If you’re reading this in Baker County, Georgia, your family may be facing one of the most terrifying moments of your life. Your child went off to college expecting to make friends and embark on a new chapter. Instead, they were subjected to brutal hazing rituals, suffering physical and psychological trauma. We understand what you’re going through, and we’re here to help families in Baker County fight back.

We are Attorney911, and we do not shy away from confronting powerful institutions and national organizations that allow hazing to flourish. We are proven litigators, actively fighting for victims in landmark cases right now. The lessons we learn, the strategies we deploy, and the relentless pursuit of justice we embody are available to every family in Baker County, Georgia, seeking accountability for hazing injuries or death.

The Haunting Echoes of Hazing: What Happened in Houston, What Could Happen in Baker County

Just as families across Baker County send their children to universities with trust and hope, Leonel Bermudez and his family did the same. Yet, what unfolded in Houston is a chilling illustration of how quickly that trust can be shattered by the dangerous culture of hazing. This isn’t a story from a distant past; it is a contemporary account of torture and negligence that should serve as a stark warning to every parent in Baker County considering their child’s college choices.

Leonel Bermudez was a young man with aspirations, preparing to transfer to the University of Houston for the upcoming semester. He was a “ghost rush,” a prospective member who had not even officially enrolled at the university, yet he was embraced by the Pi Kappa Phi fraternity. What should have been an exciting journey into brotherhood quickly devolved into weeks of systematic abuse and psychological torture.

The hazing began on September 16, 2025, the day Leonel accepted his bid to join. For nearly two months, he endured a horrifying gauntlet of rituals that culminated in a severe medical emergency. Imagine your child, hoping to fit in, being subjected to:

• Simulated Waterboarding: Sprayed with a garden hose in the face while performing calisthenics, a dehumanizing act that mimics drowning.
• Forced Eating Until Vomiting: Made to consume large amounts of milk, hot dogs, and even peppercorns until he vomited, then forced to continue running drills in his own vomit-soaked grass.
• Extreme Physical Punishment: Days and nights filled with grueling tasks like 100-plus pushups, 500 squats, high-volume “suicides,” bear crawls, wheelbarrows, and repeated 100-yard crawls. This forced exertion pushed him beyond his limits.
• Physical Beatings: Struck with wooden paddles, a blatant act of assault.
• Psychological Torture: Forced to carry a fanny pack containing objects of a sexual nature, stripped to his underwear in cold weather, enduring sleep deprivation due to early morning errands, and constantly threatened with physical punishment or expulsion if he dared to stop.
• Visceral Humiliation: Another pledge was hog-tied face-down on a table with an object in his mouth for over an hour, a chilling display of the depravity tolerated within the fraternity.

On November 3, 2025, after being punished for missing an event, Leonel was forced into another session of extreme exercises. He pushed himself until he physically could not stand without help. He crawled up the stairs to his bed that night, his body screaming in protest. Over the next two days, his condition worsened significantly. On November 6, alarmed by his visible distress and the alarming fact that he was passing brown urine—a classic sign of severe muscle breakdown—his mother rushed him to the hospital.

Leonel spent three nights and four days in the hospital, diagnosed with severe rhabdomyolysis and acute kidney failure. This life-threatening condition, a direct result of the extreme physical exertion and lack of rest, left him with the risk of permanent kidney damage.

The Institutional Response: A Chilling Reality

What happened next reveals the calculated strategies institutions employ when hazing is exposed. Within days of Leonel’s hospitalization, on November 6, Pi Kappa Phi National suspended its University of Houston chapter. On November 14, just days before our lawsuit was filed, they officially closed the Beta Nu Chapter. In a statement on their website, Pi Kappa Phi acknowledged “violations of the Fraternity’s risk management policy and membership conduct standards” and chillingly added, “We look forward to returning to campus at the appropriate time.”

The University of Houston, despite owning the fraternity house where much of this abuse occurred, initially offered a carefully worded statement through a spokesperson: “The events investigated are deeply disturbing and represent a clear violation of our community standards… any individual found responsible for hazing will face disciplinary action, up to and including expulsion and potential criminal charges.”

