The Anderson Mill Parents’ Guide to Campus Hazing: Your Rights, Recourse, and Path to Accountability

If Your Child Is at a Texas University, You Need to Read This First

Picture a scene that unfolds far too often in our community: A promising student from Anderson Mill, excited to start their university experience at UT Austin, Texas A&M, or another Texas campus, accepts a bid from a fraternity, sorority, or Corps program. What begins as camaraderie and tradition soon morphs into something darker—late-night calls, unexplained injuries, a sudden secrecy about “pledge activities,” and a child who seems anxious, exhausted, and fundamentally changed. As a parent in Anderson Mill, your instinct to protect clashes with the reality that your child is now hours away, entangled in a system where peer pressure and tradition can override safety.

Right now, in Houston, our firm is actively litigating one of the most serious hazing cases in Texas—the Leonel Bermudez vs. University of Houston and Pi Kappa Phi (Beta Nu chapter) lawsuit. This ongoing $10 million case involves allegations of extreme physical abuse, forced consumption of food until vomiting, humiliation via “pledge fanny packs,” and workouts so severe they caused rhabdomyolysis and acute kidney failure, requiring four days of hospitalization. It is a stark, current example of what can happen when hazing culture goes unchecked, even at major Texas institutions.

This comprehensive guide is written specifically for parents and families in Anderson Mill, Travis County, and across Central Texas. We will explain what modern hazing truly looks like, your legal rights under Texas law, the sobering patterns seen at universities where our community’s students enroll, and the practical, actionable steps you can take if your worst fears are realized. You are not powerless, and you are not alone.

Immediate Help for a Hazing Emergency

If you suspect your child is in immediate danger or has been seriously injured:

1. Call 911 for any medical emergency.
2. Then call Attorney911: 1-888-ATTY-911 (1-888-288-9911). We are Legal Emergency Lawyers™ for a reason.
3. Preserve Evidence NOW:
   • Do NOT let your child delete any texts, GroupMe messages, Snapchats, or social media posts.
   • Take photos of any visible injuries.
   • Write down everything your child tells you, including names, dates, and locations.
4. Do NOT:
   • Confront the fraternity, sorority, or university directly.
   • Sign anything from the school or an insurance company.
   • Post details on public social media.

Time is evidence. Call us at 1-888-ATTY-911 for immediate, confidential guidance.

Hazing in 2025: It’s Not Just “Boys Will Be Boys”

Hazing is any intentional, knowing, or reckless act—on or off campus—that endangers the mental or physical health or safety of a student for the purpose of initiation, affiliation, or membership. For families in Anderson Mill, it’s critical to understand this isn’t about harmless pranks. Modern hazing is a spectrum of abuse, often digitally coordinated and psychologically manipulative.

The Three Tiers of Hazing:

1. Subtle Hazing: Behaviors that emphasize power imbalance—forced servitude (chauffeuring, cleaning), mandatory all-hours group chat monitoring, social isolation, and being stripped of basic privileges. This sets the stage for worse.
2. Harassment Hazing: Causes physical or emotional discomfort: sleep deprivation, verbal abuse, forced consumption of unpleasant substances (e.g., milk, hot sauce), “optional” workouts that are mandatory, and public humiliation via social media.
3. Violent Hazing: High potential for severe injury or death: forced alcohol consumption to the point of poisoning, physical beatings/paddling, dangerous physical “tests,” sexualized acts, exposure to extreme elements, and kidnapping scenarios.

Where It Happens: While fraternities and sororities are often in the spotlight, hazing permeates Corps of Cadets programs, athletic teams, spirit organizations (like Texas Cowboys), marching bands, and other campus clubs. The common thread is a dynamic where older members wield power over new members in the name of “tradition” or “team building.”

Texas Hazing Law & Liability: What Anderson Mill Families Must Know

Texas has specific, robust statutes against hazing found in the Texas Education Code, Chapter 37, Subchapter F. Understanding this framework is your first step toward accountability.

Key Provisions of Texas Hazing Law:

• Definition (Sec. 37.151): Hazing is any intentional, knowing, or reckless act that endangers a student’s physical or mental health for the purpose of affiliation. Location does not matter—it applies on and off campus.
• Criminal Penalties (Sec. 37.152): Hazing is a Class B misdemeanor. It becomes a Class A misdemeanor if it causes injury and a State Jail Felony if it causes serious bodily injury or death.
• Consent is NOT a Defense (Sec. 37.155): This is crucial. Even if your child “agreed” to participate, it is not a legal defense for those who hazed them. The law recognizes the coercive power of group pressure.
• Organization Liability (Sec. 37.153): The fraternity, sorority, or club itself can be fined up to $10,000 and lose university recognition.
• Immunity for Good-Faith Reporting (Sec. 37.154): Students who report hazing or call for medical help in an emergency are generally protected from university discipline for related policy violations (like underage drinking).

