A Comprehensive Guide to Hazing, Accountability, and Legal Rights for Bogata and Red River County, Texas Families

An Urgent Message for Bogata Parents

The phone rings in the middle of the night. Your child, a promising student at the University of Houston, Texas A&M, or another Texas campus, is on the line. Their voice is slurred, filled with fear and pain. They mention a “pledge event,” extreme exhaustion, and a feeling of overwhelming sickness. As a parent in Bogata, Red River County, your world narrows to a single, terrifying point: your child is in danger, and the institutions you trusted to protect them have failed.

This is not a hypothetical fear. Right now, in Harris County, we are actively litigating one of the most serious hazing cases in Texas: the $10 million lawsuit on behalf of Leonel Bermudez against the University of Houston, the Pi Kappa Phi national fraternity, and 13 individual members of its shut-down Beta Nu chapter. According to detailed media reports from Click2Houston and ABC13, Bermudez endured months of abuse as a fall 2025 pledge. This included the humiliation of a mandatory “pledge fanny pack” filled with condoms and a sex toy, forced overnight driving duties, and extreme physical hazing at locations including the fraternity house and Yellowstone Boulevard Park.

The abuse culminated on November 3, 2025, when he was forced through over 100 push-ups and 500 squats under threat of expulsion. He was left unable to stand. Days later, he was hospitalized for four days after passing brown urine, diagnosed with life-threatening rhabdomyolysis (severe muscle breakdown) and acute kidney failure. The Pi Kappa Phi chapter was suspended on November 6 and voted to surrender its charter on November 14. The University of Houston called the conduct “deeply disturbing.”

If you are a parent in Bogata, Clarksville, or anywhere in Red River County, this case is your proof: severe, institutionalized hazing is happening at Texas universities right now. Your child at Texas A&M, UT Austin, or a regional campus could be at risk. This guide is written specifically for you. We will explain what modern hazing looks like, the Texas laws designed to protect your child, the national patterns of abuse that repeat on our campuses, and the concrete legal options available to your family. You are not alone, and you have the right to demand accountability.

If you have just discovered your child was hazed, act immediately:

• For Medical Emergencies: Call 911.
• For Legal Guidance: Call Attorney911 at 1-888-ATTY-911. We provide immediate help—that’s why we’re the Legal Emergency Lawyers™.
• In the First 48 Hours: Get medical attention. Preserve all evidence: screenshot group chats (GroupMe, texts), photograph injuries, save any physical items. Write down everything your child tells you. Do not confront the organization, sign anything from the university, or post details on social media.

Hazing in 2025: Beyond Stereotypes

Hazing is not a relic of the past or “boys being boys.” It is a calculated pattern of psychological and physical control that has evolved with technology and become more secretive. For Bogata families, understanding its modern forms is the first step in recognizing danger.

Texas law (Education Code Chapter 37) defines hazing broadly as any intentional, knowing, or reckless act that endangers the mental or physical health of a student for the purpose of initiation, affiliation, or membership in any organization. Crucially, a victim’s “consent” is not a defense.

Modern hazing falls into three escalating tiers:

Tier 1: Subtle Hazing & Digital Control
This establishes power imbalance and isolation. It includes mandatory, degrading “fanny pack” rules (as in the UH Pi Kappa Phi case), being on-call 24/7 for errands, enforced social isolation from non-members, and sleep deprivation for late-night “meetings.” Digitally, it manifests as mandatory location-sharing via apps, constant GroupMe monitoring with instant response demands, and control over social media activity.

Tier 2: Harassment Hazing
This causes measurable distress and harm. It involves verbal abuse and threats, food/water restriction, forced consumption of unpalatable substances (like the milk, hot dogs, and peppercorns forced on Bermudez), and “smokings” or extreme calisthenics framed as “workouts.” Public humiliation, like being forced to perform embarrassing acts, is common.

Tier 3: Violent Hazing
This has high potential for catastrophic injury or death. The hallmarks are forced alcohol consumption (the leading cause of hazing deaths nationwide), forced drug use, physical beatings or paddling, dangerous physical “tests” (like blindfolded tackles), sexualized abuse, and exposure to extreme environments (e.g., lying in vomit-soaked grass or being sprayed with a hose “like waterboarding,” as alleged in the UH lawsuit).