On November 21, 2025, our firm, Attorney911, filed a $10 million lawsuit against Pi Kappa Phi, the University of Houston, its Board of Regents, and 13 individual fraternity members. This is not just a lawsuit; it’s a declaration that we will not stand by while institutions betray the trust of families and jeopardize the lives of young people.

This case is new, it is ongoing, and it demonstrates exactly what Attorney911 does: we aggressively represent hazing victims, we employ data-driven litigation strategies, and we relentlessly pursue accountability for every entity responsible. This is the same fight we will bring to Baker County.

The Grim Reality: What Hazing Really Looks Like

Many parents in Baker County, Georgia, might dismiss hazing as harmless pranks or outdated “traditions.” But the reality, chillingly demonstrated by Leonel Bermudez’s experience, is far darker. Hazing today is not a rite of passage; it is an act of calculated abuse, often involving physical assault, psychological manipulation, and life-threatening scenarios.

For the sake of our children in Baker County, we must shed preconceived notions about hazing:

• It is not “boys being boys.” It is young adults engaging in criminal behavior, sometimes with devastating, lifelong consequences.
• It is not “building brotherhood.” It is breaking down individuals through intimidation, humiliation, and terror, often instilling a twisted sense of loyalty born of shared trauma rather than genuine connection.
• It is not “harmless fun.” It is simulated waterboarding, forced consumption of noxious substances, extreme physical exertion to the point of organ failure, and physical beatings that can lead to permanent injury or death.

Today’s hazing can include:

• Physical Abuse: Beatings, paddling so severe it can cause significant injury, branding with hot objects, forced calisthenics, and exposure to extreme temperatures. Imagine your child at a university near Baker County being subjected to such brutality.
• Forced Consumption: Binge drinking until alcohol poisoning, consuming grotesque amounts of food until vomiting (as Leonel experienced), or being forced to eat non-food items. In the case of alcohol, this often leads to death.
• Psychological Torture: Intense humiliation, verbal abuse, sleep deprivation, enforced servitude, isolation, and threats that break down a student’s mental well-being. The fear of retribution, as expressed by Leonel Bermudez, is a powerful and very real consequence.
• Sexual Abuse or Exploitation: Forced nudity, sexually suggestive acts, or even outright sexual assault are tragically not uncommon in hazing rituals.
• Reckless Endangerment: Blindfolding students and dropping them off in remote locations, forcing them to commit crimes, or compelling them to engage in dangerous prunts.

The medical consequences are severe and often underestimated:

• Rhabdomyolysis and Acute Kidney Failure: Exactly what Leonel Bermudez suffered. This involves muscle breakdown releasing toxins that overwhelm the kidneys, requiring immediate and often prolonged hospitalization, with the risk of permanent organ damage.
• Alcohol Poisoning: The leading cause of hazing deaths, resulting from forced binge drinking. Max Gruver and Stone Foltz both died this way.
• Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI): From falls during forced intoxication or direct physical assault. Timothy Piazza died from a TBI.
• Hypothermia or Hyperthermia: From forced exposure to extreme cold or heat, placing immense strain on the body.
• Cardiac Arrest: From extreme physical exertion beyond human limits.
• Long-Term Psychological Trauma: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), severe anxiety, depression, suicidal ideation, and identity crises can plague victims for years or even a lifetime.

These are not isolated incidents. They are a national crisis, and they can happen at universities where Baker County students enroll. Whether your child attends Albany State University or Valdosta State University, or goes further afield to the University of Georgia or Georgia Tech, the risk of hazing is pervasive. The national fraternities and sororities with chapters at these institutions operate under the same national umbrellas that we are currently suing. The names on the Greek houses may change, but the danger remains consistent.

Accountability: Who Is Responsible for Hazing?

When a child in Baker County is harmed by hazing, families often feel overwhelmed and unsure of who to hold responsible. The power of Attorney911 lies in our comprehensive understanding of all potential liable parties. As our $10 million lawsuit in the Bermudez case demonstrates, we cast a wide net to ensure every negligent actor is held accountable.

