A Texas Parent’s Guide to Hazing: Your Rights, Their Responsibilities, and How to Fight Back

If you are a parent in Wheeler, Texas, watching your child head off to college is a moment filled with pride and hope. For many families in Wheeler and across the Panhandle, that journey leads to campuses like West Texas A&M University in nearby Canyon, Texas Tech in Lubbock, or major hubs like Texas A&M in College Station. You trust these institutions to provide a safe environment for learning and growth. But what happens when that trust is shattered by a call in the night, a visit to the emergency room, or the slow realization that your child is being systematically abused in the name of “tradition” or “brotherhood”?

Right now, in Texas, we are fighting one of the most serious hazing cases in the country. We represent Leonel Bermudez, a University of Houston student who nearly lost his life to hazing at the hands of the Pi Kappa Phi Beta Nu chapter. His story is not an isolated incident from a distant state; it is a $10 million hazing and abuse lawsuit unfolding in our own backyard, revealing the brutal reality that persists behind the closed doors of fraternity houses and campus organizations across Texas.

This guide is written for you—the parents, grandparents, and families in Wheeler, Wheeler County, and throughout the Texas Panhandle. We will explain what modern hazing truly looks like, break down the Texas laws designed to protect your child, and show you the legal pathways to hold powerful institutions accountable. If your child has been hurt, you are not alone, and you have more power than you know.

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). We provide immediate help—that’s why we’re the Legal Emergency Lawyers™.

In the first 48 hours:

1. Get Medical Attention: Even if your child insists they are “fine,” seek evaluation. Internal injuries like rhabdomyolysis (severe muscle breakdown) may not be immediately apparent.
2. Preserve Evidence: Screenshot all group chats (GroupMe, WhatsApp, iMessage), text messages, and social media DMs immediately. Photograph any visible injuries from multiple angles.
3. Document Everything: Write down what your child tells you—names, dates, locations, and specific acts—while memories are fresh.
4. Do NOT:
   • Confront the fraternity, sorority, or team directly.
   • Sign anything from the university or an insurance company.
   • Let your child delete messages or “clean up” their phone.
   • Post details on public social media.

Contact an experienced hazing attorney. Evidence disappears with terrifying speed. Call us at 1-888-ATTY-911 for a free, immediate, and confidential consultation.

1. The Texas Case That Changed Everything: Leonel Bermudez v. UH & Pi Kappa Phi

Before we discuss the broader landscape, you need to understand the case that proves hazing is not a relic of the past but a clear and present danger at Texas universities. We are actively litigating this case, and it exemplifies exactly what Wheeler families are up against.

The Victim: Leonel Bermudez, a transfer student and fall 2025 pledge at the University of Houston.

The Organizations: The Pi Kappa Phi fraternity’s Beta Nu chapter, its national headquarters, the University of Houston, the UH System Board of Regents, the chapter’s housing corporation, and 13 individual fraternity leaders.

The Hazing (As Alleged in the Lawsuit):

• Humiliation & Control: Pledges were forced to carry a “pledge fanny pack” 24/7 containing condoms, a sex toy, nicotine devices, and other degrading items. They faced strict dress codes, hours-long “study blocks,” and were used as overnight chauffeurs for members.
• Physical Torture: Activities included extreme sprints, bear crawls, and “save-your-brother” drills. Pledges were stripped to their underwear in cold weather, made to lie in vomit-soaked grass, and sprayed in the face with a hose “similar to waterboarding.”
• Forced Consumption: Pledges were forced to consume massive quantities of milk, hot dogs, and peppercorns until they vomited, then immediately forced to sprint.
• The Final Blow: On November 3, 2025, Bermudez was forced to perform over 100 push-ups and 500 squats under threat of expulsion. He was left unable to stand without help.

The Catastrophic Injury: In the days that followed, Bermudez’s condition deteriorated. He began passing brown urine, a classic sign of muscle tissue death. Rushed to the hospital, he was diagnosed with rhabdomyolysis and acute kidney failure. His creatine kinase (CK) levels were critically high. He was hospitalized for four days and faces an ongoing risk of permanent kidney damage.

