The Complete Guide to Hazing Lawsuits and Student Safety for Bonham, Texas Families

Your Child Was Hazed at a Texas University: What Bonham Parents Need to Know Now

We understand the phone call no parent in Bonham wants to receive. Your child, who left for the University of Houston, Texas A&M, or another Texas campus full of promise, is now in the hospital. Or they’re calling home, terrified and ashamed, whispering about what their fraternity, sorority, Corps program, or athletic team is making them do. The confusion, the fear, the anger—it’s overwhelming. And when you reach out to the university, you’re met with vague statements and promises of an “internal investigation.”

Right now, in Harris County, we are actively litigating one of the most serious hazing cases in Texas. We represent Leonel Bermudez, a University of Houston student who was hazed by the Pi Kappa Phi Beta Nu chapter. The allegations are horrific: forced consumption of food until vomiting, extreme physical workouts, being sprayed in the face with a hose “similar to waterboarding,” and carrying a degrading “pledge fanny pack.” This abuse caused Bermudez to develop rhabdomyolysis and acute kidney failure, requiring a four-day hospitalization. The fraternity chapter has been shut down, and we have filed a $10 million lawsuit against the university, the national fraternity, and individual members.

This is not an isolated incident. It’s a pattern. And it’s why we created this comprehensive guide for parents and families in Bonham and across Fannin County. Whether your child attends a local school like Texas A&M University-Commerce or has gone farther to UT Austin, Baylor, or SMU, you need to know the reality of modern hazing, your legal rights under Texas law, and how to protect your child when institutions fail them.

If This Just Happened: Immediate Steps for Bonham Families

Your child is in danger RIGHT NOW:

• Call 911 for any medical emergency.
• Then call us immediately at 1-888-ATTY-911. We are the Legal Emergency Lawyers™ for a reason.
• Get your child to an ER or urgent care. Do not let them “sleep it off.”

In the first 48 hours, evidence disappears:

1. Preserve Digital Evidence: Have your child screenshot every group chat (GroupMe, WhatsApp, iMessage), social media post, and DM related to the incident. Do not delete anything.
2. Document Injuries: Take clear, well-lit photographs of any bruises, cuts, burns, or other injuries from multiple angles.
3. Write It Down: Write a detailed timeline of events: who, what, when, and where, while memories are fresh.
4. Secure Physical Items: Save clothing, paddles, receipts, or any objects used in the hazing.
5. Do NOT:
   • Confront the fraternity, sorority, or team.
   • Sign any documents from the university or an insurance company.
   • Let your child delete messages or “clean up” their phone.
   • Post details on public social media.

Time is your enemy. Call Attorney911 at 1-888-ATTY-911 for immediate, strategic guidance.

Hazing in 2025: Beyond the Stereotypes

Hazing is not just about “boys being boys” or harmless pranks. It is a calculated system of abuse designed to create power dynamics through humiliation, degradation, and risk. For Bonham families, understanding its modern forms is critical, because what happens at a Texas A&M fraternity house or a UH off-campus apartment is often deliberately hidden from parents and administrators.

The Three Tiers of Hazing

Tier 1: Subtle Hazing (The “Gateway”)
This is often dismissed as “tradition” but establishes control. It includes forced servitude (cleaning houses, running all-hour errands), mandatory “study blocks” that interfere with classes, social isolation from non-members, and carrying degrading items (like the “pledge fanny pack” in the UH Pi Kappa Phi case).

Tier 2: Harassment Hazing (Escalation)
This causes clear emotional or physical distress. It includes sleep deprivation, food/water restriction, verbal abuse and “grilling” sessions, forced physical exercise beyond safe limits (“smokings”), and public humiliation via social media or in front of peers.

Tier 3: Violent Hazing (Catastrophic Risk)
This has the highest potential for permanent injury or death. It encompasses forced alcohol consumption (chugging, drinking games), forced drug use, physical beatings and paddling, sexualized hazing and assault, dangerous “rituals” (like blindfolded tackles), and exposure to extreme elements.

