Hazing on Campus: A Texas Legal Guide for East Bernard Parents & Families

For families in East Bernard, Wharton County, the pride of having a child attend a Texas university can be suddenly eclipsed by a phone call no parent ever wants to receive. Your child is in the hospital. They were hurt at a fraternity event, during a Corps workout, or at a team initiation. The explanations are vague, the people in charge are defensive, and you’re left with more questions than answers.

Right here in Texas, we are witnessing this exact nightmare unfold in real-time. Attorney911 is currently representing Leonel Bermudez in a landmark $10 million hazing lawsuit against the University of Houston and the Pi Kappa Phi Beta Nu chapter. This case—filed in late 2025—shows with brutal clarity how modern hazing operates and the catastrophic damage it causes. If your family in East Bernard is facing a similar crisis, you are not alone, and the path to accountability starts with understanding your rights.

This comprehensive guide is written specifically for East Bernard parents and families across Wharton County. We will explain what hazing really looks like today, break down Texas and federal law, examine the dangerous patterns within national fraternities and sororities, and show you the concrete steps to protect your child and pursue justice.

If This Just Happened: Immediate Steps for East Bernard Families

IMMEDIATE CRISIS RESPONSE:

• If your child is in danger RIGHT NOW: Call 911 for medical emergencies. Then call us at 1-888-ATTY-911.
• In the first 48 hours:
  • Get medical attention immediately, even if injuries seem minor. Conditions like rhabdomyolysis (severe muscle breakdown) can be fatal.
  • Preserve evidence BEFORE it’s deleted: Screenshot all group chats (GroupMe, WhatsApp, texts), photograph injuries from multiple angles, and save any physical items.
  • Write down everything your child tells you (who, what, when, where) while their memory is fresh.
  • DO NOT: Confront the fraternity/sorority, sign anything from the university or an insurance company, or let your child delete messages.
• Contact an experienced hazing attorney within 24-48 hours. Evidence disappears fast. We can help secure it and protect your child’s rights. Call 1-888-ATTY-911.

The Nightmare Next Door: The Leonel Bermudez UH Pi Kappa Phi Case

To understand the gravity of campus hazing, East Bernard families need look no further than our ongoing litigation at the University of Houston. This is not a historical case; it is active proof of the systemic abuse occurring at Texas schools right now.

Leonel Bermudez, a student at the University of Houston, accepted a bid to join the Pi Kappa Phi fraternity’s Beta Nu chapter in September 2025. What followed was a campaign of humiliation, abuse, and life-threatening violence documented in a Click2Houston report on UH Pi Kappa Phi hazing case and ABC13 coverage of Leonel Bermudez’s UH hazing lawsuit.

The Hazing Included:

• A degrading “pledge fanny pack” rule requiring him to carry condoms, a sex toy, and nicotine devices at all times.
• Extreme physical abuse: forced sprints, bear crawls, wheelbarrow races, and lying in vomit-soaked grass at Yellowstone Boulevard Park.
• Being sprayed in the face with a hose “similar to waterboarding” and threatened with actual waterboarding.
• Forced consumption of milk, hot dogs, and peppercorns until vomiting, followed by immediate sprints.
• A Nov. 3 “workout” of 100+ push-ups and 500 squats under threat of expulsion from the fraternity.

The Medical Catastrophe:
This abuse led Bermudez to develop rhabdomyolysis—a severe skeletal muscle breakdown—and acute kidney failure. He passed brown urine, could not stand, and was hospitalized for four days with critically high creatine kinase levels. He faces an ongoing risk of permanent kidney damage.

The Institutional Response & Our Fight:
The defendants in our lawsuit include the University of Houston, the UH System Board of Regents, Pi Kappa Phi’s national headquarters, its housing corporation, and 13 individual fraternity leaders. After reports surfaced, Pi Kappa Phi HQ suspended the chapter (Nov. 6), and members voted to surrender their charter (Nov. 14). UH called the conduct “deeply disturbing.”

This case is the flagship example of our firm’s active, serious hazing litigation. We represent Bermudez because, as Attorney Lupe Peña stated, “If this prevents harm to another person… Let’s bring this to light. Enough is enough.” This is the level of commitment we bring to every family we serve.

Hazing in 2025: What It Really Looks Like for Texas Students

Hazing is not just “boys will be boys” or harmless tradition. It is a calculated spectrum of abuse designed to exert control and create loyalty through fear and degradation. For East Bernard students, it can happen in fraternities, sororities, the Corps of Cadets, athletic teams, spirit groups, or marching bands.

Modern hazing falls into three escalating tiers:

1. Subtle Hazing: Power imbalances through servitude (24/7 errands, cleaning), social isolation, mandatory “study blocks” that interfere with class, and constant digital monitoring via group chats.
2. Harassment Hazing: Sleep deprivation, verbal abuse, forced food/water restriction, public humiliation (degrading costumes, “roasts”), and excessive calisthenics framed as “workouts.”
3. Violent Hazing: Forced alcohol consumption (“lineup” drinking games), physical beatings or paddling, sexualized acts, exposure to extreme elements, kidnapping, and dangerous physical “tests.”