Hazing occurs in fraternities, sororities, Corps of Cadets programs, athletic teams, spirit groups like cheer and dance, marching bands, and even some academic clubs. The common thread is the abuse of power under the guise of “tradition” or “bonding.”

The Texas Legal Framework: Your Family’s Rights

As a Red River County family, your case will be governed by Texas law and may involve federal statutes. Understanding this framework is crucial.

Texas Education Code Chapter 37 (The Hazing Statute)

• Definition: Any intentional, knowing, or reckless act that endangers physical or mental health for purposes of initiation/affiliation, on or off campus.
• Criminal Penalties: Ranges from a Class B Misdemeanor to a State Jail Felony if the hazing causes serious bodily injury or death—exactly the charge that could apply in a case like Bermudez’s, where rhabdomyolysis and kidney failure occurred.
• Organizational Liability: The fraternity, sorority, or club itself can be fined up to $10,000 and lose university recognition.
• Critical Protections: Consent is not a defense (§37.155). Good-faith reporters who call for help have immunity from liability (§37.154).

Civil Lawsuits vs. Criminal Charges

• Criminal Cases: Brought by the state (DA’s office) to punish with jail, fines, probation. Charges can include hazing, assault, furnishing alcohol to minors, or manslaughter.
• Civil Lawsuits: Brought by victims and families to secure compensation and accountability. We sue for negligence, wrongful death, negligent supervision, and intentional infliction of emotional distress. These cases can proceed independently; a criminal conviction is not required to win a civil judgment.

Federal Overlay: Title IX, Clery, and the Stop Campus Hazing Act

• Title IX: If hazing involves sexual harassment or assault, your child’s school has specific legal duties to investigate and address it.
• Clery Act: Requires universities to report certain crimes, including aggravated assault and liquor law violations common in hazing.
• Stop Campus Hazing Act (2024): Requires increased transparency and public reporting of hazing incidents by 2026, giving families more data on dangerous organizations.

Who Can Be Held Liable?
In a civil case, we build a “defendant universe” to ensure full accountability and access to insurance coverage. This can include:

1. The individual students who planned and carried out the acts.
2. The local chapter as an entity.
3. The national fraternity or sorority headquarters (which often have deep-pocketed insurance policies).
4. The university or its board of regents for negligent supervision.
5. Housing corporations and alumni boards that own or control properties where hazing occurs.
6. Third parties like landlords or bars that enabled the conduct.

National Case Patterns: A Blueprint for Texas Accountability

The tragic cases that make national headlines are not anomalies; they are a predictable blueprint of failures. They show us how courts, juries, and legislatures have responded—precedents that benefit Texas families.

The Alcohol Poisoning Pattern
This is the most common fatal hazing script.

• Stone Foltz, Bowling Green State (Pi Kappa Alpha, 2021): Pledge forced to drink a bottle of alcohol; died. Result: $10 million settlement ($7M from national fraternity, ~$3M from university).
• Max Gruver, LSU (Phi Delta Theta, 2017): Died during a “Bible study” drinking game. Result: Louisiana passed the Max Gruver Act, creating felony hazing charges.
• Andrew Coffey, Florida State (Pi Kappa Phi, 2017): Died after a “Big Brother” night. The national organization involved is the same one we are currently suing in the UH case.

The Physical & Ritualized Abuse Pattern

• Chun “Michael” Deng, Baruch College (Pi Delta Psi, 2013): Died from traumatic brain injury after a violent “glass ceiling” ritual at a retreat. The national fraternity was convicted of felony charges and banned from Pennsylvania for 10 years. This proves nationals can be held criminally liable.

The Athletic Hazing Pattern

• Northwestern University Football (2023-2025): Widespread sexualized and racist hazing allegations led to multiple lawsuits, the firing of the head coach, and confidential settlements. Hazing is not confined to Greek life.

What This Means for Bogata Families
These cases establish that universities and national organizations are on clear notice. When a Texas chapter repeats a known, dangerous pattern—like forced drinking or extreme physical exertion—it powerfully supports claims of negligence and gross negligence. The multi-million dollar settlements and verdicts (ranging from $6.1 million to over $14 million) show that juries hold these institutions accountable. Your case in Texas proceeds with this powerful legal backdrop.

The Texas University Landscape: Where Bogata and Red River County Students Are at Risk

Families in Bogata and across Red River County send their students to a mix of regional colleges and major statewide universities. Hazing is a risk at all of them.