The “New” Face of Hazing: Digital Coercion and Off-Campus Evasion

Today’s hazing has evolved to avoid detection:

• 24/7 Digital Control: Pledges are monitored via GroupMe, WhatsApp, or Discord, required to respond instantly at all hours. Location-sharing apps are used to track them.
• Social Media Humiliation: Forced TikTok challenges, embarrassing Instagram stories, and group chats filled with degrading memes.
• The “Retreat” Model: To avoid campus security cameras, the most severe hazing is moved to remote Airbnbs, hunting lodges, or private homes, like the off-campus residences used in the UH Pi Kappa Phi case.
• The “Optional” Loophole: Activities are framed as “voluntary” to create legal cover, but refusal means social ostracization and being cut from the group.

For a Bonham parent, the warning signs might be subtle: your child is constantly exhausted, anxious when their phone buzzes, withdrawing from family, and making excuses for unexplained injuries or financial drains.

Texas Hazing Law: The Legal Framework Protecting Your Child

Texas has specific, powerful statutes designed to hold abusers and the institutions that enable them accountable. Understanding this framework is the first step toward justice for your family.

Texas Education Code Chapter 37: The Anti-Hazing Statute

The law is clear and applies to students at any Texas university, whether they’re from Bonham, Dallas, or Houston.

• Definition: Hazing is any intentional, knowing, or reckless act directed against a student for the purpose of initiation, affiliation, or membership in any organization that endangers the student’s mental or physical health or safety. This can occur on or off campus.
• Criminal Penalties:
  • Class B Misdemeanor: Basic hazing (up to 180 days jail, $2,000 fine).
  • Class A Misdemeanor: Hazing that causes injury requiring medical treatment.
  • State Jail Felony: Hazing that causes serious bodily injury or death.
• Critical Protections:
  • Consent is NOT a Defense (Sec. 37.155): Even if your child “agreed,” it is still a crime. The law recognizes the power imbalance and coercion inherent in hazing.
  • Immunity for Good-Faith Reporting (Sec. 37.154): Students who call 911 or report hazing in good faith are protected from criminal and civil liability related to the report. This is meant to break the code of silence.
  • Organizational Liability (Sec. 37.153): The fraternity, sorority, or club itself can be prosecuted and fined up to $10,000 per violation.

Civil Liability: The Path to Accountability and Compensation

A criminal case, pursued by the state, aims to punish. A civil lawsuit, which we file on behalf of your family, aims to compensate for the immense harm done and force institutional change. The defendants can include:

• The individual students who carried out the hazing.
• The local chapter and its officers.
• The National Fraternity or Sorority Headquarters, which often has deep insurance pockets and a history of ignoring warning signs.
• The University, for negligent supervision, failing to act on prior reports, or violating its duty to provide a safe environment.
• Property owners and landlords of off-campus hazing venues.

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

• Title IX: If hazing involves sexual harassment or assault, it triggers the university’s Title IX obligations, which can provide another avenue for investigation and accountability.
• Clery Act: Requires universities to report certain crimes, including hazing-related assaults and alcohol offenses, in their annual security reports.
• Stop Campus Hazing Act (2024): This new federal law requires colleges to report hazing incidents more transparently and strengthen prevention programs, with full implementation by 2026.

National Hazing Cases: The Tragic Patterns That Repeat in Texas

The heartbreaking cases below are not just news stories; they are blueprints for the negligence we see in Texas. They show how national organizations fail to stop predictable tragedies.

