH System.

Texas A&M University

The spirit and tradition of Texas A&M attract students from across the state, including East Tawakoni. Its Greek life and Corps of Cadets are both large and have faced significant hazing allegations.

• Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE) Chemical Burns Case (2021): Pledges alleged they were doused with a mixture including industrial-strength cleaner, raw eggs, and spit, causing severe chemical burns that required skin graft surgeries. The resulting lawsuit sought $1 million, and the chapter was suspended.
• Corps of Cadets “Roasted Pig” Lawsuit (2023): A cadet alleged degrading hazing, including being bound in a simulated sexual position with an apple in his mouth. He filed a lawsuit seeking over $1 million in damages.
• For East Tawakoni Families: Texas A&M’s jurisdiction falls under Brazos County. The university has its own extensive student conduct process. Given the Aggie network’s strength, families may feel pressure to handle matters “internally,” but serious injuries demand independent legal advocacy to ensure accountability beyond campus probation.

University of Texas at Austin (UT)

UT Austin’s prestige draws top students. It is also one of the most transparent universities regarding hazing, maintaining a public online log of violations—a resource for any family.

• Public Hazing Violations Log: UT’s website lists sanctioned organizations. For example, in 2023, the Pi Kappa Alpha chapter was placed on probation for hazing that involved forcing new members to consume milk and perform strenuous calisthenics.
• Sigma Alpha Epsilon Assault Case (2024): An Australian exchange student sued the SAE chapter after allegedly being assaulted at a party, suffering a broken nose, dislocated leg, and fractured tibia.
• For East Tawakoni Families: Travis County courts would handle litigation. UT’s public log can be powerful evidence in a civil case, demonstrating a pattern of known issues within an organization that the university or national headquarters failed to adequately address.

Southern Methodist University (SMU) & Baylor University

These private, prominent universities also have robust Greek systems where hazing occurs.

• SMU: In 2017, the Kappa Alpha Order chapter was suspended for paddling and forced drinking. As a private institution, SMU has fewer public reporting requirements, making internal investigations less transparent.
• Baylor: Beyond Greek life, Baylor’s baseball team faced a 2020 hazing scandal that led to multiple player suspensions, indicating that abusive behavior permeates athletic programs as well.

The Common Thread: At every major Texas university, national fraternities and sororities with documented histories of fatal hazing incidents operate local chapters. The risk is systemic, not anomalous.

Fraternities & Sororities: National Histories and Local Chapters

When a hazing incident occurs in a chapter at UH or Texas A&M, it is almost never the first time that national organization has faced such allegations. This history is not merely background; it is central to building a civil case for liability.

Why National Histories Matter in Court

National fraternities and sororities are not passive bystanders. They collect dues, set policies, provide (or fail to provide) training, and grant charters. In legal terms, when a national organization has a known pattern of hazing across its chapters, it has foreseeable knowledge of the risk. If it fails to take meaningful steps to prevent recurrence, it can be held negligent.

We maintain a Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine, built from public records, to track these entities. For example, IRS B83 filings show over 125 Texas-registered Greek organizations, including housing corporations and alumni chapters that can hold insurance and liability. In the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington metro area alone, there are over 510 Greek-related organizations. This data helps us identify every potentially liable entity behind a local chapter.

Examples of National Patterns

• Pi Kappa Alpha (Pike): The national fraternity involved in the Stone Foltz death at Bowling Green ($10M settlement) and other serious cases. Its chapters at UT and other Texas schools operate under this known history.
• Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE): One of the largest fraternities, it has been involved in multiple hazing deaths and the severe injury cases at Texas A&M and UT Austin mentioned above. In 2014, it abolished the “pledge” status nationwide in response to this pattern.
• Pi Kappa Phi: The national organization named in our Bermudez lawsuit and the Andrew Coffey death at Florida State University.
• Phi Delta Theta: The fraternity involved in the Max Gruver death at LSU.

When we take a case, we don’t just look at the local members. We investigate the national organization’s response to prior incidents, the adequacy of its risk management policies, and its supervision of the local chapter. This deep investigative approach is what allows us to build cases that secure accountability and meaningful compensation.

Building a Case: Evidence, Damages, and Legal Strategy

For an East Tawakoni family navigating the aftermath of hazing, the process can feel overwhelming. A methodical, evidence-based legal strategy is the path forward. This is where our experience as complex litigation attorneys, honed in cases like the BP Texas City explosion, becomes indispensable.