For Bogata Students: Northeast Texas & Statewide Campuses

Regional Campuses Close to Home:

• Texarkana College & Texas A&M University-Texarkana: Serving the northeast region, these campuses have student organizations with hazing risks.
• Paris Junior College: A common choice for Red River County students beginning their higher education.

Major Statewide Universities (Where Many Bogata Students Attend):
The data from our Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine shows a dense network of Greek organizations supporting these large campuses. When your child joins a fraternity or sorority at one of these schools, they are not just joining a local club; they are connecting to a vast ecosystem of affiliated legal entities, housing corporations, and national organizations—all of which can share liability.

University of Houston (UH) – A Current Case Study

Our flagship case makes UH a critical example. Beyond the Pi Kappa Phi lawsuit, UH has a documented history.

• Pi Kappa Alpha Incident (2016): A pledge suffered a lacerated spleen after alleged physical hazing. The chapter faced criminal charges and suspension.
• Ecosystem of Liability: According to IRS and Cause IQ public records, the Houston metro area has 188 Greek-related organizations. The “Beta Nu Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity Housing Corporation Inc.” (EIN 462267515) is registered in Frisco, TX. This is the type of entity we identify and include in our litigation to ensure every responsible party is held accountable.

Texas A&M University – Corps & Greek Life Risks

For Bogata families with children in the Corps of Cadets or Greek life at A&M, the risks are significant and well-documented.

• Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE) Chemical Burns Case (2021): Pledges alleged being doused with industrial cleaner and other substances, causing severe chemical burns requiring skin grafts. A $1 million lawsuit was filed.
• Corps of Cadets “Roasted Pig” Lawsuit (2023): A cadet alleged degrading hazing, including being bound between beds in a simulated sexual position. He sought over $1 million in damages.
• Local Data: The College Station-Bryan metro has 42 Greek organizations. Entities like the “Eta Alpha House Corporation of Kappa Delta Sorority” (EIN 742930349) in College Station are part of the financial and operational backbone of Greek life there.

University of Texas at Austin

UT maintains one of the most transparent public hazing logs in the state, revealing ongoing issues.

• Public Violations Log: Includes entries for groups like Pi Kappa Alpha (2023, forced milk consumption and calisthenics) and spirit groups for forced workouts.
• SAE Assault Case (2024): An exchange student allegedly assaulted at a party, suffering a broken nose, fractured tibia, and dislocated leg, leading to a lawsuit.
• Austin Metro Data: The Austin-Round Rock metro has 154 Greek organizations. Entities like the “Building Corporation of Delta Chapter of Alpha Delta Pi” (EIN 746047117) in Austin show how local property is tied to national brands.

Southern Methodist University (SMU) & Baylor University

• SMU: A 2017 Kappa Alpha Order incident involved paddling and forced drinking, leading to suspension. As a private university, its processes can be less transparent, necessitating aggressive legal discovery.
• Baylor: Faced a 2020 baseball hazing scandal resulting in multiple player suspensions, indicating systemic issues beyond Greek life.

The Key Takeaway for Parents: No Texas university is immune. Each has faced serious incidents, and each campus is supported by a complex web of organizations we are trained to investigate.

Fraternities & Sororities: National Histories Create Local Liability

When your child is hazed by a chapter of a national fraternity at a Texas school, that national organization’s history across the country becomes directly relevant to your case. This “pattern evidence” is legally crucial.

Why National Histories Matter in Court
Courts allow evidence of a defendant’s prior similar acts to prove things like knowledge, intent, or the absence of mistake. If a national fraternity has paid millions to settle a hazing death in Ohio, and then a Texas chapter repeats the same forced-drinking ritual, it proves the national knew the extreme danger of this “tradition” and failed to prevent it. This supports claims for punitive damages and defeats defenses like “this was a rogue chapter.”

High-Risk Organizations with Documented Patterns

• Pi Kappa Alpha (Pike): National pattern of fatal alcohol hazing (Stone Foltz, David Bogenberger). A chapter was at the center of a 2016 UH spleen injury case.
• Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE): Multiple deaths and severe injury lawsuits nationwide, including the recent Texas A&M chemical burns case and UT Austin assault lawsuit.
• Pi Kappa Phi: The national in our UH lawsuit; history includes the 2017 death of Andrew Coffey at Florida State.
• Phi Delta Theta: National pattern includes the Max Gruver death at LSU.

