🚨 Hazing Legal Emergency: Newaygo County Parents, Your Child Could Be Next
Newaygo County Families: The Hazing Crisis Has Reached Our Community
We are Attorney 911, a Texas-based law firm with offices in Houston, Austin, and Beaumont. But we serve hazing victims nationwide — including right here in Newaygo County. We are currently litigating a $10 million lawsuit against Pi Kappa Phi and the University of Houston for a hazing victim hospitalized with kidney failure. The same fraternities operate at universities near Newaygo County. The same dangers exist here.
If your child has been hazed in Newaygo County — whether at a fraternity, sorority, sports team, or any student organization — we can help. Call our 24/7 hazing hotline now:
📞 1-888-ATTY-911
🔥 What Happened in Houston Could Happen in Newaygo County
On November 21, 2025, we filed a $10 million lawsuit against Pi Kappa Phi and the University of Houston on behalf of Leonel Bermudez, a young man who was waterboarded, forced to do 500 squats, struck with wooden paddles, and hospitalized with kidney failure during fraternity hazing.
This wasn’t an accident. This was torture.
And here’s the terrifying truth for Newaygo County families: The same fraternities that did this in Houston have chapters at universities near Newaygo County. Pi Kappa Phi, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, Pi Kappa Alpha — these organizations operate nationwide. If it happened at the University of Houston, it can happen — and likely IS happening — at Newaygo County institutions.
🏛️ Newaygo County Universities: Greek Life Hazing Risk
Newaygo County is home to a strong community of families who value education and send their children to college expecting them to be safe. But hazing is not limited to big cities or faraway schools. It happens at institutions near Newaygo County, including:
- Ferris State University (Big Rapids, MI) – Active Greek life with multiple fraternities and sororities
- Grand Valley State University (Allendale, MI) – Large Greek system with documented hazing concerns
- Central Michigan University (Mount Pleasant, MI) – Greek organizations with national affiliations
- Western Michigan University (Kalamazoo, MI) – Multiple fraternities with chapters near Newaygo County
These are not just names on a map. These are the schools where Newaygo County students go to college. These are the fraternities your children might be pledging.
And here’s what we know from our Houston case: The national organizations that oversee these chapters knew about the dangers. Pi Kappa Phi had a student die from hazing in 2017. They had eight years to fix their culture. They didn’t. Now another student is fighting for his life.
Newaygo County families: If your child is pledging a fraternity or sorority near here, they face the same risks.
💔 What Hazing Really Looks Like — The Newaygo County Reality
Hazing isn’t “boys being boys.” It isn’t “tradition.” It isn’t “building character.”
Hazing is abuse. It is assault. It is torture.
In our Houston case, Leonel Bermudez was subjected to:
- Waterboarding with a garden hose – Simulated drowning, a technique considered torture by the U.S. government
- 500 squats, 100 pushups, bear crawls, 100-yard crawls – Forced until his muscles broke down and his kidneys failed
- Struck with wooden paddles – Physical assault with weapons
- Forced to eat until vomiting – Then forced to keep running through his own vomit
- Stripped to underwear in cold weather – Humiliation and exposure
- Carrying objects of sexual nature – Psychological abuse
- Sleep deprivation – Forced to drive members at all hours, leading to exhaustion
This is not hazing. This is a war crime when done to enemy combatants. They did it to college students in Houston. They’re doing it to students near Newaygo County.
And it’s not just fraternities. Hazing happens in sororities, sports teams, marching bands, ROTC, and other student organizations across Newaygo County institutions.
🚨 Warning Signs Your Newaygo County Child Is Being Hazed
Newaygo County parents: Your child may not tell you they’re being hazed. They may be afraid of retaliation, ashamed, or believe it’s “just part of the process.” But there are warning signs:
Physical Signs:
- Unexplained bruises, cuts, or injuries
- Extreme fatigue or sleep deprivation
- Sudden weight loss or gain
- Signs of alcohol or drug use
- Difficulty walking or moving (could indicate muscle breakdown like rhabdomyolysis)
Behavioral Signs:
- Sudden withdrawal from family and friends
- Increased secrecy about activities
- Avoiding questions about their organization
- Sudden drop in academic performance
- Signs of anxiety, depression, or PTSD
- Fear or hesitation about attending events
Environmental Signs:
- Sudden requests for money with vague explanations
- Possession of unusual items (paddles, sexual objects, etc.)
- Wearing unusual clothing or accessories as “requirements”
- Late-night phone calls or texts they won’t explain
If you notice these signs in your Newaygo County student, ask questions. Trust your instincts. And know that you are not alone.
📞 What Newaygo County Families Should Do RIGHT NOW
If your child has been hazed in Newaygo County — or if you suspect they have — act immediately. Evidence disappears quickly, and Newaygo County families have legal rights.