The Critical Evidence

Modern hazing leaves a digital and paper trail. Preserving it is the first battle.

1. Digital Communications: GroupMe, WhatsApp, iMessage, and Discord chats are the modern minute books of hazing. They show planning, coordination, boasts, and threats. Even deleted messages can often be recovered through forensic analysis.
2. Photos & Videos: Members often record hazing for social media or private sharing. These are powerful, indisputable records of the conduct.
3. University & National Records: Through legal discovery, we obtain the chapter’s conduct history, the national fraternity’s risk management files, and internal university reports. This can prove prior knowledge and a failure to act.
4. Medical Records: Documentation of injuries—from ER reports for alcohol poisoning to specialist diagnoses of PTSD or long-term organ damage—quantifies the harm.
5. Witness Testimony: Other pledges, former members, roommates, and even sympathetic active members can provide crucial accounts.

Recoverable Damages

A civil lawsuit seeks to make the victim and their family whole, as much as possible, and to punish egregious conduct. Recoverable damages include:

• Economic Damages: All medical expenses (past and future), lost wages, costs of psychological counseling, and lost educational opportunities (e.g., tuition for a semester they had to withdraw).
• Non-Economic Damages: Compensation for physical pain, emotional distress, trauma, humiliation, and loss of enjoyment of life.
• Wrongful Death Damages: In the unspeakable event of a fatality, families can seek compensation for funeral costs, loss of financial support, and the profound loss of companionship, love, and guidance.
• Punitive Damages: In cases of particularly reckless or malicious conduct, Texas law may allow punitive damages to punish the wrongdoers and deter future behavior.

Overcoming Institutional Defenses

Universities and national fraternities have sophisticated defense playbooks. They will argue the victim “consented,” that it was a “rogue chapter,” or that the event happened off-campus. Our strategy anticipates and counters these arguments:

• Insider Insurance Knowledge: Our attorney, Mr. Lupe Peña, spent years as an insurance defense attorney for large companies. He knows exactly how fraternity and university insurers value claims, deploy delay tactics, and fight coverage. We use this insider knowledge to our clients’ advantage.
• Proving Institutional Knowledge: We use national hazing databases and our own intelligence engine to demonstrate that the organization was on notice about the risks of its “traditions.”
• Comprehensive Defendant Identification: We sue all potentially liable parties—individuals, the local chapter, the housing corporation, the national headquarters, and the university—to maximize the sources of recovery and ensure no one evades responsibility.

Practical Guides & FAQs for East Tawakoni Families

For Parents: A Step-by-Step Guide

1. Recognize the Signs: Unexplained injuries, extreme exhaustion, sudden personality changes (anxiety, withdrawal), secrecy about group activities, and constant, anxious phone monitoring are major red flags.
2. Talk to Your Child: Approach with care, not accusation. Say, “I’m worried about you. Your safety is all that matters to me. Can you tell me what’s really going on?”
3. Prioritize Health & Evidence: Seek medical care immediately. Then, help your child safely screenshot ALL relevant text and chat conversations. Take photos of injuries. Do not let them delete anything.
4. Understand Your Reporting Options: You can report to the university’s Dean of Students and to local law enforcement where the hazing occurred. However, be cautious: university processes are often designed to protect the institution.
5. Consult a Lawyer Early: Before making formal statements or signing anything, consult with an attorney experienced in hazing litigation. We can help you navigate the process, protect your child’s rights, and preserve crucial evidence.

For Students

• Is This Hazing? If you feel coerced, endangered, or humiliated to belong, it is. “Tradition” is not an excuse.
• Your Safety is Paramount: If you are in danger, call 911. Texas law provides some immunity for those who call for help in good faith.
• You Can Leave: You have the legal right to quit any organization at any time. Your worth is not defined by a group.
• Preserve Evidence: Take screenshots, photos, and notes. Tell a trusted friend or family member what is happening.

