Hazing Victims in Osceola County, Iowa: Your Legal Rights and How to Seek Justice

Hazing Doesn’t Stop at State Lines — Neither Does Justice

If your child has been hazed at a college, university, or Greek organization near Osceola County, Iowa, you’re not alone. What happened to Leonel Bermudez at the University of Houston — waterboarding, forced exercise until kidney failure, and physical abuse — happens right here in Iowa too. The same national fraternities with chapters near Osceola County have paid millions of dollars in settlements for hazing deaths and injuries. The same universities that fail to protect students in Texas fail students in Iowa too.

You have legal rights. You have options. And you have allies.

At Attorney 911, we are currently litigating a $10 million hazing lawsuit against Pi Kappa Phi and the University of Houston. We know how to fight these cases. We know how to win. And we will bring that same aggressive representation to Osceola County families.

What Happened in Houston Could Happen in Osceola County

The Case That Should Alarm Every Iowa Parent

On November 21, 2025, we filed a $10 million lawsuit on behalf of Leonel Bermudez, a young man who accepted a bid to join Pi Kappa Phi at the University of Houston. What followed was seven weeks of systematic torture:

• Waterboarding with a garden hose — simulated drowning as punishment
• Forced to do 500 squats and 100 pushups until he collapsed and couldn’t stand
• Struck with wooden paddles — physical abuse with weapons
• Forced to eat until vomiting, then made to run sprints while covered in vomit
• Hog-tied on a table — another pledge was bound face-down with an object in his mouth for over an hour
• Stripped to underwear in cold weather — humiliation and exposure
• Carrying a fanny pack with sexual objects — psychological degradation
• Forced to drive fraternity members at all hours — sleep deprivation and exhaustion

On November 3, 2025, after being punished for missing an event, Bermudez was forced to perform extreme physical exercises. He became so exhausted he couldn’t stand without help. The next day, he was too sore to move. By November 6, his mother rushed him to the hospital where he was diagnosed with severe rhabdomyolysis and acute kidney failure, requiring four days of inpatient care.

This wasn’t an accident. This was abuse. This was torture. And it happens at universities near Osceola County every year.

Hazing Is Happening Near Osceola County — Right Now

The Same Fraternities. The Same Risks.

Pi Kappa Phi isn’t the only fraternity with a history of hazing. The same national organizations that have paid millions in settlements for hazing deaths operate chapters at universities near Osceola County:

These aren’t isolated incidents. This is a pattern. And it’s happening at universities near Osceola County.

What Is Hazing? Iowa Law Is Clear

Iowa Code § 708.10 defines hazing as:

“Any act which endangers the physical health or safety of a student, or which destroys or removes public or private property, for the purpose of initiation or admission into, affiliation with, or as a condition for continued membership in, a student organization.”

This includes:

• Physical abuse — paddling, beating, branding, forced exercise
• Forced consumption — alcohol, food, drugs, or other substances
• Sleep deprivation — late-night activities, forced driving
• Psychological abuse — humiliation, degradation, threats
• Dangerous activities — waterboarding, exposure, confinement

Iowa law is explicit: Consent is NOT a defense. Even if your child “agreed” to participate, the law says that doesn’t matter. Hazing is illegal in Iowa, period.

Who Is Liable for Hazing in Osceola County?

When hazing happens, multiple parties can be held legally responsible:

In our Houston case, we’re suing:

• Pi Kappa Phi National
• The local chapter
• Individual members
• Former members
• The University of Houston
• The housing corporation

The same strategy applies to Osceola County cases.

What Can Osceola County Families Recover?

Hazing victims and their families may be entitled to compensation for:

Economic Damages (Actual Financial Losses)

• Medical bills — emergency room, hospitalization, ongoing treatment
• Future medical care — kidney monitoring, therapy, rehabilitation
• Lost wages — time missed from work or internships
• Lost academic opportunities — delayed graduation, lost scholarships
• Property damage — if personal items were destroyed

Non-Economic Damages (Pain and Suffering)

• Physical pain — from injuries, medical treatment, recovery
• Mental anguish — PTSD, anxiety, depression, fear of retribution
• Emotional distress — humiliation, shame, loss of trust
• Loss of enjoyment of life — impact on college experience, social life
• Disfigurement — permanent scars or injuries

Punitive Damages (To Punish Egregious Conduct)

• Awarded when conduct is intentional, reckless, or grossly negligent
• Designed to deter future hazing
• No cap in Iowa — juries can award whatever they deem appropriate
• Our Houston case involves waterboarding — a form of torture — punitive damages are absolutely appropriate

Precedent Cases: Hazing Victims Win Millions

These Cases Prove That Osceola County Families Can Win Too

These aren’t just numbers. These are messages.