Civil Liability vs. Criminal Charges:

• Criminal Case: Brought by the state (DA). Aims to punish with jail, fines, probation. This can run parallel to a civil case.
• Civil Lawsuit: Brought by the victim and family. Aims to secure compensation for damages (medical bills, pain, suffering, future care) and hold all responsible parties accountable. You do not need to wait for a criminal conviction to file a civil case.

Who Can Be Held Liable in a Civil Hazing Case?

1. Individual Members who planned, executed, or covered up the hazing.
2. The Local Chapter as an entity.
3. The National Fraternity/Sorority Headquarters for negligent supervision, failure to enforce policies, and prior knowledge of patterns.
4. The University (in certain circumstances) for deliberate indifference to a known, substantial risk.
5. Property Owners & Third Parties (e.g., landlords of off-campus houses).

A National Crisis, A Texas Reality: The Case Patterns That Repeat

The hazing incidents that make national headlines are not isolated. They are patterns, and those patterns have tragically repeated themselves at Texas schools. Anderson Mill families should understand these precedents.

The Alcohol Poisoning Pattern:

• Stone Foltz (Bowling Green State, Pi Kappa Alpha, 2021): Pledge died after being forced to drink a bottle of alcohol. Result: $10+ million in settlements, criminal convictions, and a chapter closure.
• Max Gruver (LSU, Phi Delta Theta, 2017): Died after a “Bible study” drinking game. Result: Felony hazing convictions and the Max Gruver Act in Louisiana.
• Andrew Coffey (Florida State, Pi Kappa Phi, 2017): Died after a “Big Brother” night. Result: Chapter closure and statewide reform.

The Physical & Ritualized Abuse Pattern:

• Chun “Michael” Deng (Baruch College, Pi Delta Psi, 2013): Died from traumatic brain injury after a violent, blindfolded “glass ceiling” ritual at an off-campus retreat. Result: The national fraternity was criminally convicted.

The Athletic Team Hazing Pattern:

• Northwestern University Football (2023-2025): Widespread allegations of sexualized and racist hazing led to multiple lawsuits, the head coach’s firing, and confidential settlements.

What This Means for You: These cases create legal precedent, establish “foreseeability,” and show juries that national organizations and universities are often on notice about specific, dangerous rituals long before a local tragedy occurs.

The Texas University Landscape: Where Anderson Mill Students Are

Students from our Anderson Mill community attend universities across Texas. The following campuses have documented hazing incidents and active Greek ecosystems that parents must be aware of.

University of Texas at Austin

As the flagship university a short drive from Anderson Mill, UT Austin is a common destination for our students. It also maintains one of the state’s most transparent hazing violation logs.

• Recent Sanctions (from UT’s Public Log):
  • Pi Kappa Alpha (2023): Sanctioned for hazing involving forced milk consumption and strenuous calisthenics.
  • Texas Wranglers (Spirit Group): Sanctioned for forced physical activity and alcohol-related hazing.
• For Anderson Mill Families: If an incident occurs at UT, jurisdiction may involve UT Police Department and Austin Police Department. Civil suits would typically be filed in Travis County courts. UT’s public violation log can be a powerful tool in establishing a pattern of known misconduct.

Texas A&M University

The culture of tradition in College Station extends to its powerful Greek system and the Corps of Cadets, both of which have faced serious hazing allegations.

• Sigma Alpha Epsilon Chemical Burn Case (2021): Pledges alleged being doused with industrial-strength cleaner and other substances, causing severe chemical burns requiring skin grafts. The chapter was suspended, and lawsuits were filed.
• Corps of Cadets “Roasted Pig” Lawsuit (2023): A cadet alleged degrading hazing, including being bound between beds in a simulated sexual position. The lawsuit sought over $1 million in damages.
• For Anderson Mill Families: The combination of Greek life and Corps traditions creates unique risks. Cases may involve Texas A&M University Police and Brazos County jurisdiction.

University of Houston

Our firm’s active litigation at UH serves as the most current and severe example of hazing risks in Texas.