Beyond the individuals directly inflicting the harm, hazing cases often involve multiple layers of institutional responsibility:

1. The Local Chapter and Its Leadership:

   • Direct Perpetrators: The individual fraternity or sorority members who actively participate in the hazing activities. These individuals are directly liable for assault, battery, and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
   • Chapter Officers: The president, pledgemaster, new member educator, and other leaders who plan, organize, or oversee hazing. They bear direct responsibility for facilitating and often ordering the abuse. In the Bermudez case, we named the Fraternity President, Pledgemaster, and other current and former members.
   • Why they are liable: They orchestrated the acts, failed to intervene, or actively participated.

2. The National Fraternity or Sorority Organization:

   • Oversight Responsibility: These national bodies establish rules, policies, and anti-hazing directives for their local chapters. They have a duty to ensure these policies are enforced.
   • Knowledge and Failure to Act: As evidenced by the 2017 death of Andrew Coffey at an FSU Pi Kappa Phi chapter, and the lawsuit’s allegation of Pi Kappa Phi’s knowledge of “a hazing crisis,” national organizations often have a history of prior hazing incidents. When they fail to take effective action despite this knowledge, they become liable. Pi Kappa Phi National Headquarters is a key defendant in our lawsuit.
   • Deep Pockets: National organizations have significant financial assets, insurance policies, and endowments, making them crucial targets for securing substantial compensation.
   • Why they are liable: Negligent supervision, failure to train, failure to enforce policies, ratification of hazing culture, and a pattern of allowing dangerous behavior to continue.

3. The University or College:

   • Institutional Duty of Care: Universities have a non-delegable duty to protect their students, especially when they exercise control over student organizations like fraternities and sororities.
   • Premises Liability: If hazing occurs on university-owned or controlled property, like the Pi Kappa Phi house in the Bermudez case, the university can be held liable for creating or allowing dangerous conditions to exist.
   • Negligent Supervision and Oversight: Universities are responsible for monitoring Greek life, investigating complaints, and enforcing their own anti-hazing policies. When they fail to do so, especially with prior knowledge of hazing, their negligence contributes to the harm. The University of Houston and its Board of Regents are major defendants in our case, particularly because they owned the fraternity house.
   • Why they are liable: Negligent supervision, premises liability, failure to warn, creating a culture conducive to hazing, and breach of contractual duties to provide a safe educational environment.

4. Housing Corporations:

   • Property Owners: Separate entities, often alumni-controlled, that own and manage the fraternity or sorority houses. They have a duty to ensure the property is safe and not used for illegal activities like hazing. The Beta Nu Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity Housing Corporation Inc. is named in our lawsuit.
   • Why they are liable: Premises liability, negligent control of property, and sometimes negligent supervision if members are involved in the housing corporation’s operations.

5. Individual Alumni, Parents, or Spouses:

   • Facilitating Hazing: If hazing occurs at an off-campus residence, the owners or tenants of that property can be held liable for allowing or facilitating the illegal conduct. In the Bermudez case, a former member AND his spouse are named because hazing occurred at their private residence.
   • Why they are liable: Premises liability, aiding and abetting hazing, or negligent supervision for allowing their property to be used for dangerous activities.

6. Insurance Carriers:

   • These are often the ultimate source of substantial compensation. National organizations, universities, housing corporations, and even individuals (through homeowners’ or renters’ insurance) carry various liability policies.
   • As former insurance defense attorneys, Ralph Manginello and Lupe Peña possess invaluable insider knowledge of how these carriers operate, allowing us to effectively navigate their defenses and maximize settlement or verdict values.

Our goal at Attorney911 is to identify every single entity that enabled, condoned, or directly participated in the hazing. By holding multiple parties accountable, we maximize the potential for full compensation for the victim and send an unequivocal message that hazing will not be tolerated.

The Cost of Hazing: Multi-Million Dollar Precedents

For families in Baker County grappling with the aftermath of hazing, understanding the potential financial recovery is critical. While no amount of money can truly compensate for the life-altering injuries or loss of a child, civil litigation offers a pathway to justice, accountability, and the resources needed for long-term care and recovery.