Every time a fraternity or university pays millions for hazing, it sends a message: This cannot happen again. And every time a family stands up, it protects the next student.

What Should Osceola County Families Do Right Now?

Step 1: Get Medical Attention Immediately

• Even if injuries seem minor, get checked by a doctor
• Document everything — medical records are critical evidence
• Rhabdomyolysis (muscle breakdown) can be life-threatening — don’t wait

Step 2: Preserve All Evidence

DO NOT DELETE ANYTHING. Save:

• Text messages — GroupMe, Snapchat, Instagram DMs, WhatsApp
• Photos/videos — of injuries, hazing activities, locations
• Social media posts — from fraternity members bragging about hazing
• Emails — from the organization, university, or members
• Pledge manuals — any documents given to you
• Witness information — names and contact info of other pledges or witnesses

DO NOT:

• Talk to fraternity/sorority leadership without legal counsel
• Give statements to university administrators alone
• Sign anything from the organization
• Post about the incident on social media

Step 3: Report to Authorities

• File a police report — hazing is a crime in Iowa
• Report to the university — but do NOT give a statement without an attorney
• Consider a Title IX complaint — if sexual harassment or assault was involved

Step 4: Contact an Attorney Immediately

• The statute of limitations in Iowa is 2 years — don’t wait
• Evidence disappears quickly — witnesses forget, messages get deleted
• Insurance companies will try to lowball you — they don’t have your best interests at heart

At Attorney 911, we offer:

• Free consultations — no cost to discuss your case
• Contingency fee representation — you pay nothing upfront; we only get paid if you win
• Nationwide service — we represent hazing victims across America, including Osceola County
• Video consultations — meet with us remotely if you can’t travel
• Aggressive representation — we’re currently litigating a $10 million hazing case

Why Choose Attorney 911 for Your Osceola County Hazing Case?

We Are the Hazing Litigation Experts

We Know How to Fight — And Win

In our Houston case, we’re taking on:

• Pi Kappa Phi National — a fraternity with 150+ chapters
• University of Houston — a major public university
• Individual members — personal liability for their actions

We’re not intimidated. We’re prepared. And we will bring that same fight to Osceola County.

What Happens Next? The Legal Process for Osceola County Hazing Victims

Step 1: Free Consultation

• We’ll evaluate your case at no cost
• We’ll explain your legal rights and options
• We’ll answer all your questions

Step 2: Investigation

• Gather evidence — medical records, photos, communications
• Identify all responsible parties
• Build your case

Step 3: Demand Letter

• Send a demand to the defendants
• Outline the damages and evidence
• Seek fair compensation

Step 4: Negotiation

• Negotiate with insurance companies and defendants
• Fight for the maximum settlement
• If they won’t settle fairly, we’ll file a lawsuit

Step 5: Litigation

• File a lawsuit in court
• Conduct discovery — depose defendants, gather documents
• Prepare for trial

Step 6: Resolution

• Settlement — most cases settle before trial
• Trial — if necessary, we’ll take your case to a jury
• Verdict — hold the defendants accountable

We handle every step. You focus on healing.

Common Questions from Osceola County Families

Q: “My child was hazed, but they weren’t seriously injured. Do we have a case?”

A: Yes. Even if your child wasn’t hospitalized, hazing causes real harm — physical, emotional, and psychological. You may still be entitled to compensation for pain and suffering, therapy costs, and other damages.

Q: “The fraternity says my child consented. Does that mean we can’t sue?”

A: No. Iowa law explicitly states that consent is not a defense to hazing. Even if your child agreed to participate, the law says that doesn’t matter. The fraternity is still liable.

Q: “We’re in Osceola County. Can you really help us?”

A: Absolutely. We represent hazing victims nationwide. We offer video consultations, travel to Osceola County for meetings, and pursue cases in federal court. Distance is not a barrier to justice.

Q: “What if the university says they didn’t know about the hazing?”

A: Universities have a duty to protect students. If they failed to implement proper oversight, they can be held liable. In our Houston case, the University of Houston owned the fraternity house where the hazing occurred — they can’t claim ignorance.

Q: “How much is our case worth?”