• The Leonel Bermudez / Pi Kappa Phi Beta Nu Case (Active, 2025): As reported by Click2Houston and ABC13, this case alleges:
  • A “pledge fanny pack” with humiliating items required 24/7.
  • Extreme physical workouts at Yellowstone Boulevard Park and other locations.
  • Forced consumption of milk, hot dogs, and peppercorns until vomiting.
  • Hose spraying in the face “similar to waterboarding.”
  • The result: Bermudez developed rhabdomyolysis and acute kidney failure, passing brown urine and requiring multi-day hospitalization.
• The chapter was suspended and voluntarily surrendered its charter. This case is a blueprint for how we investigate and litigate severe hazing claims.

Southern Methodist University & Baylor University

These private institutions have significant Greek life and their own histories.

• SMU – Kappa Alpha Order (2017): Chapter suspended for paddling, forced drinking, and sleep deprivation.
• Baylor – Baseball Team (2020): 14 players suspended following a hazing investigation.

The Organizations Behind the Letters: National Histories Matter

When a local chapter hazes, it is rarely an innovation. They are often repeating a known, dangerous script from their national organization’s history. This “pattern evidence” is critical for establishing liability against deep-pocketed national headquarters.

A Sample of National Patterns Relevant to Texas Campuses:

• Pi Kappa Alpha (Pike): National pattern of “Big/Little” alcohol hazing (Stone Foltz death). Chapters at UT and nationwide have been sanctioned.
• Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE): Multiple deaths and injuries nationwide; faced lawsuits at Texas A&M (chemical burns) and UT Austin (assault allegations).
• Pi Kappa Phi: Andrew Coffey’s death at Florida State; now the active UH/Bermudez case.
• Phi Delta Theta: Max Gruver’s death at LSU.

Why This Matters Legally: If a national organization has been put on notice—through prior settlements, lawsuits, or chapter closures—about a specific hazing ritual (e.g., forced alcohol consumption), and they fail to eradicate it, they can be held negligent when that same ritual injures a student at a different chapter. We use comprehensive databases and investigative discovery to prove these patterns.

The Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine: Data-Driven Advocacy for Families

Beyond national patterns, we maintain a proprietary, data-driven understanding of the Greek ecosystem in Texas. This isn’t theoretical; it’s based on public records we use to identify every potentially liable entity. For Anderson Mill families, this means we start investigations with knowledge, not guesswork.

Our Texas Public Records Directory Includes Entities Such As:

• Beta Upsilon Chi Fraternity, EIN 74-2911848, Fort Worth, TX 76244 (IRS B83 filing)
• Texas Kappa Sigma Educational Foundation Inc, EIN 74-1380362, Fort Worth, TX 76147 (IRS B83 filing)
• Building Corporation of Delta Chapter of Alpha Delta Pi, EIN 74-6047117, Austin, TX 78705 (IRS B83 filing)
• Sigma Alpha Epsilon – Texas Rho Corp., Austin, TX (Cause IQ Metro listing)
• Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi – University of Texas at El Paso, EIN 38-3742830, El Paso, TX 79968 (IRS B83 filing)

Statewide Scope: Our data tracks over 1,423 Greek-related organizations across 25 Texas metros, including 154 in the Austin-Round Rock metro that serves our Anderson Mill community. This allows us to quickly identify housing corporations, alumni associations, and national affiliates that may share liability and—importantly—insurance coverage.

Building a Serious Hazing Case: Evidence, Strategy, and Damages

If hazing has occurred, building a successful case requires immediate, strategic action. The window for preserving evidence is often measured in hours.

Critical Evidence to Preserve:

• Digital Communications: Screenshots of GroupMe, WhatsApp, iMessage, and Discord chats before they are deleted. We have a video guide on using your phone to document evidence.
• Social Media: Photos, videos, stories, and DMs on Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok.
• Medical Records: All ER reports, hospitalization notes, lab results (e.g., for toxicology or rhabdomyolysis), and follow-up care.
• University Records: Prior conduct reports for the involved organization, which can often be obtained through discovery or public records requests.
• Witnesses: Names and contact information for other pledges, roommates, or bystanders.

Potential Damages in a Hazing Case:

• Economic Damages: All past and future medical bills, lost wages, lost educational expenses, and diminished future earning capacity if injuries are permanent.
• Non-Economic Damages: Compensation for physical pain, emotional trauma, PTSD, humiliation, and loss of enjoyment of life.
• Wrongful Death Damages: In the worst cases, families can seek funeral costs, loss of companionship, and emotional suffering.