Hazing cases regularly result in multi-million dollar verdicts and settlements, sending a powerful message that institutions and individuals will pay dearly for ignoring this dangerous culture. The $10 million we are seeking in the Bermudez case is not an arbitrary number; it is firmly rooted in a track record of significant financial accountability:

• Stone Foltz – Pi Kappa Alpha, Bowling Green State University (2021): Total over $10.1 Million. Stone Foltz tragically died from alcohol poisoning after a forced binge-drinking ritual. The university settled for $2.9 million, and Pi Kappa Alpha national along with individual members paid over $7.2 million. Most recently, in December 2024, a judgment of $6.5 million was awarded against a single former chapter president, Daylen Dunson, in a move to hold individuals personally accountable. This case proves that both universities and national fraternities face substantial liability, and that personal accountability for officers is real.
• Maxwell Gruver – Phi Delta Theta, Louisiana State University (2017): $6.1 Million Verdict. Max Gruver, an 18-year-old freshman, died from acute alcohol poisoning after being forced to drink excessive amounts of liquor during a hazing ritual known as “Bible Study.” A jury awarded his family $6.1 million, and the case spurred the passage of the “Max Gruver Act,” making hazing a felony in Louisiana. This verdict underscores that juries are willing to deliver large awards for hazing deaths.
• Timothy Piazza – Beta Theta Pi, Penn State University (2017): Over $110 Million (Estimated). Timothy Piazza died from a traumatic brain injury and internal bleeding after a night of forced drinking and falls, during which fraternity members waited 12 hours to call for help. The family reached confidential settlements totaling an estimated $110 million or more with the university, the national fraternity, and numerous individuals. The case, heavily documented by internal surveillance footage, also resulted in criminal convictions for involuntary manslaughter and hazing, and led to the “Timothy J. Piazza Antihazing Law” in Pennsylvania. This landmark case demonstrates the immense liability when institutional cover-ups and egregious conduct are exposed.
• Andrew Coffey – Pi Kappa Phi, Florida State University (2017): Confidential Settlement. Andrew Coffey, a 20-year-old FSU student, died of alcohol poisoning after being forced to drink a liter of bourbon during a Pi Kappa Phi hazing event. This is the same national fraternity involved in the Bermudez case. Nine members faced criminal charges, and the chapter was permanently closed. While the civil settlement amount was confidential, it further highlights the severe consequences faced by Pi Kappa Phi and other national organizations for their hazing culture.

These cases are not isolated incidents but part of a disturbing national pattern. They demonstrate several critical facts relevant to Baker County hazing cases:

• Juries and courts are outraged by hazing. They understand the difference between traditional initiation and illegal, dangerous abuse.
• Both universities and national fraternities pay. They cannot escape responsibility by blaming individual students.
• Individual perpetrators face personal liability. Lawsuits can directly target those who inflicted the harm, as the $6.5 million judgment against Daylen Dunson in the Foltz case clearly shows.
• Legislative Change: These tragedies often spark new laws and stricter penalties, making it easier to hold fraternities and universities accountable in the future. Georgia, like many other states, has its own anti-hazing laws.

For Leonel Bermudez, his experience of waterboarding, forced extreme exercise leading to rhabdomyolysis and kidney failure, while devastating, did not result in death. Yet, the egregious nature of the acts, the pattern of institutional negligence by both the national fraternity (post-Andrew Coffey) and the University of Houston (post-Jared Munoz), and the severity of his injuries provide strong grounds for a multi-million dollar recovery. We believe our $10 million demand is not only justified but necessary to send a clear, unequivocal message to Pi Kappa Phi and all institutions that allow hazing to persist.

Protecting Students in Baker County: Georgia’s Anti-Hazing Laws

For families in Baker County, Georgia, understanding the legal landscape is crucial when confronting hazing. While Attorney911 operates with deep expertise in Texas law, we possess the federal court authority and dual-state bar licenses (Texas and New York) to litigate hazing cases nationwide. Our understanding of national hazing law trends, coupled with our team’s in-depth legal research capabilities, ensures that every aspect of Georgia’s specific statutes is brought to bear in your child’s case.

Georgia’s official Code, specifically O.C.G.A. § 16-5-180 – Hazing, outlines the legal prohibitions and penalties regarding hazing. It is designed to protect students from the very dangers Leonel Bermudez faced and that families in Baker County tragically sometimes encounter.

Georgia’s Definition of Hazing

Under Georgia law, hazing is defined broadly to cover a range of harmful activities. The law considers hazing to be any act which:

• Endangers the mental or physical health or safety of a student;
• Is done for the purpose of initiation, admission into, affiliation with, or as a condition for continued membership in any organization;
• And is committed by any person associated with the organization.