The Digital Dimension:
Today’s hazing is digitally documented and enforced. Pledges are tracked via location-sharing apps, harassed through 24/7 GroupMe chats, and coerced into posting humiliating content on TikTok or Instagram. This digital trail, however, is also critical evidence. Our video on using your phone to document evidence explains how to preserve it.

Texas Hazing Law: The Legal Framework for Wharton County Families

Texas has specific statutes to combat hazing, primarily under Chapter 37, Subchapter F of the Education Code. Understanding this law is the first step to understanding your family’s rights.

Key Provisions of Texas Hazing Law:

• Definition: Hazing is any intentional, knowing, or reckless act that endangers the mental or physical health of a student for the purpose of initiation, affiliation, or membership. This applies on or off campus.
• Criminal Penalties: Hazing is a Class B misdemeanor. It becomes a Class A misdemeanor if it causes injury and a State Jail Felony if it causes serious bodily injury or death.
• Consent is NOT a Defense: Texas law (§ 37.155) explicitly states that a victim’s “consent” is irrelevant. The power imbalance and coercion inherent in hazing nullify any claim of voluntary participation.
• Organizational Liability: Fraternities, sororities, and other groups can be fined up to $10,000 and lose university recognition.
• Immunity for Reporting: Individuals who report hazing in good faith are protected from civil or criminal liability for their own minor involvement.

Civil Liability & Financial Recovery:
A separate civil lawsuit seeks compensation and accountability from all responsible parties. Potential defendants include:

• The individual students who perpetrated the acts.
• The local chapter and its officers.
• The national fraternity/sorority headquarters.
• The university (for negligent supervision or deliberate indifference).
• Property owners and landlords of off-campus hazing venues.

Damages can cover medical bills, future care, lost earning capacity, pain and suffering, emotional distress, and, in wrongful death cases, funeral costs and loss of companionship.

The Greek Ecosystem Around East Bernard & Texas Campuses

East Bernard families often send students to a mix of regional institutions and major state universities. Using our proprietary Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine—built from IRS public records, university data, and metro organization listings—we maintain a detailed map of the Greek entities operating in your child’s world.

Where East Bernard Families Send Their Kids:
Students from Wharton County attend universities across Texas, including:

• Regional/Commuter Schools: Wharton County Junior College, University of Houston-Victoria, Prairie View A&M University.
• Major State Hubs: University of Houston, Texas A&M University, University of Texas at Austin, Texas State University, Texas Tech University, and Baylor University.

The Network of Greek Organizations:
Behind every chapter on campus is a web of legally recognized entities that hold insurance, own property, and bear liability. In the Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land metro area alone, there are 188 Greek-related organizations. Statewide, we track over 1,423 entities across 25 metros.

A Sample of Texas-Registered Greek Entities from Public Records:

• Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity, EIN 746064445, Nederland, TX 77627 (IRS B83 filing)
• Beta Nu Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity Housing Corporation Inc, EIN 462267515, Frisco, TX 75035 (IRS B83 filing)
• Texas Kappa Sigma Educational Foundation Inc, EIN 741380362, Fort Worth, TX 76147 (IRS B83 filing)
• Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority – Beta Sigma Chapter, Houston, TX (Cause IQ Metro Listing)
• Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity – Beaumont Alumni, Beaumont, TX (Cause IQ Metro Listing)

This is not an accusation but a demonstration of the complex, interconnected system we investigate in every case. When hazing occurs, we identify every potentially liable entity—from the local chapter house corporation to the national alumni association.

National Patterns, Texas Realities: Why Fraternity History Matters

The organizations present at Texas schools have national histories that establish a clear pattern of foreseeable risk. This “pattern evidence” is powerful in court, showing that national headquarters were aware of the dangers yet failed to prevent them.

• Pi Kappa Alpha (Pike): Settled for $10 million in the Stone Foltz alcohol poisoning death at Bowling Green State (2021).
• Beta Theta Pi: The 2017 Timothy Piazza death at Penn State led to the Timothy J. Piazza Anti-Hazing Law and dozens of criminal convictions.
• Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE): Faced a $1 million lawsuit at Texas A&M (2021) where pledges suffered chemical burns from industrial cleaner. Also faces an ongoing lawsuit at UT Austin for a brutal assault on an exchange student (2024).
• Phi Delta Theta: The 2017 Max Gruver death at LSU led to Louisiana’s felony hazing “Max Gruver Act.”

These are the same national organizations with chapters at UH, Texas A&M, UT, SMU, and Baylor. When a Texas chapter repeats these deadly patterns, it demonstrates that the national organization failed to implement effective oversight, training, and enforcement of its own anti-hazing policies.