Our Strategic Advantage:

1. Insurance Insider Knowledge: Our attorney, Mr. Lupe Peña, spent years as a defense attorney for national insurance companies. He knows how fraternity and university insurers evaluate claims, fight coverage, and attempt to minimize payouts.
2. Complex Institutional Litigation: From the BP Texas City explosion litigation to federal court battles, we have experience facing billion-dollar defendants with deep-pocketed legal teams—exactly what national fraternities and universities deploy.
3. Dual Civil & Criminal Expertise: Founding attorney Ralph Manginello’s membership in the Harris County Criminal Lawyers Association (HCCLA) means we understand the interplay between criminal hazing charges and civil lawsuits, allowing us to advise clients comprehensively.

A Practical Guide for Anderson Mill Parents & Students

For Parents – Warning Signs:

• Unexplained injuries, bruises, or burns.
• Extreme fatigue or sleep deprivation.
• Sudden secrecy about organization activities.
• Personality changes: anxiety, depression, withdrawal.
• Constant, anxious phone use related to group chats.
• Requests for large sums of money without clear explanation.

For Students – If You’re Being Hazed:

• Your safety is paramount. If you are in danger, call 911.
• Texas law protects good-faith reporters. You can seek help without fear of minor-in-possession charges in many emergency situations.
• Preserve evidence: Take screenshots, photograph injuries, save emails.
• Talk to a trusted adult—a parent, a dean, a counselor.
• You have the right to resign your membership immediately, at any time.

Critical Mistakes That Can Harm a Case:
We detail common pitfalls in our video on client mistakes that can ruin your injury case. Key errors include:

• Deleting digital evidence.
• Confronting the organization before consulting a lawyer.
• Signing university-offered settlement or release forms.
• Posting about the incident on social media.
• Waiting too long and allowing the statute of limitations to become an issue. Learn about Texas statutes of limitations here.

Why Attorney911 Is the Right Firm for Texas Hazing Cases

When your family faces the trauma of hazing, you need advocates who understand the playing field at a profound level. We are not just personal injury lawyers; we are strategic litigators who specialize in holding powerful institutions accountable.

Our Proven Approach:

• Immediate Investigation: We act within hours to secure evidence before it disappears.
• Comprehensive Defendant Identification: Using our Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine, we identify all liable entities—from individual members to national housing corporations.
• Insider Negotiation Strategy: We negotiate from a position of strength because we know the insurance defense playbook.
• Trial-Ready Preparation: We prepare every case as if it will go to trial, which forces serious settlement discussions. We work on a contingency fee basis—no fee unless we win. See how contingency fees work.

We serve families across Texas from our offices in Houston, Austin, and Beaumont. For Anderson Mill residents, we are your nearby Texas-based specialists with the resources, data, and experience to take on the largest universities and national fraternities.

Your Path Forward Starts With a Confidential Conversation

If you are a parent in Anderson Mill, Travis County, or anywhere in Texas, and you believe your child has been victimized by hazing, we urge you to reach out. The journey to accountability begins with understanding your options.

Contact The Manginello Law Firm, PLLC (Attorney911) for a free, confidential consultation.

• Call our Legal Emergency Line: 1-888-ATTY-911 (1-888-288-9911)
• Direct Line: (713) 528-9070
• Email: ralph@atty911.com or lupe@atty911.com
• Website: https://attorney911.com

Se habla Español. Mr. Lupe Peña provides fluent Spanish-language legal services.

In your free consultation, we will listen to your story, review any evidence you have, explain the legal framework in plain English, and outline the potential paths forward. There is no obligation, and all information is held in strict confidence.

You sent your child to college to build a future. If that future has been jeopardized by hazing, let us help you fight to rebuild it and ensure accountability.

Plain Text Links to Key Resources

News Coverage of the Active UH Pi Kappa Phi Case:

• Click2Houston (KPRC 2) Investigation: https://www.click2houston.com/news/local/2025/11/21/only-on-2-lawsuit-alleges-severe-hazing-at-university-of-houstons-pi-kappa-phi-chapter-fraternity/
• ABC13 Eyewitness News (KTRK) Detailed Timeline: https://abc13.com/post/waterboarding-forced-eating-physical-punishment-lawsuit-alleges-abuse-faced-injured-pledge-uhs-pi-kappa-phi-fraternity/18186418/

Attorney911 Educational Videos:

• Using Your Cellphone to Document Evidence: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLbpzrmogTs
• Understanding Texas Statutes of Limitations: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRHwg8tV02c
• Client Mistakes That Can Ruin a Case: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3IYsoxOSxY
• How Contingency Fees Work: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=upcI_j6F7Nc

Attorney911 Main Website & Contact:

• Law Firm Homepage: https://attorney911.com

Legal Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Contacting The Manginello Law Firm, PLLC does not establish an attorney-client relationship. All cases are unique, and outcomes depend on specific facts and applicable law. We are licensed to practice in Texas.