This definition unequivocally covers acts like forced physical exertion to the point of kidney failure, simulated waterboarding, forced excessive consumption, and psychological humiliation – all of which were inflicted upon Leonel Bermudez.

Criminal Penalties for Hazing in Georgia

Georgia’s law makes hazing a misdemeanor of a high and aggravated nature. This means perpetrators can face:

• Imprisonment: Up to 12 months in jail.
• Fines: Up to $5,000.00.
• Probation: A period of supervised release.

Crucially, “serious bodily injury” or “death” elevates the criminal penalties significantly. This is Georgia’s statement that such acts are not merely misbehavior, but serious criminal offenses. The University of Houston spokesperson mentioning “potential criminal charges” in the Bermudez case highlights that criminal and civil accountability often run in parallel.

“Consent” is NOT a Defense in Georgia

One of the most insidious arguments often raised by those accused of hazing is that the victim “consented” or “voluntarily participated.” Georgia law, like Texas law, clearly rejects this notion.

Students cannot consent to or waive their rights against hazing. The power dynamics inherent in hazing rituals, coupled with the immense peer pressure and threats of social exclusion, mean that genuine consent is inherently impossible. This legal principle is vital in protecting victims in Baker County, ensuring that perpetrators cannot evade responsibility by blaming the victim.

Civil Liability: Beyond Criminal Prosecution

Even if criminal charges are not pursued or do not result in a conviction, families in Baker County still have strong grounds for a civil lawsuit. Civil liability focuses on compensating the victim for their injuries and losses, holding all responsible parties (individuals, local chapters, national organizations, and educational institutions) financially accountable through claims such as:

• Negligence: This is often the cornerstone of a hazing lawsuit. It involves proving that the defendants owed a duty of care to the student, breached that duty through their actions or inaction (e.g., failing to prevent hazing), and that this breach directly caused the student’s injuries and damages.
• Gross Negligence: When the defendants’ actions show an extreme lack of care or a conscious disregard for the safety of others, it can lead to higher “punitive” damages designed to punish the wrongdoers and deter similar behavior. Leonel Bermudez’s waterboarding and forced exercise to the point of kidney failure clearly demonstrate gross negligence.
• Intentional Assault and Battery: When physical harm is inflicted knowingly and intentionally, each individual perpetrator can be sued for these intentional torts. This ensures personal accountability beyond any organizational shield.
• Premises Liability: If the hazing occurred at a fraternity house or other property owned or controlled by the university or a housing corporation, these entities can be held liable for failing to maintain a safe environment.
• Negligent Supervision: Universities and national organizations have a duty to adequately supervise their student groups and chapters. A failure to do so, especially when there’s a history of hazing, constitutes negligent supervision.

Families in Baker County whose children attend Georgia universities need to know that these laws exist to protect them. The fact that the University of Houston owned the Pi Kappa Phi house where Leonel Bermudez was tortured and yet failed to prevent the hazing is a powerful illustration of the institutional negligence that underpins many of these cases. Georgia institutions and national Greek organizations with chapters in the state are subject to similar duties and liabilities.

Our firm is committed to leveraging every legal tool available under Georgia law, alongside federal statutes and established civil liability theories, to secure justice for hazing victims. We will ensure that Georgia’s code is not just words on paper, but a powerful instrument for accountability.

Why Attorney911 is the Right Choice for Baker County Families

When hazing shatters a family’s life in Baker County, the path to justice can seem daunting. You’re confronting well-funded institutions, national organizations, and often a culture of silence. You need more than just a lawyer; you need a legal emergency team with a proven track record, unique strategic advantages, and an unwavering commitment to victims. Attorney911 brings precisely that to your doorstep, no matter where you are in Baker County, Georgia.

Here’s why families in Baker County should choose us:

1. Currently Litigating a $10 Million Hazing Lawsuit: We aren’t just reading about hazing; we’re actively fighting it in court right now. Our Bermudez v. Pi Kappa Phi case against a national fraternity and a major university is ongoing, leveraging every strategy we discuss here. When you hire us, you’re not getting a firm that hopes to handle hazing cases someday; you’re getting attorneys who are already in the trenches. The same aggressive, data-driven approach we’re using in that high-stakes battle is what we’ll bring to your child’s case in Baker County.