Step 1: Ensure Safety
- Remove your child from the dangerous situation immediately
- Seek medical attention — even if injuries seem minor
Step 2: Preserve Evidence
- DO NOT DELETE ANYTHING — Save all text messages, GroupMe chats, Snapchats, Instagram DMs
- Take screenshots of all communications about hazing
- Photograph any injuries, unusual items, or locations
- Write down everything your child remembers — dates, times, what happened, who was there
Step 3: Do NOT Confront the Organization
- DO NOT talk to fraternity/sorority leadership without legal counsel
- DO NOT sign anything from the organization
- DO NOT post on social media about the incident
- Anything you say or sign can be used against your child
Step 4: Contact Attorney 911
📞 Call our 24/7 hazing hotline: 1-888-ATTY-911
We offer free, confidential consultations for Newaygo County families. We will:
- Evaluate your child’s case
- Explain your legal rights
- Guide you through the next steps
- Handle all communications with the organization and their lawyers
- Fight for maximum compensation for your child’s injuries
We work on contingency — Newaygo County families pay $0 upfront. We don’t get paid unless we win your case.
⚖️ Newaygo County Families Have Legal Rights
You may feel powerless against powerful institutions like universities and national fraternities. But Newaygo County families have legal rights, and we know how to enforce them.
Who Can Be Held Liable:
- The local chapter – Directly organized and conducted the hazing
- National organization – Failed to supervise despite knowing about hazing culture
- University – Failed to protect students despite having the power to regulate
- Individual members – Participated in or facilitated the hazing
- Chapter advisors – Failed to prevent the abuse
- Housing corporations – Owned the property where hazing occurred
What Newaygo County Families Can Recover:
- Medical expenses – Hospital bills, therapy, future treatment
- Pain and suffering – Physical and emotional trauma
- Lost wages – Time missed from work or internships
- Educational damages – Impact on academic performance and opportunities
- Punitive damages – To punish egregious conduct and prevent future hazing
In our Houston case, we are seeking $10 million. That’s the price for torturing our children. Newaygo County families can send the same message.
🏆 We Are Fighting This Battle RIGHT NOW — And We’ll Fight for Newaygo County
Right now, we are litigating a $10 million lawsuit against Pi Kappa Phi and the University of Houston. We have the evidence. We have the experience. We have the determination.
Newaygo County families: This is not theoretical. This is happening now. And it could be happening to your child.
Our Experience:
- 25+ years of litigation experience – Ralph Manginello has been fighting for victims for decades
- Former insurance defense attorneys – We know how the other side thinks and how to beat them
- Federal court admission – We can pursue cases in federal jurisdiction
- Dual-state bar licenses – Texas AND New York; strategic advantage against national fraternities
- Proven track record – Multi-million dollar settlements and verdicts in personal injury cases
- Hazing-specific expertise – Currently litigating $10M hazing case; rhabdomyolysis case experience
Our Commitment to Newaygo County:
- We will travel to Newaygo County – For depositions, client meetings, and trials
- Video consultations available – Newaygo County families can meet with us remotely
- 24/7 availability – Hazing doesn’t wait; neither do we
- Compassionate representation – We understand the trauma Newaygo County families are experiencing
- Aggressive advocacy – We won’t back down from powerful institutions
Newaygo County families: You are not alone. We are here to fight for you.
📢 To Newaygo County Fraternities and Universities: We Are Coming
To the fraternities operating near Newaygo County: We are watching.
To Pi Kappa Phi, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, Pi Kappa Alpha, and all the others: The same legal strategies that secured $10+ million verdicts nationwide apply to your Newaygo County chapters.
To Ferris State, Grand Valley State, Central Michigan, Western Michigan, and all Newaygo County institutions: The same institutional negligence that made University of Houston a defendant exists at your campus. Act now or face the same accountability.
We track your house corporations. We track your alumni chapters. We track your national insurance structures. We track your documented history of hazing deaths.
If your Newaygo County chapters harm students, we will pursue every liable entity. We already shut down the UH chapter. Your chapter could be next.
🎯 Newaygo County Parents: This Is Your Call to Action
Enough is enough.
For too long, hazing has been dismissed as “tradition.” For too long, universities have looked the other way. For too long, national organizations have failed to protect our children.
But Newaygo County families have power. You have the power to say no. You have the power to demand change. You have the power to hold these institutions accountable.
What You Can Do Today:
- Talk to your children – Ask them about their experiences. Listen without judgment.
- Educate yourself – Learn the signs of hazing. Understand the risks.
- Demand accountability – Contact university administrators. Ask about their hazing prevention policies.
- Support victims – If you know someone who has been hazed, encourage them to come forward.
- Contact Attorney 911 – If your child has been hazed, call us immediately.
📞 1-888-ATTY-911
Newaygo County families: The time to act is now. Before it’s your child in the hospital. Before it’s your child fighting for their life. Before it’s too late.
📞 24/7 Hazing Hotline for Newaygo County Families: 1-888-ATTY-911
Email: ralph@atty911.com
Website: attorney911.com
We serve Newaygo County families with the same dedication we bring to our Houston clients. Distance is not a barrier to justice. Your child’s safety is our priority.
Newaygo County: We are Attorney 911. We are your legal emergency response.