Building a Hazing Case: Evidence, Strategy & The Attorney911 Advantage

Winning a hazing case requires converting outrage into a meticulously built legal claim. It involves strategic evidence collection, navigating insurance coverage battles, and holding multiple layers of institutions accountable.

Critical Evidence Categories:

1. Digital Communications: Group chats (GroupMe, WhatsApp), texts, DMs, and social media posts. We use digital forensics to recover deleted messages.
2. Photos/Videos: Of injuries, events, locations, and props used.
3. Medical Records: Documenting the full extent of physical and psychological harm, including ER reports, lab results, and psychiatric evaluations for PTSD.
4. Internal Organization Records: Pledge manuals, meeting notes, emails between members and nationals—obtained through discovery.
5. University Records: Prior disciplinary reports on the same organization, obtained via public records requests or litigation discovery.

Our Strategic Advantages for East Bernard Families:

• Insurance Insider Knowledge: Our attorney, Mr. Lupe Peña, spent years as an insurance defense lawyer for a national firm. He knows exactly how fraternity and university insurers fight claims, undervalue injuries, and use delay tactics. We know their playbook because we used to run it.
• Complex Institutional Litigation Experience: Managing partner Ralph Manginello was one of the few Texas lawyers involved in the BP Texas City explosion litigation. We are not intimidated by billion-dollar corporations or powerful universities. We have the federal court experience and investigative resources to match them.
• The Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine: We don’t start from scratch. Our proprietary database of Texas Greek organizations gives us an immediate strategic map for investigation and discovery.
• Spanish-Language Services: Mr. Peña speaks fluent Spanish, ensuring we can serve all East Bernard and Wharton County families effectively.
• Contingency Fee Basis: We work on a contingency fee—you pay nothing unless we win your case. Learn more in our video on how contingency fees work.

Practical Guide for East Bernard Parents & Students

For Parents – Warning Signs:

• Unexplained injuries, bruises, or burns.
• Extreme exhaustion, sleep deprivation, or drastic weight change.
• Sudden secrecy, withdrawal from family/friends, or personality changes (anxiety, depression).
• Constant, anxious phone use related to group chats.
• Decline in academic performance or loss of scholarships.

For Students – How to Exit Safely & Report:

• Your safety comes first. In an emergency, call 911. Texas law provides immunity for good-faith reporters seeking medical help.
• You have the right to quit. Send a clear text/email stating your resignation and keep a record.
• Report to multiple channels: University Dean of Students, campus police, and the National Anti-Hazing Hotline (1-888-NOT-HAZE).
• PRESERVE EVIDENCE: Screenshot everything. Do not delete messages, even if they’re embarrassing.

Critical Mistakes to Avoid:

• Deleting evidence to “protect” someone.
• Confronting the organization directly, which triggers evidence destruction.
• Signing university settlement offers without legal advice.
• Waiting too long. Texas has a statute of limitations. Watch our video on Texas statutes of limitations and avoid common client mistakes that can ruin your injury case.

Why East Bernard Families Choose Attorney911

When hazing impacts your family, you need more than a general personal injury lawyer. You need attorneys who understand the unique ecosystem of college organizations, institutional cover-ups, and high-stakes litigation against well-funded defendants.

We are The Manginello Law Firm, PLLC (operating as Attorney911, the Legal Emergency Lawyers™). We are a Texas-based firm with offices in Houston, Austin, and Beaumont, serving families across the state, including here in Wharton County and East Bernard.

We are currently leading the charge in Texas hazing litigation with the Leonel Bermudez case against UH and Pi Kappa Phi. We combine Ralph Manginello’s 25+ years of complex trial experience with Lupe Peña’s insider knowledge of insurance defense tactics. We have recovered millions for victims of catastrophic injury and wrongful death, and we apply that same relentless approach to hazing cases.

Our goal is threefold: to secure maximum compensation for your family’s devastating losses, to hold every responsible individual and institution accountable, and to force the systemic changes needed to prevent this from happening to another student from East Bernard or anywhere else.

Your Next Step: A Free, Confidential Consultation

If you suspect or know your child has been hazed at any Texas university, time is your most critical asset. Evidence disappears, witnesses get coached, and the institution will move to protect itself.

We offer a free, confidential, no-obligation consultation to East Bernard and Wharton County families. In this meeting, we will:

• Listen carefully to your story.
• Review any evidence you have gathered.
• Explain your legal rights and all available options.
• Outline our investigative strategy.
• Answer your questions about process, timing, and cost.

You don’t have to navigate this nightmare alone. Let us provide the immediate, aggressive, and professional help that defines Attorney911.

Contact Us 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
• Se habla Español.

Legal Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Every case is unique, and no outcome can be guaranteed. Reading this does not create an attorney-client relationship. If you need legal advice, please contact us or another licensed attorney to discuss the specific facts of your situation.