The Institutional Response: After reports surfaced, Pi Kappa Phi national headquarters suspended the chapter on November 6, 2025. On November 14, the chapter members voted to surrender their charter, effectively shutting down. The University of Houston called the conduct “deeply disturbing” and promised cooperation with law enforcement.

This case, covered by Click2Houston and ABC13, is not just a news story. It is our active proof that when families stand up with experienced legal counsel, they can force accountability against a major university and a national fraternity. This is the level of fight we bring for Texas families.

2. The Greek Ecosystem Around Wheeler: What Parents Need to See

As a parent in Wheeler, your child may be involved with Greek life at a local campus or a school hours away. These organizations are not just social clubs; they are complex networks of legal entities. We maintain a Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine—a proprietary database built from public records—to track them. This is a small sample of what we see.

Fraternities, Sororities, and Greek Organizations Recorded in Texas Public Filings:

The following are real entities listed in IRS and organizational data, showing the documented presence of Greek life infrastructure that serves students from Wheeler and across Texas:

• Frank Heflin Foundation | EIN: 20-3507402 | Canyon, TX 79015 (Phi Delta Theta alumni fund supporting West Texas A&M)
• Chi Omega – Upsilon Zeta Building Assn. | EIN: 75-2290669 | Amarillo, TX 79118 (Chi Omega chapter housing entity)
• Kappa Alpha Order – Gamma Sigma Chapter | Canyon, TX 79015 (West Texas A&M University chapter)
• Phi Delta Theta Fraternity – Texas Theta | Canyon, TX 79015 (West Texas A&M chapter)
• Texas Kappa Sigma Educational Foundation Inc | EIN: 74-1380362 | Fort Worth, TX 76147
• Beta Upsilon Chi Fraternity | EIN: 74-2911848 | Fort Worth, TX 76244
• Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi – TTU Health Sci. | Clyde, TX (Texas Tech Health Sciences Center chapter)
• Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority | EIN: 36-4091267 | Waco, TX 76710
• Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity | EIN: 74-6064445 | Nederland, TX 77627 (Epsilon Kappa Chapter alumni)
• Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity – Beaumont Alumni | Beaumont, TX (Graduate chapter)

This data illustrates a critical point: behind every fraternity or sorority chapter are registered organizations, housing corporations, and alumni foundations—all of which may carry insurance and liability. When hazing occurs, we know how to identify every potentially responsible entity, not just the students in the room.

3. Where Wheeler Families Send Their Kids: Campus Connections and Risks

Students from Wheeler and the surrounding Panhandle region attend universities across Texas. Understanding the Greek landscape at these schools is crucial.

Local & Regional Campuses:

• West Texas A&M University (Canyon, TX): A primary destination for Panhandle students. Hosts active Greek life including chapters of Phi Delta Theta, Kappa Alpha Order, Chi Omega, and others. Its proximity means Wheeler parents may be among the first to respond to an incident.
• Texas Tech University (Lubbock, TX): A major university drawing from our region. Home to a large and complex Greek system with dozens of fraternities and sororities.
• Amarillo College & Other Community Colleges: While typically less residential, affiliate or local Greek organizations may still be present.

Major Texas Universities (Common Destinations):

• Texas A&M University (College Station): Known for its massive Greek life and the Corps of Cadets, both with documented hazing histories.
• University of Texas at Austin: Hosts one of the largest and most transparent Greek systems in the state, with a public log of hazing violations.
• University of Houston: As the Bermudez case proves, hazing is a severe and ongoing threat at this major urban campus.
• Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center: For students pursuing medical fields.
• Baylor University & Southern Methodist University: Private institutions with significant Greek life and their own histories of misconduct investigations.

The reality for Wheeler parents is that hazing risk is not defined by distance. A dangerous tradition at a fraternity in College Station or Austin can impact your family as deeply as one in Canyon. The legal frameworks and our investigative strategies apply statewide.

4. Texas Hazing Law Explained: Your Child’s Rights in Plain Language

Texas has specific laws against hazing. Understanding them is your first step toward empowerment.

