🛡️ Hazing Victims in Cross County, Arkansas: Your Legal Rights & How We Can Help
If your child has been hazed at a college, university, or Greek organization in Cross County, Arkansas, you are not alone—and you have powerful legal rights.
At Attorney 911, we are currently fighting a $10 million hazing lawsuit against Pi Kappa Phi and the University of Houston after a student was hospitalized with kidney failure from extreme hazing. The same fraternities, the same risks, and the same institutional failures exist right here in Cross County, Arkansas.
This is happening to students near you. And we are ready to fight for Cross County families.
🚨 What Is Hazing? (And Why It’s Illegal in Arkansas)
Hazing is not harmless tradition. It’s abuse. Under Arkansas law, hazing includes:
- Physical brutality (beatings, paddling, forced exercise to exhaustion)
- Forced consumption (alcohol, food, or substances until vomiting or passing out)
- Psychological abuse (humiliation, sleep deprivation, threats)
- Dangerous activities (waterboarding, extreme weather exposure, confinement)
In Arkansas, hazing is a crime. Arkansas Code § 6-5-201 makes it illegal to haze a student, and consent is not a defense. If your child was injured, the organization—and the individuals who harmed them—can be held legally and financially responsible.
⚠️ The Hazing Crisis in Arkansas & Cross County
Hazing isn’t just happening at big universities—it happens right here in Cross County and Eastern Arkansas. Nearby institutions with Greek life and student organizations include:
- Arkansas State University (Jonesboro, ~30 miles from Cross County)
- University of Arkansas (Fayetteville) (~150 miles)
- University of Central Arkansas (Conway, ~120 miles)
- Henderson State University (Arkadelphia, ~150 miles)
- Community colleges and smaller schools across the region
The same national fraternities involved in our $10M lawsuit—Pi Kappa Phi, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, Kappa Sigma, and others—have active chapters near Cross County. If they hazed a student in Houston, they’re hazing students here too.
💔 Real Hazing Cases in Arkansas (And Why Cross County Families Should Be Concerned)
1. Arkansas State University (2021) – SAE Hazing Incident
- What happened: A Sigma Alpha Epsilon pledge suffered severe chemical burns during a hazing ritual.
- Outcome: The chapter was suspended, and the university launched an investigation.
- Why it matters for Cross County: SAE has chapters across Arkansas. If they’re burning pledges in Jonesboro, they could be doing the same near Cross County.
2. University of Arkansas (2019) – Kappa Sigma Suspension
- What happened: The Kappa Sigma chapter was suspended for hazing, including forced alcohol consumption and physical abuse.
- Outcome: The national organization shut down the chapter—but only after the damage was done.
- Why it matters for Cross County: Kappa Sigma has multiple Arkansas chapters. If they’re hazing in Fayetteville, they’re hazing near Cross County too.
3. Henderson State University (2018) – Fraternity Death
- What happened: A student died after a fraternity-related incident involving alcohol.
- Outcome: The university banned Greek life for years.
- Why it matters for Cross County: This happened at a smaller Arkansas school—just like many near Cross County. Hazing doesn’t just happen at big universities.
🏥 Medical Dangers of Hazing (What Cross County Parents Need to Know)
Hazing isn’t just “rough initiation”—it can kill. Common medical consequences include:
| Hazing Activity | Medical Risk | Real Cases |
|---|---|---|
| Forced drinking | Alcohol poisoning, death | Andrew Coffey (FSU, 2017) |
| Extreme exercise | Rhabdomyolysis (muscle breakdown), kidney failure | Leonel Bermudez (UH, 2025 – our client) |
| Waterboarding | Drowning, brain damage | Leonel Bermudez (UH, 2025) |
| Paddling/beatings | Broken bones, internal bleeding | Multiple cases nationwide |
| Sleep deprivation | Heart attacks, psychosis | Timothy Piazza (Penn State, 2017) |
| Cold exposure | Hypothermia, frostbite | Multiple cases in northern states |
If your child was hazed in Cross County and is experiencing:
✔ Dark/brown urine (sign of rhabdomyolysis)
✔ Severe muscle pain or weakness
✔ Difficulty walking or moving
✔ Confusion, dizziness, or fainting
✔ Signs of alcohol poisoning (vomiting, unconsciousness)
→ GET THEM TO A HOSPITAL IMMEDIATELY. Then call us.
⚖️ Who Can Be Sued for Hazing in Cross County?
