🛡️ Hazing Victims in Charles County, Maryland: Your Legal Rights and Path to Justice

Attorney 911 — Nationwide Hazing Litigation Experts Now Serving Charles County Families

“This happened in Houston. This happens at universities near Charles County. This could happen to your child. We’re fighting it in court right now — and we’ll fight for Charles County families with the same fury.”

🚨 The Hazing Crisis Has Reached Charles County

Charles County is home to St. Mary’s College of Maryland, a public liberal arts college with a vibrant campus life. Just 40 minutes away in College Park, the University of Maryland boasts one of the largest Greek systems in the nation, with over 50 fraternities and sororities. Across the state, Towson University, Salisbury University, and Morgan State University all have active Greek organizations.

The same national fraternities that waterboarded a student in Houston operate chapters near Charles County.

The same “traditions” that hospitalized our client in Texas exist at fraternities and sororities in Maryland. The same negligence that allowed hazing at the University of Houston exists at institutions near Charles County.

If your child is pledging a fraternity or sorority near Charles County, they face the same risks.

📰 The Case That Shows Charles County Families What Hazing Really Is

Bermudez v. Pi Kappa Phi — The $10 Million Fight We’re Bringing to Charles County

What happened in Houston can — and does — happen in Maryland.

In November 2025, Leonel Bermudez, a prospective member of Pi Kappa Phi at the University of Houston, was subjected to weeks of systematic torture as part of the fraternity’s pledge process. The abuse included:

• Waterboarding with a garden hose — simulated drowning, a form of torture
• Forced to do 500 squats and 100 pushups until he collapsed
• Struck with wooden paddles — physical assault with weapons
• Forced to eat milk, hot dogs, and peppercorns until vomiting — then forced to continue exercising
• Sleep deprivation — forced to drive fraternity members at all hours
• Humiliation — forced to carry sexual objects, strip in cold weather

On November 3, 2025, Bermudez was punished for missing an event. He was forced to perform extreme physical exercises until he could not stand without help. He crawled up the stairs when he got home. The next day, he couldn’t move. By November 6, his mother rushed him to the hospital with severe rhabdomyolysis and acute kidney failure. He spent four days in the hospital fighting for his life.

This wasn’t an isolated incident. This was a pattern.

In 2017, Andrew Coffey died at a Pi Kappa Phi chapter at Florida State University from forced alcohol consumption. Pi Kappa Phi had eight years to fix their culture. They did nothing. In 2025, Bermudez was hospitalized.

The same fraternity. The same negligence. Eight years apart.

And the University of Houston? They owned the fraternity house where the torture occurred. They had a student hospitalized from hazing in 2017 at a different fraternity. They knew the risks. They did nothing to stop it.

⚖️ Maryland Hazing Laws — What Charles County Families Need to Know

Maryland has strong anti-hazing laws that protect students — including those at St. Mary’s College of Maryland and universities near Charles County.

Maryland Criminal Law § 3-607 — Hazing

Definition:

A person may not recklessly or intentionally do an act or create a situation that subjects a student to the risk of serious bodily injury for the purpose of an initiation into a student organization.

Penalties:

• Misdemeanor — Up to 6 months in jail and/or $500 fine for first offense
• Felony — Up to 1 year in jail and/or $5,000 fine if the hazing results in serious bodily injury or death

Consent is NOT a defense. Even if a student “agrees” to participate, it doesn’t matter under Maryland law.

💔 Who Is Liable for Hazing in Charles County?

If your child is hazed at a fraternity, sorority, or any student organization near Charles County, multiple parties can be held legally responsible:

In our Houston case, we’re suing ALL of them — and we’ll do the same for Charles County families.

💰 What Charles County Families Can Recover — Multi-Million Dollar Precedents

Hazing cases result in multi-million dollar settlements and verdicts. The same legal strategies we’re using in Texas apply to Charles County cases.

Recent Hazing Settlements & Verdicts:

These aren’t isolated cases. These are the new standard.

Charles County families can recover compensation for:

• Medical expenses — hospital bills, rehabilitation, therapy
• Pain and suffering — physical and emotional trauma
• Lost wages — time missed from work or school
• Future medical costs — ongoing treatment for kidney damage, PTSD, etc.
• Educational disruption — impact on grades, scholarships, graduation
• Punitive damages — to punish egregious conduct and prevent future hazing

Our $10 million demand in the Houston case is in line with these precedents — and we’ll seek the same for Charles County victims.

