🚨 Hazing Victims in Greene County, Iowa: Your Rights, Your Recourse

If your child has been hazed at a college or university near Greene County, Iowa, you are not powerless. The same fraternities, the same dangerous traditions, and the same institutional failures that hospitalized a student in Houston are happening right here in Iowa. And just like we’re fighting for Leonel Bermudez, we will fight for your family.

At Attorney 911, we are currently litigating a $10 million lawsuit against Pi Kappa Phi fraternity and the University of Houston for a hazing incident that left a student with rhabdomyolysis and kidney failure. This isn’t theoretical for us — it’s happening right now. And we are bringing this same aggressive representation to Greene County families.

🔍 What Is Happening in Greene County?

Greene County, Iowa, is home to strong communities, hardworking families, and students who deserve to pursue their education in safety. But the same national fraternities that waterboarded a student in Houston — Pi Kappa Phi, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, Pi Kappa Alpha, Beta Theta Pi, Phi Delta Theta, and others — have active chapters at universities across Iowa, including those near Greene County.

These organizations operate under the same national structures that have paid millions of dollars in settlements for hazing deaths and injuries nationwide. They bring the same culture of secrecy, intimidation, and abuse to Iowa campuses. And when students are hurt, they try to silence victims with threats, shame, and legal intimidation.

This is not “tradition.” This is not “brotherhood.” This is abuse. And it’s illegal.

🏛️ Universities Near Greene County Where Hazing Occurs

Greene County is located in the heart of Iowa, within driving distance of several colleges and universities with active Greek life. While we cannot confirm specific incidents at these institutions without documentation, we know from national patterns that hazing happens at universities across the country — including those near Greene County.

Major Universities Near Greene County with Greek Life:

Important Note: This list is not exhaustive, and hazing can occur at any institution with Greek organizations — including smaller colleges, community colleges, and even high schools with clubs or teams. If your child was hazed at any school near Greene County, we can help.

⚠️ What Hazing Looks Like in Greene County

Hazing is not just “boys being boys” or “harmless pranks.” It is systematic abuse disguised as tradition. Based on our current case and national patterns, here are the types of hazing that happen at universities near Greene County:

Physical Abuse:

• Forced exercise to exhaustion — 500 squats, 100 pushups, bear crawls, “suicides” (sprinting drills)
• Being struck with wooden paddles or other objects
• Waterboarding or simulated drowning — as seen in our Houston case
• Branding or burning
• Confinement in small spaces

Forced Consumption:

• Alcohol poisoning — forced binge drinking until vomiting or blacking out
• Food consumption until vomiting — milk, hot dogs, peppercorns, other substances
• Forced to continue activities while vomiting or in distress

Psychological Torture:

• Sleep deprivation — forced to stay up all night or drive members at early hours
• Humiliation rituals — forced to wear embarrassing clothing, carry sexual objects, strip in public
• Hog-tying or restraint — being tied up with objects in mouth (documented in our Houston case)
• Threats of expulsion or physical harm for non-compliance

Sexual Abuse:

• Forced nudity
• Sexualized activities
• Sexual assault

Medical Consequences:

• Rhabdomyolysis — muscle breakdown leading to kidney failure (as seen in our client)
• Alcohol poisoning — potentially fatal
• Traumatic brain injury — from beatings or falls
• Hypothermia or heat stroke — from exposure
• PTSD, anxiety, depression, suicidal ideation

🚑 Real Stories from Real Students — This Could Be Your Child

Leonel Bermudez — University of Houston (2025)

What Happened: A “ghost rush” (not even enrolled at UH yet), Bermudez was waterboarded with a garden hose, forced to do 500 squats, 100 pushups, and other extreme exercises. He was struck with wooden paddles and forced to eat until he vomited. He collapsed and was hospitalized for four days with rhabdomyolysis and kidney failure.

Why It Matters to Greene County: Pi Kappa Phi has 150+ chapters nationwide, including at universities near Greene County. If they haze in Houston, they haze in Iowa.

Stone Foltz — Bowling Green State University (2021)

What Happened: Forced to drink an entire bottle of alcohol during a “Big/Little” event. Died from alcohol poisoning.

Outcome: $10.1 million settlement — the largest public university hazing payout in Ohio history.

Maxwell Gruver — Louisiana State University (2017)

What Happened: Died from alcohol poisoning after being forced to drink during a “Bible Study” pledge event. His blood alcohol content was 0.495 — more than 6 times the legal limit.

Outcome: $6.1 million jury verdict; Max Gruver Act — made hazing a felony in Louisiana.