2. Unrivaled Insider Knowledge from Former Insurance Defense Attorneys: Both Ralph P. Manginello and Lupe Eleno Peña previously worked for major insurance defense firms, including a national firm. This is not a coincidence; it’s a strategic advantage. They spent years defending the very types of institutions and insurance companies that you’ll be suing.

   • Ralph Manginello knows the defense playbook from the inside. He understands how insurance companies evaluate claims, what motivates them, and how they attempt to minimize payouts.
   • Lupe Peña worked for Litchfield Cavo LLP, a nationwide insurance defense firm, handling everything from products liability to personal injury defense. He knows their valuation methods, delay tactics, and denial strategies inside and out.
     When you face defendants with powerful legal teams, our lawyers counter with their own battlefield intelligence, giving you an “unfair advantage.”

3. Federal Court Admissions for Nationwide Reach: We are admitted to the U.S. District Court, Southern District of Texas, and possess experience in federal appellate courts. This federal court authority allows us to pursue hazing cases nationwide, including those originating in Baker County, Georgia. National fraternities are often structured federally, making our federal court expertise invaluable.

4. Dual-State Bar Licenses (Texas AND New York): Ralph Manginello holds licenses in both Texas and New York. This dual licensure provides a strategic edge, particularly when dealing with national fraternities and sororities that may be headquartered or have significant operations in other states. It means we have broadened legal reach and a deeper understanding of interstate litigation.

5. Multi-Billion Dollar Litigation Experience: Ralph Manginello was involved in the BP Texas City Explosion litigation, a mass tort case against a massive corporate defendant. This experience demonstrates our capacity to take on and prevail against the largest, most formidable institutions, skills directly transferable to challenging powerful universities and national Greek organizations.

6. Hazing-Specific Expertise and Focus: We have direct experience with rhabdomyolysis hazing cases (like Leonel Bermudez’s). We understand the intricate cultural, institutional, and medical aspects unique to hazing, which many general personal injury firms do not. We know the history of fraternities like Pi Kappa Phi, including their tragic hazing deaths.

7. Data-Driven Litigation Strategy: We maintain one of the most comprehensive private directories of Greek organizations in Texas, complete with EINs, legal names, addresses, and corporate structures. This intelligence allows us to identify every liable entity behind the Greek letters, from local chapters to national headquarters and housing corporations. We don’t guess who to sue; we know. This same meticulous research and data-driven approach will be applied to any hazing case from Baker County.

8. Compassionate, Parent-Facing Approach: We understand the immense emotional toll hazing takes on families. While our legal approach is aggressive and unyielding, our client care is empathetic and supportive. We treat Baker County families like our own, ensuring you feel heard, understood, and empowered throughout the process. We know what’s at stake, because Ralph Manginello is a father of three.

9. Contingency Fee Representation – $0 Upfront for Baker County Families: Financial concerns should never be a barrier to justice. We take hazing cases on a contingency fee basis. This means you pay absolutely nothing upfront, and we only get paid if we win your case. This aligns our interests perfectly with yours and allows families in Baker County to access top-tier legal representation without financial risk.

10. Bilingual Services (Se Habla Español): Lupe Peña is fluent in Spanish, and our staff are bilingual. This ensures that Spanish-speaking families in Baker County who have been affected by hazing receive clear communication and culturally sensitive legal support, eliminating language barriers to justice.

11. Willingness to Travel and Remote Consultation: While our primary offices are in Houston, Austin, and Beaumont, distance is not a barrier to justice. We offer video consultations for Baker County families and are committed to traveling to Baker County, Georgia, for depositions, crucial meetings, and trials when necessary. We bring our expertise directly to you.

12. Exceptional Client Feedback: Our 4.9-star rating and over 250 positive Google reviews speak volumes about our commitment to clients. Testimonials like “You are FAMILY to them and they protect and fight for you as such” and “Attorney Manginello & Leonore were both extremely nice, helpful, and made sure I was informed throughout the entire process” consistently highlight our communication, dedication, and compassionate approach.