Texas Education Code, Chapter 37, Subchapter F (The Hazing Law):

• Definition: Hazing is any intentional, knowing, or reckless act directed at a student for the purpose of initiation or affiliation with a group that endangers the student’s mental or physical health or safety. This applies on or off campus.
• 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.
• Consent is NOT a Defense: Texas law (§37.155) is clear—even if your child “agreed” to participate, it is not a defense to a hazing charge. The law recognizes the power imbalance and coercion inherent in these situations.
• Individual & Organizational Liability: Both the individuals who commit the acts and the organization itself (fraternity, sorority, team) can be held criminally and civilly liable.
• Immunity for Good Faith Reporting: Individuals who report hazing or call for medical help in good faith are protected from certain liabilities. This is designed to remove the barrier of silence.

Civil Lawsuits: A Separate Path to Justice and Accountability
A criminal case is brought by the state to punish wrongdoing. A civil lawsuit, which we specialize in, is brought by the victim and family to:

1. Recover financial compensation for damages (medical bills, future care, pain and suffering).
2. Force institutional change and public accountability.
3. Prevent future harm to other students.

You can pursue a civil case even if criminal charges are never filed. The standard of proof is different, and the focus is on negligence—what the organization knew, what it should have done to prevent harm, and how it failed in its duty.

5. Building a Unbeatable Case: The Attorney911 Data-Driven Advantage

When your family is in crisis, you need more than a lawyer; you need investigators and strategists who understand how to dismantle institutional defenses. Here’s how we approach a hazing case for a Wheeler family:

1. Immediate Evidence Lockdown: We guide you through preserving digital evidence—the single most important factor in modern hazing cases. This includes recovering deleted group chats, securing social media archives, and documenting the digital footprint of the abuse. Learn more about this critical step in our video on using your cellphone to document a legal case.

2. Deploying the Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine: We don’t start from scratch. Using our database of over 1,400 Greek entities in Texas, we immediately map the entire organizational structure behind the chapter involved. We identify:

• The local chapter corporation.
• The national headquarters and its insurers.
• Alumni housing corporations.
• Related foundations and support organizations.
  This reveals all potential sources of liability and insurance coverage.

3. Uncovering the Pattern: We subpoena records from the national fraternity or sorority to uncover prior incident reports, warnings, and disciplinary history—both for the specific chapter and for the national organization. This establishes “foreseeability”—proving they knew or should have known this could happen.

4. Navigating Insurance Battles: This is where Mr. Lupe Peña’s experience as a former insurance defense attorney is invaluable. He knows the exact tactics insurers use to deny or minimize claims. We anticipate their arguments about “intentional act exclusions” and fight to maximize the recovery available to your family.

5. Calculating True Damages: Hazing injuries can be lifelong. We work with medical experts, life-care planners, and economists to build a comprehensive picture of your child’s needs: future medical care, therapy for PTSD, lost educational opportunities, and diminished earning capacity. We never settle for a quick, lowball offer.

We have taken on billion-dollar corporations in the BP Texas City explosion litigation. We are not intimidated by a university or a national fraternity. Our track record in wrongful death and catastrophic injury cases proves we prepare every case as if it’s going to trial, which is why defendants often choose to settle fairly beforehand.

6. Practical Steps for Wheeler Parents and Students

For Parents: If You Suspect Hazing

• Talk Openly: Ask direct but non-confrontational questions. “Are you ever asked to do things that make you uncomfortable?” “What happens if someone says no?”
• Look for Signs: Unexplained injuries, extreme fatigue, sudden personality changes, anxiety around phone notifications, withdrawal from family and old friends.
• Trust Your Instincts: If something feels wrong, it probably is.

For Students: Your Safety First

• Your Phone is Your Best Witness: Screenshot everything. Do not delete messages, even if you’re embarrassed.
• Know the Line: If you are being forced, coerced, or severely pressured to do something dangerous, degrading, or illegal to belong, it is hazing.
• Create an Exit Plan: Tell a trusted friend or family member where you are. Have a code word to signal you need help. If you feel unsafe, leave and call for help.
• Seek Medical Care: If you are injured or severely intoxicated, go to the ER. Tell the doctors exactly what happened. Your health is more important than any organization.