Timothy Piazza — Penn State University (2017)

What Happened: Forced to run “the gauntlet” — 18 drinks in 82 minutes. Fell down stairs multiple times. Fraternity members waited 12 hours before calling 911. Died from traumatic brain injury.

Outcome: Estimated $110 million settlement; Timothy J. Piazza Antihazing Law in Pennsylvania.

⚖️ Your Legal Rights in Greene County, Iowa

Iowa Hazing Law — What You Need to Know

Iowa has strong anti-hazing laws that apply to all educational institutions in the state, including colleges and universities near Greene County.

Iowa Code § 708.10 — Hazing

Definition: A person commits hazing when the person intentionally or recklessly engages in any act or acts involving forced activity which endanger the physical health or safety of a student for the purpose of initiation or admission into, or affiliation with, any organization operating in connection with a school, college, or university.

Key Points:

• Consent is NOT a defense — Even if your child “agreed” to participate, it doesn’t matter.
• Forced activity includes physical brutality, forced consumption, sleep deprivation, confinement, any activity that endangers health or safety.
• Criminal penalties — Hazing is a serious misdemeanor, punishable by up to 1 year in jail and a $1,875 fine.
• Enhanced penalties — If hazing causes serious injury or death, penalties increase significantly.

What This Means for Greene County Families:

• If your child was hazed, the perpetrators can be criminally prosecuted.
• You can also file a civil lawsuit for damages — medical bills, pain and suffering, and more.
• Universities and national fraternities can be held financially liable for failing to prevent hazing.

Who Can Be Sued in Greene County Hazing Cases?

When hazing happens, multiple parties are responsible. We pursue everyone who allowed it to happen:

What Can Greene County Families Recover?

Hazing victims and their families are entitled to full and fair compensation for the harm they’ve suffered. This includes:

Economic Damages:

• Medical bills — Hospitalization, ER visits, specialists, future treatment
• Lost wages — Time missed from work during recovery
• Educational costs — Tuition, fees, lost scholarships
• Future medical expenses — Ongoing treatment for kidney damage, PTSD, etc.

Non-Economic Damages:

• Pain and suffering — Physical pain from hazing and recovery
• Mental anguish — Trauma from waterboarding, humiliation, threats
• Emotional distress — PTSD, anxiety, depression, fear of retaliation
• Loss of enjoyment of life — Inability to participate in normal activities
• Disfigurement — Scars from branding, burns, or injuries

Punitive Damages:

• Punishment for egregious conduct — When hazing is intentional or reckless
• Deterrence for other organizations — To send a message that this behavior will not be tolerated

Precedent Settlements and Verdicts:

• $10.1 million — Stone Foltz (Bowling Green State)
• $6.1 million — Maxwell Gruver (LSU)
• $110+ million — Timothy Piazza (Penn State)
• $10 million — Our current case (University of Houston)

📋 What to Do If Your Child Is Hazed in Greene County

If your child has been hazed at a college or university near Greene County, time is critical. Evidence disappears, memories fade, and legal deadlines approach. Here’s what to do immediately:

Step 1: Ensure Safety

• Get your child to a safe location — Remove them from the dangerous environment.
• Seek medical attention — Even if injuries seem minor, get checked. Rhabdomyolysis, alcohol poisoning, and other conditions can be life-threatening.
• Document injuries — Take photos of bruises, cuts, burns, or other physical evidence.

Step 2: Preserve Evidence

• Save all communications — Text messages, GroupMe chats, Snapchats, Instagram DMs, emails.
• Take screenshots — Before anything is deleted.
• Write down everything — Dates, times, locations, names of perpetrators, witnesses.
• Save clothing or objects — Items used in hazing (paddles, restraints, etc.).
• Record witness statements — Get contact information for other pledges or witnesses.

Step 3: Do NOT Talk to the Organization

• Do NOT confront the fraternity/sorority — They will try to control the narrative and destroy evidence.
• Do NOT sign anything — They may try to get you to sign a waiver or nondisclosure agreement.
• Do NOT post on social media — Anything you post can be used against you.

Step 4: Report the Incident

• File a police report — Hazing is a crime in Iowa.
• Report to the university — File a formal complaint with the school’s Title IX office or student affairs.
• Report to the national organization — If applicable (e.g., Pi Kappa Phi National).

Step 5: Contact an Attorney

• Call Attorney 911 immediately — 1-888-ATTY-911
• Free consultation — We’ll evaluate your case and explain your rights.
• No upfront cost — We work on contingency — you pay nothing unless we win.

⏳ Statute of Limitations — Don’t Wait

Iowa law limits how long you have to file a lawsuit after a hazing incident.