Critical Mistakes to Avoid

• Deleting Evidence: This can look like a cover-up and destroys your case.
• Confronting the Organization Directly: This triggers their defense lawyers and leads to evidence destruction.
• Signing University Settlement Papers: Universities may offer a quick, low-value settlement in exchange for waiving your right to sue. Never sign without an attorney.
• Posting on Social Media: Public posts can be used against you and complicate legal strategy.
• Waiting Too Long: Texas has a two-year statute of limitations for personal injury. Evidence and witness memories fade quickly.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Can we sue the university? Yes, under theories of negligent supervision or deliberate indifference, especially if they knew of prior incidents and failed to act.
• What if it happened off-campus? Location does not shield organizations from liability. Nationals and universities can still be responsible for conduct they sponsor or should foresee.
• How much does a lawyer cost? We work on a contingency fee basis. This means there are no upfront costs or hourly fees. We only get paid if we successfully recover money for you.
• Will our name be public? Many cases settle confidentially. We aggressively protect our clients’ privacy throughout the process.
• What about criminal charges? We can advise you on reporting to police and work alongside any criminal investigation, but our focus is your civil case for damages and accountability.

Why Choose Attorney911 for Your Hazing Case

When your family in East Tawakoni is facing the trauma of hazing, you need advocates who are not intimidated by powerful institutions and who understand the full complexity of these cases. The Manginello Law Firm, PLLC (Attorney911) brings a unique combination of insider knowledge, proven litigation strength, and compassionate commitment to victim advocacy.

Our Proven Advantages in Hazing Litigation

1. Active, High-Stakes Texas Case Experience: We are not theorizing about hazing law; we are actively litigating one of the state’s most significant cases right now—the Leonel Bermudez v. UH & Pi Kappa Phi lawsuit. We know the current tactics of defense teams and the Texas courts.
2. Insurance Insider Knowledge: Our attorney, Mr. Lupe Peña, spent years as a defense attorney for national insurance companies. He knows exactly how fraternity and university insurers evaluate claims, fight coverage, and attempt to minimize payouts. We use this defense-side experience to build stronger plaintiff cases.
3. Experience Against Billion-Dollar Defendants: Founding partner Ralph Manginello was one of the few plaintiff attorneys involved in the BP Texas City explosion litigation. We have faced the deepest-pocketed, most aggressive institutional defendants and know how to win. National fraternities and major universities do not scare us.
4. Data-Driven Investigation: We go beyond the surface. Our Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine, built from IRS records, university data, and metro-level organizational tracking, allows us to identify every liable entity behind a chapter—from the housing corporation (EIN 462267515, Frisco, TX) to the alumni association. We start investigations with more information than most firms ever uncover.
5. Dual Civil & Criminal Expertise: Ralph Manginello’s membership in the Harris County Criminal Lawyers Association (HCCLA) means we understand the criminal exposure in hazing cases. We can effectively advise clients and witnesses navigating both legal systems.
6. Spanish-Language Services: Mr. Peña is fluent in Spanish. We are committed to serving all Texas families with compassion and understanding.
7. A Record of Multi-Million Dollar Results: We have secured substantial settlements and verdicts in wrongful death, catastrophic injury, and complex institutional negligence cases. We have the resources and tenacity to see your case through.

A Commitment to East Tawakoni and Texas Families

We are a Texas firm, born and rooted here. We understand the values of communities like East Tawakoni—family, integrity, and looking out for one another. When a family from our state is betrayed by institutions that were supposed to provide a safe educational environment, we believe in fighting to make it right.

Our mission extends beyond financial recovery. We seek to uncover the truth, force institutional change, and prevent the next tragedy. By holding every responsible party accountable—from the individual members to the national headquarters—we aim to make Texas campuses safer for all students.

Your Next Step: A Confidential, Compassionate Consultation

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

We invite you to contact The Manginello Law Firm for a free, completely confidential consultation. In this meeting, we will:

• Listen carefully to your story and answer your questions.
• Explain the legal options available to your family under Texas law.
• Discuss the investigation process and what you can expect.
• Outline our contingency fee structure—you pay nothing unless we win your case.

We serve families across Texas from our offices in Houston, Austin, and Beaumont. Distance is no barrier; we will come to you or meet virtually.

Call us today at 1-888-ATTY-911 (1-888-288-9911). You can also reach founding partner Ralph Manginello directly at (713) 443-4781 or ralph@atty911.com. For Spanish-language assistance, contact Mr. Lupe Peña at lupe@atty911.com.

Let us help you secure accountability, obtain the resources needed for healing, and protect other students from enduring what your child has suffered.

Disclaimer: This guide is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. The outcome of any case depends on its specific facts and circumstances. An attorney-client relationship is not formed until a written agreement is signed.