If your child was hazed, multiple parties can be held liable—and we will pursue every single one:
| Defendant | Why They’re Liable | Cross County Application |
|---|---|---|
| Local fraternity/sorority chapter | Directly organized and conducted hazing | Same chapters operate near Cross County |
| National fraternity/sorority | Failed to supervise; knew about hazing culture | Same nationals with chapters near Cross County |
| University/college | Failed to protect students; owned property where hazing occurred | Arkansas State, UCA, and others near Cross County |
| Individual members | Participated in or facilitated hazing | Students at Cross County-area schools |
| Chapter advisors/alumni | Enabled or ignored hazing | Often have deeper pockets than students |
| Housing corporations | Owned property where hazing occurred | Some fraternity houses are university-owned |
In our $10M case, we’re suing:
✅ Pi Kappa Phi National (for failing to stop hazing despite knowing about it)
✅ The local chapter (for directly torturing our client)
✅ The University of Houston (for owning the house where it happened)
✅ Individual members (for participating in and enabling the abuse)
We will do the same for Cross County families.
💰 What Compensation Can Cross County Hazing Victims Receive?
Hazing victims in Cross County may be entitled to:
| Type of Damages | Examples | Potential Value |
|---|---|---|
| Medical expenses | Hospital bills, rehab, future treatment | $50,000–$500,000+ |
| Pain and suffering | Physical pain from hazing injuries | $100,000–$1M+ |
| Emotional distress | PTSD, anxiety, depression from abuse | $250,000–$2M+ |
| Lost wages | Missed work, lost internships | $20,000–$100,000 |
| Educational damages | Tuition refunds, lost scholarships | $10,000–$50,000 |
| Punitive damages | To punish the organization for egregious conduct | $1M–$10M+ |
Precedent Cases (What Other Families Have Won):
- $10.1M – Stone Foltz (Pi Kappa Alpha, Bowling Green State)
- $6.1M – Maxwell Gruver (Phi Delta Theta, LSU)
- $110M+ – Timothy Piazza (Beta Theta Pi, Penn State)
Your Cross County case could be worth just as much.
📋 What Cross County Families Should Do RIGHT NOW
If your child was hazed, time is critical. Evidence disappears, witnesses forget, and statutes of limitations run out.
🚨 IMMEDIATE STEPS (Do These TODAY):
- 🏥 Seek medical attention – Even if injuries seem minor, get them checked. Hazing injuries (like rhabdomyolysis) can be life-threatening.
- 📸 Document everything – Take photos of injuries, save texts/emails, screenshot social media posts.
- 🚫 Do NOT talk to the fraternity/university – They will try to cover it up. Do not sign anything.
- 📞 Call Attorney 911 – 1-888-ATTY-911 (24/7). We offer free consultations for Cross County families.
- 📝 Report to authorities – Consider filing a police report or Title IX complaint.
❌ DO NOT:
- Delete any messages or posts
- Confront the fraternity alone
- Accept a settlement without legal advice
- Assume “it’s just tradition” – It’s abuse, and it’s illegal
🏆 Why Cross County Families Choose Attorney 911
We are not just any law firm. We are hazing litigation experts with a proven track record:
✅ $10M hazing lawsuit – Currently fighting Pi Kappa Phi & University of Houston
✅ Former insurance defense attorneys – We know how they’ll fight your case
✅ Federal court admitted – Can pursue national fraternities anywhere
✅ Dual-state licensed (Texas & New York) – Strategic advantage against national organizations
✅ Se habla español – Bilingual support for Cross County families
✅ Contingency fee – $0 upfront. We only get paid if you win.
We are the only firm in America with two former insurance defense attorneys fighting for hazing victims. That means we know exactly how the other side will try to deny your claim—and we know how to beat them.
🎯 Our Message to Cross County Fraternities & Universities
To the fraternities operating near Cross County:
We are watching. The same legal strategies that secured $10M+ verdicts nationwide apply to your chapter. If you haze students in Cross County, we will find every liable entity.
Pi Kappa Phi, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, Kappa Sigma, Phi Delta Theta—if your chapter operates near Cross County, know this:
- We are currently suing Pi Kappa Phi for waterboarding a student.
- We have won millions against your organizations before.
- We will not stop until every chapter that hazes is held accountable.
To the universities near Cross County (Arkansas State, UCA, UA, Henderson State, etc.):
The same institutional negligence that made University of Houston a defendant exists at your campus. Act now—or face the same accountability.
📞 Cross County Families: Call Us NOW
If your child was hazed in Cross County or anywhere in Arkansas, call us immediately.
📞 1-888-ATTY-911 (24/7)
📧 ralph@atty911.com
🌐 attorney911.com
We offer:
✔ Free, confidential consultations – No obligation
✔ Video consultations – No need to travel
✔ Contingency fee – $0 upfront; we only get paid if you win
✔ Aggressive representation – We will fight for every dollar you deserve
Don’t wait. Evidence disappears. Witnesses forget. And your child’s rights expire.
🔥 Enough Is Enough. Cross County Deserves Justice.
This is happening to students near you. It could be your child next.
We are Attorney 911. We are Ralph Manginello and Lupe Pena. And we are ready to fight for Cross County families.
Call 1-888-ATTY-911 today.