• Personal Injury: 2 years from the date of the injury.
• Wrongful Death: 2 years from the date of death.

Important Notes:

• Do NOT wait until the deadline approaches — Evidence disappears, witnesses forget, and your case weakens.
• Delayed injuries — Some injuries (like PTSD) may not appear immediately. The clock may start when you discover the injury.
• Minors — If the victim was under 18 at the time of the incident, the clock may not start until they turn 18.

Greene County families: The sooner you act, the stronger your case will be.

🏆 Why Choose Attorney 911 for Your Greene County Hazing Case?

We Are Fighting This Battle Right Now

We are currently litigating a $10 million lawsuit against Pi Kappa Phi and the University of Houston for a hazing incident that hospitalized a student with rhabdomyolysis and kidney failure. This isn’t theoretical for us — it’s happening right now, and we are bringing this same aggressive representation to Greene County families.

Former Insurance Defense Attorneys — We Know Their Playbook

Both Ralph Manginello and Lupe Pena worked for insurance companies and large defense firms before switching sides to represent victims. We know exactly how they try to minimize claims, delay justice, and blame victims. We use that insider knowledge to maximize your recovery.

Nationwide Reach — We Serve Greene County Families

While we are based in Texas, we represent hazing victims nationwide, including Greene County, Iowa. We have:

• Federal court authority — Can pursue cases in federal jurisdiction.
• Dual-state bar licenses — Texas and New York.
• Willingness to travel — We will come to Greene County for depositions, trials, and client meetings.
• Remote consultations — Video meetings available for Greene County families.

Proven Results — Multi-Million Dollar Verdicts and Settlements

We have recovered millions of dollars for victims of personal injury, including:

• BP Texas City explosion litigation — Mass tort experience.
• Wrongful death cases — Compassionate representation for grieving families.
• Catastrophic injury cases — Including rhabdomyolysis and brain injuries.

We Speak Spanish — Se Habla Español

Many hazing victims in Greene County come from Hispanic families. We have bilingual staff and can serve Spanish-speaking clients without language barriers.

We Care — Not Just About the Money, About the Message

We see your child as a person, not a paycheck. We fight hard for Greene County families because we truly care about stopping this cycle of abuse. As Lupe Pena said in our Houston case:

“If this prevents harm to another person, that’s what we’re hoping to do. Let’s bring this to light. Enough is enough.”

📞 Greene County Families: Call Now — Free Consultation

If your child has been hazed at a college or university near Greene County, you are not alone. We are here to help.

Call Attorney 911 now for a free, confidential consultation:

📞 1-888-ATTY-911

Email: ralph@atty911.com
Website: attorney911.com

We work on contingency — you pay nothing unless we win.

We will travel to Greene County for your case. Distance is not a barrier to justice.

🎯 Our Promise to Greene County Families

1. We will listen — Your story matters. We will hear you.
2. We will investigate — We will gather evidence, interview witnesses, and build a strong case.
3. We will fight — We will take on the fraternities, the universities, and their insurance companies.
4. We will win — We will maximize your compensation and hold them accountable.
5. We will protect — We will shield you from retaliation and intimidation.

🔥 A Message to Fraternities Operating Near Greene County

To Pi Kappa Phi, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, Pi Kappa Alpha, Beta Theta Pi, Phi Delta Theta, and all other fraternities with chapters near Greene County:

We are watching. The same legal strategies that secured $10+ million verdicts nationwide apply to your chapters. If you haze students in Greene County, we will find every liable entity — the local chapter, the national organization, the university, and the individuals involved.

Pi Kappa Phi’s Beta Nu chapter at University of Houston? Shut down. Charter surrendered. Criminal referrals initiated. Our client’s $10 million lawsuit is ongoing.

That’s what happens when you haze in Iowa.

📢 A Message to Universities Near Greene County

To Iowa State University, University of Iowa, Drake University, and all other institutions near Greene County:

You have a duty to protect your students. When you own fraternity houses, when you recognize Greek organizations, when you collect tuition from students who are hazed — you are responsible.

The University of Houston owned the Pi Kappa Phi house where a student was waterboarded. They are now a defendant in our $10 million lawsuit.

If you fail to prevent hazing at your institution, you will be next.

🌟 A Message to Greene County Families

To the parents, the siblings, the friends of hazing victims in Greene County:

We know you’re hurting. We know you’re angry. We know you feel powerless.

But you are not powerless. The law is on your side. We are on your side.

This is not your fault. Your child did not deserve this. And those who hurt them will be held accountable.

Call us. Fight with us. Let’s end this together.

📞 1-888-ATTY-911

Greene County hazing victims: The fight for justice starts now.