Our Investigative Advantage: The Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine
Unlike firms that start from scratch, we begin with a proprietary data foundation. For Texas cases, we maintain a directory built from public records, including:

• IRS B83 Filings: Over 125 Texas-registered Greek organizations (housing corps, alumni chapters) with EINs and addresses.
• Cause IQ Metro Data: Tracking 1,423 Greek-related entities across 25 Texas metros.
• University Rosters: Verified chapter lists for major campuses.

This means when a Bogata family comes to us after an incident at Texas A&M, we don’t just see “Fraternity X.” We see “Fraternity X, its national HQ in Indianapolis, its housing corporation registered in College Station (EIN #####), its alumni chapter in Dallas, and its five prior hazing violations at other Texas schools.” We immediately know who to sue and where to look for evidence and insurance coverage.

Building a Hazing Case: Evidence, Strategy, and Damages

Pursuing a hazing case is a complex, multi-front investigation against well-resourced opponents. Here is how we build a winning strategy for families.

Phase 1: Evidence Preservation & Investigation
Digital evidence is often the most critical. We act fast to secure:

• Group Chats: Screenshots of GroupMe, WhatsApp, iMessage, Discord conversations showing planning, bragging, or threats.
• Social Media: Archived Instagram stories, TikTok videos, Snapchat memories that depict events or injuries.
• Internal Documents: Pledge manuals, “big/little” assignment sheets, chapter bylaws.
• Medical Records: ER reports, hospital admission notes, lab results (like the critically high creatine kinase levels proving rhabdomyolysis), and psychological evaluations for PTSD.
• University Records: Obtained via subpoena or public records request, showing prior complaints and disciplinary history against the group.

Phase 2: Identifying the Defendant Universe
We sue every entity with potential liability and insurance:

1. Individual perpetrators.
2. Chapter officers (President, Pledgemaster, Risk Manager).
3. The local chapter association.
4. The national fraternity/sorority.
5. The university and its board of regents.
6. Housing corporations and alumni associations (like those listed in our Texas data).
7. Property owners and landlords.

Phase 3: Overcoming Defense Tactics
We anticipate and counter common defenses:

• “They Consented”: Texas law (§37.155) nullifies this. We demonstrate the coercive power imbalance.
• “Rogue Chapter”: We use national pattern evidence and lax supervision to show the national is responsible.
• “Off-Campus, Not Our Problem”: We prove the university and national benefited from and could have controlled the activity.
• “Insurance Doesn’t Cover Intentional Acts”: With Mr. Lupe Peña’s background as a former insurance defense attorney, we fight coverage exclusions and argue negligent supervision is covered.

Damages: What Families Can Recover
We work with economists and life-care planners to quantify all losses:

• Economic: All medical bills (past & future), lost wages, lost earning capacity, educational costs (withdrawn semesters).
• Non-Economic: Pain and suffering, mental anguish (PTSD, depression, anxiety), physical impairment, loss of enjoyment of life.
• Wrongful Death: Funeral costs, loss of financial support, loss of companionship, parental grief.
• Punitive Damages: To punish especially reckless or malicious conduct and deter future hazing.

A Practical Guide for Bogata & Red River County Families

For Parents: Warning Signs & Immediate Steps

Red Flags:

• Unexplained injuries, extreme fatigue, or sudden weight changes.
• Personality shifts: withdrawal, anxiety, defensiveness about the group.
• Constant, secretive phone use tied to group chats.
• Requests for large sums of money with vague explanations.

What to Do RIGHT NOW:

1. Prioritize Health: Get medical/psychological care immediately.
2. Preserve Evidence: Use your phone to document everything. Follow our video guide on evidence preservation.
3. Write It Down: Record your child’s account with dates, names, and locations.
4. Report Carefully: Consider reporting to campus police and the Dean of Students, but understand the university’s interest may be limiting liability.
5. Call a Lawyer Early: Contact us at 1-888-ATTY-911 before evidence disappears and witnesses are coached. Understand your options.

For Students: Your Rights & Safety

• You Can Always Leave: You have the legal right to quit any organization, no matter what they’ve told you.
• Calling 911 is Protected: Texas law and most university policies offer amnesty for those who seek help in an emergency.
• Document Secretly: If safe, take photos, screenshots, or voice memos.
• You Are Not at Fault: “Consent” under pressure is not real consent.