The Alcohol Poisoning Pattern

• Stone Foltz, Bowling Green State University (Pi Kappa Alpha, 2021): Forced to drink a bottle of alcohol during a “Big/Little” event; died. Settlement: $10 million ($7M from national Pike, $3M from BGSU).
• Max Gruver, LSU (Phi Delta Theta, 2017): Died after a “Bible study” drinking game. His death led to Louisiana’s felony hazing “Max Gruver Act.”
• Timothy Piazza, Penn State (Beta Theta Pi, 2017): Died from traumatic brain injuries after a bid acceptance night with extreme drinking. Led to the Timothy J. Piazza Anti-Hazing Law in Pennsylvania.

The Physical and Ritualized Violence Pattern

• Chun “Michael” Deng, Baruch College (Pi Delta Psi, 2013): Died from head trauma during a blindfolded “glass ceiling” ritual at a retreat. The national fraternity was convicted of manslaughter and banned from Pennsylvania.
• Danny Santulli, University of Missouri (Phi Gamma Delta, 2021): Suffered permanent brain damage after being forced to drink excessively. His family settled with 22 defendants.

What This Means for Your Bonham Family

These cases prove that national fraternities and universities are on notice. When a chapter at UH or Texas A&M uses the same dangerous “traditions,” it demonstrates foreseeability—they knew or should have known this could happen. This pattern evidence is crucial in proving gross negligence and securing meaningful settlements that force change.

Texas University Deep Dive: Where Bonham Students Are at Risk

Bonham families proudly send their children to Texas’s flagship universities. Here is what you need to know about the hazing landscape at these schools.

University of Houston: A Current Case Study in Institutional Failure

Relevance to Bonham: As a major metropolitan university, UH draws students from across Texas. The current, active lawsuit we are handling demonstrates the severe risks present on this campus.

• The Leonel Bermudez Case (Pi Kappa Phi Beta Nu Chapter): This is not a historical case. It is ongoing litigation we are leading as of late 2025. The lawsuit alleges that in Fall 2025, Bermudez was subjected to months of abuse, including carrying a humiliating “pledge fanny pack,” overnight driving duties, forced overconsumption of food, and extreme physical workouts at the chapter house and Yellowstone Boulevard Park. The hazing culminated in rhabdomyolysis and acute kidney failure. Despite the chapter being suspended on Nov. 6, 2025, and voting to surrender its charter on Nov. 14, the university and national fraternity failed to prevent this foreseeable harm.
• Past Incidents: UH has suspended chapters for hazing, including a Pi Kappa Alpha chapter in 2016 after a pledge suffered a lacerated spleen.
• Action for UH Families: Immediate evidence preservation is critical. Report to both UHPD and the Dean of Students, but understand the university’s primary interest is often limiting liability. Contact a lawyer who knows how to navigate the UH System and has active experience in Harris County courts.

Texas A&M University: Corps Culture and Greek Life

Relevance to Bonham: Many North Texas students dream of becoming Aggies. The unique culture of the Corps of Cadets and a powerful Greek system present specific risks.

• Corps of Cadets Hazing: Lawsuits have alleged severe, tradition-based hazing within the Corps, including simulated sexual acts and physical restraint.
• Sigma Alpha Epsilon Chemical Burns Case (2021): Pledges alleged they were doused with industrial cleaner and other substances, causing severe chemical burns requiring skin grafts. The chapter was suspended.
• Action for A&M Families: The university’s strong institutional culture can make reporting intimidating. An attorney with experience in Brazos County and against large institutions is essential to navigate both the university’s internal processes and potential civil litigation.

University of Texas at Austin: Transparency and Repeated Violations

Relevance to Bonham: UT Austin is a top destination for high-achieving Texas students. It maintains a public hazing violations log, which reveals ongoing issues.

• Public Violations Log: UT posts detailed records of hazing sanctions. Recent entries include chapters punished for forced calisthenics, alcohol consumption, and sleep deprivation.
• Sigma Alpha Epsilon Assault Case (2024): An exchange student allegedly suffered a broken nose, dislocated leg, and other injuries at an SAE party, leading to a lawsuit.
• Action for UT Families: The public log can be a valuable tool in establishing a chapter’s prior knowledge of violations. Legal action may involve Travis County courts and require subpoenaing internal UT Austin records.