When institutions fail and hazing devastates a family, you need a firm that is fearless, experienced, and genuinely cares. Attorney911 stands ready to be that firm for Baker County, Georgia.

What to Do Right Now: Actionable Steps for Baker County Families

If your child in Baker County has been victimized by hazing, the moments immediately following the incident are critical. While shock, anger, and confusion are natural responses, taking swift and strategic action can significantly impact the success of any legal claim. This isn’t a time for hesitation; it’s a time for action. Here’s what families in Baker County should do:

1. Prioritize Medical Attention and Document Everything Electively

Your child’s health is paramount.

• Seek Immediate Medical Care: Even if injuries seem minor, or your child is reluctant, ensure they are seen by a doctor or at an emergency room without delay. The hazing Leonel Bermudez endured led to rhabdomyolysis and kidney failure, conditions that can worsen rapidly.
• Be Explicit with Medical Providers: Clearly state that the injuries resulted from a hazing incident involving a specific fraternity or organization. This ensures it’s documented in medical records.
• Photographs and Videos: Take detailed photos of all visible injuries—bruises, cuts, burns, swelling—regularly as they heal. If hazing activities were photographed or video recorded, ensure these are saved. If your child’s condition declines, document that as well (e.g., discoloration of urine for rhabdomyolysis).
• Medical Records: Keep meticulous records of all doctor’s visits, hospital stays, diagnoses, treatments, medications, and therapy sessions. These will be crucial evidence.

2. Preserve All Evidence – Digital and Physical

In hazing cases, evidence vanishes quickly. Anything that proves the hazing occurred, who was involved, and the harm caused must be protected. This is crucial for collecting damages for any hazing incident at Albany State University, Valdosta State University, or other Georgia institutions.

• Digital Communications: Save every text message, GroupMe chat, Snapchat conversation, Instagram DM, email, and social media post related to the hazing. Do not delete anything. Perpetrators often communicate about hazing activities and these digital trails are invaluable. This includes communications from other pledges, fraternity members, or anyone involved.
• Hazing “Paraphernalia”: If there are any physical items used in the hazing (e.g., explicit objects, paddles, blindfolds, clothing, “pledge books”), photograph them and, if safe, preserve them.
• Documents: Keep any “pledge manuals,” schedules, rules, or agreements provided by the organization.
• Witness Information: Collect names, phone numbers, and any other contact information for fellow pledges, witnesses, or anyone who might have knowledge of the hazing. Their testimony can be critical.
• Academic and Financial Records: Document any impact on your child’s academic performance, lost scholarships, tuition fees, or lost income from missed work due to injuries.

3. Avoid Contact with Perpetrators or Institutional Representatives (Without Counsel)

Institutions and organizations will attempt to control the narrative and minimize their liability.

• Do Not Talk Independently: Instruct your child not to discuss the incident with fraternity/sorority members, alumni, advisors, university officials, or their attorneys without legal counsel present or approval. They are not on your side.
• Refuse to Sign Documents: Do not sign any waivers, releases, or statements from the fraternity, university, or their insurance companies. Signing such documents could inadvertently waive your child’s legal rights.
• Guard Social Media: Do not post anything about the incident, injuries, or legal actions on social media. Everything you post can and will be used against you. Review and restrict privacy settings. Avoid engaging with any Greek life members online. Ralph Manginello highlights this in his video, “Don’t Post on Social Media After an Accident.”

4. Contact Attorney911 Immediately

Time is a critical factor in gathering evidence and initiating legal action.

• Call Our Legal Emergency Hotline: Our dedicated line, 1-888-ATTY-911, is available 24/7 for Baker County families. The initial consultation is always free and confidential.
• Do Not Delay: The statute of limitations for personal injury and wrongful death claims typically has strict deadlines (often two years, though specifics vary by state and circumstances). Evidence can disappear, memories fade, and perpetrators might coordinate their stories. The Bermudez case was filed within weeks of the incident, demonstrating the urgency required. As Attorney Manginello explains in his video, “Is There a Statute of Limitations on My Case?”, missing this deadline means losing your right to sue forever.
• Remote Consultations and Travel: While we are based in Texas, we serve hazing victims nationwide, including Baker County. We offer secure video consultations to discuss your case remotely, and our attorneys are prepared to travel to Baker County or anywhere needed for depositions, client meetings, and trials.