Critical Mistakes That Can Harm Your Case

1. Deleting Messages: This looks like a cover-up and destroys your best evidence.
2. Confronting the Fraternity: This triggers their legal defense and evidence destruction.
3. Signing University Paperwork: Never sign a “resolution” or waiver without an attorney.
4. Posting on Social Media: Defense attorneys monitor everything; inconsistencies hurt credibility.
5. Waiting Too Long: Texas has a two-year statute of limitations for personal injury, but evidence vanishes in days. Watch our video on statutes of limitation.
6. Talking to Insurance Adjusters: They are not on your side. Direct them to your lawyer.

Why Attorney911 is the Right Firm for Texas Hazing Cases

When your family faces the trauma of hazing, you need more than a lawyer; you need strategic advocates who understand institutional power, insurance tactics, and Texas law. From our offices in Houston, Austin, and Beaumont, we serve families across Texas, including those in Bogata, Clarksville, and throughout Red River County and Northeast Texas.

Our Proven Advantage for Hazing Litigation:

1. Active, High-Stakes Litigation Experience: We are not theorists. Right now, we are lead counsel in the $10 million Leonel Bermudez vs. UH & Pi Kappa Phi lawsuit. We are in the trenches, fighting the exact type of institutions—a major public university and a national fraternity—that your family may be up against.

2. Insider Insurance Knowledge (Mr. Lupe Peña’s Expertise): Mr. Peña (he/him) spent years as an insurance defense attorney for large companies. He knows exactly how fraternity and university insurers undervalue claims, fight coverage, and use delay tactics. We know their playbook because we used to run it. This is an invaluable advantage in securing full compensation.

3. Complex Institutional Lawsuit Capability: Managing Partner Ralph Manginello was one of the few Texas attorneys involved in the BP Texas City explosion litigation, taking on a billion-dollar corporation. National fraternities and universities have similar resources and legal teams. We are not intimidated; we are prepared.

4. Deep Texas Data Intelligence: We don’t start investigations from zero. We use our proprietary Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine—built from IRS filings, university rosters, and metro data—to immediately identify every potentially liable organization, from the national HQ down to the local housing corporation. For Bogata families, this means we understand the specific Greek ecosystems at A&M, UT, UH, and other campuses your children attend.

5. Dual Civil & Criminal Expertise: With Ralph Manginello’s membership in the Harris County Criminal Lawyers Association (HCCLA), we understand both sides of hazing cases. We can effectively advise families when criminal charges are pending and navigate the interplay between civil and criminal proceedings.

6. A Commitment to Your Family: We take a limited number of serious injury and wrongful death cases to ensure each client gets the focus they deserve. We are committed to achieving accountability and preventing future harm, not just securing a quick settlement.

Take the Next Step: A Free, Confidential Consultation

If hazing has impacted your child and your family, you do not have to navigate this crisis alone. The path ahead may seem overwhelming, but taking the first step is simple.

Contact The Manginello Law Firm, PLLC (Attorney911) today for a free, no-obligation consultation.

During your consultation, we will:

• Listen with compassion and without judgment to your story.
• Review any evidence you have gathered.
• Explain the legal options available under Texas and federal law.
• Discuss our investigative strategy and how we identify all responsible parties.
• Answer your questions about the process, timeline, and costs.
• We work on a contingency fee basis for personal injury cases—there is no fee unless we win your case.

We are here for Bogata and Red River County families:

• Call our 24/7 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 full Spanish-language legal services.

You have the right to answers. You have the right to accountability. You have the right to ensure no other family endures this pain. Let us help you fight for those rights.

Legal Disclaimer

This article is provided for informational and educational purposes only. It is not legal advice and does not create an attorney–client relationship between you and The Manginello Law Firm, PLLC. Hazing laws, university policies, and legal precedents can change. The information in this guide is current as of late 2025 but may not reflect the most recent developments. Every hazing case is unique, and outcomes depend on the specific facts, evidence, applicable law, and many other factors. If you or your child has been affected by hazing, we strongly encourage you to consult with a qualified Texas attorney who can review your specific situation.

The Manginello Law Firm, PLLC / Attorney911
Houston, Austin, and Beaumont, Texas
Call: 1-888-ATTY-911 (1-888-288-9911)
Website: https://attorney911.com