Critical Mistakes to Avoid:
We detail common pitfalls in our video on client mistakes that can ruin your injury case. In short:

• DO NOT delete evidence.
• DO NOT confront the organization yourself.
• DO NOT sign anything from the university or an insurance adjuster without an attorney.
• DO NOT post about the incident on social media.
• DO NOT wait. Texas has a statute of limitations, and evidence vanishes quickly. Learn about the Texas statutes of limitations.

7. Why Choose Attorney911? Texas-Based Hazing Specialists for Wheeler Families

We are The Manginello Law Firm, PLLC, operating as Attorney911, the Legal Emergency Lawyers™. While our offices are in Houston, Austin, and Beaumont, we serve hazing victims and their families throughout Texas, including Wheeler, Wheeler County, and the entire Panhandle region. Here’s what makes us different:

• We Are Fighting the Big Case Right Now: We are lead counsel in the Leonel Bermudez v. UH & Pi Kappa Phi lawsuit. We are not theorizing about hazing litigation; we are actively in the trenches against a major university and national fraternity. This is the experience we bring to your family’s case.
• Insider Knowledge of Insurance Defense: Associate Attorney Mr. Lupe Peña spent years defending insurance companies at a national defense firm. He knows their playbook—how they value claims, deploy delay tactics, and fight coverage. We use this insider knowledge to your advantage.
• Proven Against Giant Institutions: Managing Partner Ralph Manginello was one of the few plaintiff attorneys involved in the BP Texas City explosion litigation. We have no fear of taking on well-funded, powerful defendants with endless legal resources.
• A Data-Driven Investigative Engine: We don’t just take your word for it; we prove it. Our Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine and network of digital forensics experts allow us to build an unassailable factual record.
• Spanish-Language Services Available: Mr. Peña speaks fluent Spanish. Se habla Español.
• Contingency Fee Basis: You pay nothing upfront. Our fees are contingent on us winning your case. Learn how this works in our video on contingency fees.

We believe that accountability is the only path to prevention. By holding every responsible party—from the pledge master to the national headquarters to the university that turned a blind eye—fully accountable, we can make campuses safer for all Texas students.

Call to Action for Wheeler Families: You Don’t Have to Face This Alone

If hazing has injured your child or turned your family’s world upside down, the path forward can seem overwhelming. The university may be silent. The organization may be closing ranks. You may feel isolated in Wheeler, far from the campus where this happened.

Please know this: You have rights, and there is a team ready to fight for them.

We invite you to contact us for a free, confidential, and no-obligation consultation. We will listen to your story, explain your legal options in clear terms, and help you make the best decision for your child’s future and your family’s peace of mind.

Contact Attorney911 Today:

• 24/7 Helpline: 1-888-ATTY-911 (1-888-288-9911)
• Direct Line: (713) 528-9070
• Website: https://attorney911.com
• Email: ralph@atty911.com or lupe@atty911.com (Se habla Español)

Let our experience be your strength. Let our fight become your path to justice, recovery, and the assurance that no other family in Wheeler has to endure what yours has.

Plain Text Links to Key Resources

News Coverage of the Leonel Bermudez Case:

• Click2Houston Investigation: 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/
• ABC13 Eyewitness News Coverage: https://abc13.com/post/waterboarding-forced-eating-physical-punishment-lawsuit-alleges-abuse-faced-injured-pledge-uhs-pi-kappa-phi-fraternity/18186418/

Attorney911 Educational Videos:

• Using Your Cellphone as Evidence: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLbpzrmogTs
• Texas Statutes of Limitations: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRHwg8tV02c
• Client Mistakes to Avoid: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3IYsoxOSxY
• How Contingency Fees Work: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=upcI_j6F7Nc

Main Firm Website:

• Attorney911 – Free Consultation: https://attorney911.com

Legal Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Reading this does not create an attorney-client relationship. Every case is unique, and outcomes depend on specific facts and law. If you need legal advice, please contact an attorney directly.