5. Document Emotional and Psychological Impact

Hazing inflicts deep wounds that aren’t always visible.

• Journaling: Encourage your child (or do so yourself, with their permission) to keep a detailed journal of their thoughts, feelings, pain levels, and how the incident impacts their daily life, sleep, and academic performance.
• Seek Counseling: Connect your child with a mental health professional specializing in trauma. Therapy records will not only aid in their recovery but also serve as crucial evidence of psychological damages.

By following these steps, Baker County families can lay a strong foundation for a successful legal claim, ensuring that the individuals and institutions responsible for hazing are held fully accountable for their actions. We are ready to guide you through every step of this challenging journey.

Baker County Families: Demand Justice. Demand Accountability.

To the parents, students, and families in Baker County, Georgia, whose lives have been irrevocably altered by hazing: we understand the pain, the anger, and the fear you are experiencing. Your child went to college for an education, for growth, for new experiences. They did not sign up for torture, humiliation, or life-threatening abuse.

What happened to Leonel Bermudez in Houston is a stark reminder that hazing is not a relic of the past; it is a present danger in Greek life, athletic programs, and other student organizations across the nation, including those your children might encounter at institutions such as Albany State University, Valdosta State University, or other universities across Georgia and beyond. The very same national fraternities that have caused death and injury at universities hundreds of miles away maintain chapters near Baker County, Georgia, operating with the same practices and the same potential for inflicting devastating harm.

You are not alone in this fight. Attorney911 is more than a law firm; we are a dedicated emergency legal team relentless in the pursuit of justice for hazing victims. Our aggressive representation in the ongoing $10 million Bermudez v. Pi Kappa Phi lawsuit against a national fraternity and a major university proves our commitment. We are armed with the expertise, the data, and the passion to take on the most formidable institutions and deliver results.

We are Attorney911. We are Ralph Manginello and Lupe Peña. And we are coming for every institution, every national organization, and every individual who believes they can harm our children with impunity.

Baker County Families: Have you or your child been hazed?

You have legal rights. You have the power to protect your child, to hold perpetrators accountable, and to prevent future tragedies.

Call us now for a free, confidential consultation. Do not let fear, shame, or loyalty to an organization silence your story. No matter where the hazing occurred – whether at Albany State University, Valdosta State University, or any institution across the country – we have the federal court authority and expertise to help.

📞 1-888-ATTY-911

Connect with us 24/7:

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

No Upfront Cost for Baker County Families: We work on a contingency fee basis. This means you pay absolutely nothing out-of-pocket, and we only get paid if we successfully secure compensation for you. Our goal is aligned with yours: to achieve the maximum possible recovery for the damages your family has endured.

Here’s Our Promise to Baker County Hazing Victims:

• Aggressive Advocacy: We will fight tirelessly against every liable party—the individual perpetrators, the local chapters operating near Baker County, the powerful national organizations, and the universities that failed to protect your child.
• Experienced Litigators: Both Ralph Manginello and Lupe Peña are seasoned trial attorneys with a combined 37+ years of experience. Their background as former insurance defense lawyers gives us unique insight into the defense’s strategies, allowing us to anticipate and dismantle their arguments.
• Nationwide Reach, Local Commitment: While based in Texas, our federal court admission and willingness to travel mean we can effectively represent clients in Baker County, Georgia, and across the United States. We offer video consultations and will come to you for critical meetings, depositions, or trial proceedings.
• Bilingual Support (Se Habla Español): We are dedicated to serving all families, including Spanish-speaking residents of Baker County. Our team ensures clear communication and comprehensive legal support without language barriers.
• Unwavering Support: We understand the emotional toll of hazing. You are not just a case file to us; you are a family in crisis, and we will treat you with compassion, respect, and unwavering dedication.

If this prevents harm to another person, that’s what we’re hoping to do. – Lupe Peña. Your decision to pursue justice for your child can be the catalyst for meaningful change, saving countless others from similar suffering.

Don’t wait. The time to act is now. Evidence vanishes, memories fade, and legal deadlines approach. Let Attorney911 be your first call in this legal emergency. We are ready to be your voice, your shield, and your sword in the fight against hazing.