A: Every case is different. Factors include:

• Severity of injuries
• Medical expenses
• Psychological impact
• Pattern of hazing at the chapter
• Institutional knowledge (did they know it was happening?)
• Egregiousness of conduct (waterboarding, paddling, etc.)

Precedent cases range from $1 million to $110 million. We’ll evaluate your case and fight for the maximum compensation.

Q: “Will this affect my child’s academic or athletic future?”

A: We understand your concerns. We can:

• File cases under seal to protect privacy
• Use pseudonyms in court documents
• Work with the university to minimize academic impact
• Pursue justice while protecting your child’s future

Q: “What if the fraternity threatens to retaliate?”

A: Retaliation is illegal. We will:

• Document any threats
• Include retaliation in the lawsuit
• Seek restraining orders if necessary
• Protect your child from further harm

The Message to Osceola County Fraternities: We Are Watching

To the fraternities operating near Osceola County:

We know who you are.

• Pi Kappa Alpha at Iowa State
• Sigma Alpha Epsilon at University of Iowa
• Phi Delta Theta at University of Iowa
• Beta Theta Pi at Iowa State
• And every other chapter

We know your national organizations.

• Pi Kappa Phi National
• Sigma Alpha Epsilon National
• Phi Delta Theta National
• Beta Theta Pi National

We know your history.

• You’ve paid millions in settlements for hazing deaths and injuries
• You’ve had chapters closed and suspended
• You’ve had members criminally charged

We know your playbook.

• You’ll claim it was “tradition”
• You’ll say the victim “consented”
• You’ll offer a low settlement to make it go away
• You’ll try to intimidate victims into silence

Here’s what you need to know:

• We are Attorney 911.
• We are Ralph Manginello and Lupe Pena.
• We are currently litigating a $10 million hazing lawsuit.
• We know how to beat you.
• We will hold you accountable.

If you haze students near Osceola County, we will find out. We will sue you. And we will win.

The Message to Osceola County Universities: You Are Responsible

To the universities near Osceola County — Iowa State University, University of Iowa, private colleges:

You own the buildings. You control the organizations. You have the power to stop hazing.

In Houston, the University of Houston owned the fraternity house where Leonel Bermudez was waterboarded. They knew about a prior hazing incident in 2017. They did nothing.

The same failures happen at Iowa universities.

• You have the power to inspect fraternity houses.
• You have the power to suspend or expel organizations.
• You have the power to implement real oversight.

You choose not to use it — until someone gets hurt. Then you express shock and close the chapter quietly.

That ends now.

We will hold universities accountable for:

• Premises liability — owning buildings where hazing occurs
• Negligent supervision — failing to monitor Greek life
• Institutional knowledge — knowing about prior incidents and doing nothing
• Failure to protect students — your legal duty as educators

If you fail to protect students in Osceola County, you will pay.

The Message to Osceola County Parents: You Are Not Powerless

We know what you’re feeling:

• Anger — that your child was abused
• Fear — for their safety and future
• Helplessness — that powerful institutions are against you
• Guilt — that you didn’t know this could happen

You are not alone. You are not powerless. And you are not without options.

This is what we can do together:

1. Hold the abusers accountable — so they can’t hurt another student
2. Send a message — that hazing will cost millions
3. Protect the next student — so no other Osceola County family goes through this
4. Get justice for your child — compensation for their pain, suffering, and medical bills

You don’t have to fight this alone. We are here to fight for you.

Next Steps for Osceola County Families

If your child has been hazed, call us now.

📞 1-888-ATTY-911 (24/7)
📧 ralph@atty911.com
🌐 attorney911.com

Free consultation. No upfront cost. No risk.

What to expect when you call:

1. We’ll listen to your story
2. We’ll evaluate your case
3. We’ll explain your legal rights
4. We’ll outline your options
5. We’ll start fighting for you — immediately

We know this is hard. We know you’re scared. We know you have questions.

We’re here to help.

Enough Is Enough. It’s Time for Accountability.

Hazing has stolen too many lives. It has destroyed too many futures. It has betrayed too many families.

In Houston, we’re fighting for Leonel Bermudez.
In Osceola County, we’re fighting for your child.

The culture changes when the cost becomes too high. Let’s make it too high to ignore.

📞 1-888-ATTY-911
📧 ralph@atty911.com

Attorney 911 — Legal Emergency Lawyers™
Serving Osceola County and Iowa from Houston, Austin, and Beaumont
We come to you. We fight for you. We win for you.