🔍 What to Do If Your Child Is Hazed in Charles County

Step 1: Get Medical Attention Immediately

• Even if injuries seem minor, get checked by a doctor
• Document everything — medical records are critical evidence
• Rhabdomyolysis (like our client suffered) can be life-threatening

Step 2: Preserve All Evidence

• Save all communications — texts, GroupMe messages, Snapchats, emails
• Take photos of injuries, hazing locations, any objects used
• Document witness names — other pledges, bystanders
• Keep all clothing or items used in hazing
• Do NOT delete anything — even if it seems embarrassing

Step 3: Do NOT Talk to the Organization Without Legal Counsel

• Fraternities, sororities, and universities will try to control the narrative
• They may ask you to sign documents — DON’T
• They may offer money — DON’T accept without consulting us
• Anything you say can be used against you

Step 4: Contact Attorney 911 Immediately

• Call 1-888-ATTY-911 — 24/7 for Charles County families
• Email ralph@atty911.com
• Free consultation — we’ll evaluate your case at no cost
• No upfront fees — we work on contingency; you pay nothing unless we win

🎯 Why Charles County Families Choose Attorney 911

1. We’re Fighting This Battle RIGHT NOW

• We’re currently litigating a $10 million hazing lawsuit against Pi Kappa Phi and the University of Houston
• We know how to build these cases
• We know how to win
• Charles County families get the same aggressive representation

2. Nationwide Reach — We Come to Charles County

• Based in Texas, but we serve hazing victims nationwide
• Federal court authority — U.S. District Court admission
• Dual-state bar licenses — Texas AND New York
• We travel to Charles County for depositions, trials, and client meetings
• Remote consultations available for Charles County families

3. Former Insurance Defense Attorneys — We Know Their Playbook

• Ralph Manginello and Lupe Pena both worked for insurance companies before switching sides
• We know how they try to minimize claims
• We know how to dismantle their defenses
• We’ve seen their playbook — now we use it against them

4. Proven Results in High-Stakes Litigation

• BP Texas City explosion — mass tort litigation against major corporation
• Multi-million dollar settlements in personal injury cases
• Hundreds of cases won by exposing flawed evidence
• Same aggressive approach applied to Charles County hazing cases

5. We Speak Your Language — Literally

• Se habla español — bilingual staff available
• Charles County has a diverse community, and we serve everyone
• No language barriers to justice

6. We Treat Charles County Families Like Family

• Our staff is friendly, compassionate, and truly cares
• We understand the trauma hazing causes
• We see your child as a person — not a paycheck
• We fight hard because we genuinely care

📞 Charles County Families — Call Now for Immediate Help

If your child has been hazed at St. Mary’s College of Maryland, University of Maryland, or any school near Charles County:

📞 1-888-ATTY-911

Email: ralph@atty911.com

Free Consultation — 24/7 Availability

We work on CONTINGENCY — you pay $0 upfront. We don’t get paid unless YOU get paid.

🚨 Warning to Fraternities and Sororities Near Charles County

To the fraternities and sororities operating near Charles County:

We are watching. We are coming.

The same legal strategies that secured $10+ million verdicts nationwide apply to your chapter.

• Pi Kappa Phi — you’ve already paid millions after Andrew Coffey and Leonel Bermudez
• Sigma Alpha Epsilon — you’ve paid millions after multiple hazing deaths
• Phi Delta Theta — you’ve paid millions after Maxwell Gruver
• Beta Theta Pi — you’ve paid $110 million after Timothy Piazza

If your chapter operates near Charles County, know this:

• We track your corporate structure
• We know your insurance policies
• We know your hazing history
• We will hold you accountable

Universities near Charles County — we’re coming for you too.

• St. Mary’s College of Maryland
• University of Maryland
• Towson University
• Salisbury University
• Morgan State University

You own the properties. You have the power to regulate. You have the duty to protect. When you fail, you will answer in court.

📢 Enough Is Enough — Charles County Deserves Justice

Hazing isn’t “tradition.” It isn’t “brotherhood.” It isn’t “building character.”

It’s abuse. It’s assault. It’s torture.

And it has no place in Charles County — or anywhere.

If your child has been hazed, you have legal rights. You have the right to hold the perpetrators accountable. You have the right to compensation for your child’s suffering.

We are Attorney 911. We are Ralph Manginello and Lupe Pena. And we are ready to fight for Charles County families.

📞 Call 1-888-ATTY-911 Now

📧 Email ralph@atty911.com

🌐 Visit attorney911.com

Charles County families — we will travel to you. We will fight for you. And we will win for you.

Attorney 911 — Legal Emergency Lawyers™
Serving Charles County, Maryland and Nationwide

Offices in Houston, Austin, and Beaumont — Now Fighting for Charles County Families