Southern Methodist University and Baylor University

Relevance to Bonham: These private, prestigious universities attract students from across the state. Their private status affects how information is disclosed.

• SMU: Has faced hazing incidents within its Greek system, leading to chapter suspensions. Private universities often handle investigations internally, making external legal pressure crucial for transparency.
• Baylor: Has dealt with hazing scandals in its athletic programs, including baseball. Baylor’s history with institutional response to scandal underscores the importance of having aggressive, independent legal counsel.

The Organizations Behind the Letters: National Histories and Local Chapters

When your child is hazed by “Sigma Alpha Epsilon” or “Pi Kappa Phi,” you are not just up against a group of college students. You are facing a national organization with a history, an insurance policy, and a legal strategy. Our Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine tracks these entities.

Public Records Directory: Greek Organizations Operating in Texas

We maintain a database of over 1,400 Greek-related entities in Texas to ensure no responsible organization hides. Here are examples relevant to universities Bonham families attend:

• Beta Nu Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity Housing Corporation Inc (EIN: 462267515) – Frisco, TX 75035. This is the housing corporation for the very chapter accused in the UH Bermudez case.
• Sigma Chi Fraternity Epsilon Xi Chapter (EIN: 746084905) – Houston, TX 77204. A chapter at the University of Houston.
• Texas Kappa Sigma Educational Foundation Inc (EIN: 741380362) – Fort Worth, TX 76147. Supports Kappa Sigma chapters across Texas.
• Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity – Arlington-Grand Prairie Alumni Chapter (EIN: 232452759) – Grand Prairie, TX 75054. Serves the DFW metroplex, including students at UT Arlington and beyond.

This is a fractional sample. These entities, along with their national headquarters, often hold the insurance policies and assets that can provide compensation for victims. Finding them is the first step in our investigative process.

Why National History Matters in Your Texas Case

If a Pi Kappa Phi chapter at UH is accused of dangerous forced consumption, and the national headquarters already settled the Andrew Coffey death case at Florida State in 2017 for similar conduct, that pattern is powerful evidence. It shows the national organization knew the risks and failed to adequately supervise, train, or intervene. We use this data to break through the “rogue chapter” defense and establish liability at the highest levels.

Building a Hazing Case: Evidence, Strategy, and Damages

Winning a hazing case requires a meticulous, data-driven approach. It is not a simple personal injury claim; it is a complex institutional fight.

The Evidence Pyramid: What Wins Cases

1. Digital Forensics: Deleted GroupMe chats, Snapchat messages, Instagram stories, and geolocation data. We work with experts to recover what organizations try to destroy.
2. Internal Documents: Chapter “pledge manuals,” national fraternity risk management policies, emails between advisors and headquarters.
3. University Records: Prior conduct violations for the same chapter obtained via discovery or public records requests.
4. Medical Evidence: ER records, toxicology reports, psychological evaluations for PTSD, and future life-care plans for catastrophic injuries.
5. Witness Testimony: Other pledges, former members, roommates, and medical personnel.

Types of Recoverable Damages

• Economic Damages: All past and future medical expenses, lost wages, and loss of future earning capacity (critical for a young student whose career is derailed).
• Non-Economic Damages: Compensation for physical pain, emotional trauma, humiliation, and loss of enjoyment of life.
• Wrongful Death Damages: In tragic cases, families can recover for funeral costs, loss of companionship, and emotional anguish.
• Punitive Damages: In cases of egregious conduct, these may be available to punish the defendants and deter future behavior.

Overcoming Institutional Defenses

We anticipate and counter their standard playbook:

• “The Pledge Consented”: Texas law voids this defense. Coercion negates consent.
• “It Was a Rogue Chapter”: We use their national hazing history and internal communications to prove knowledge and failure to supervise.
• “It Happened Off-Campus”: Universities and nationals still have a duty of care if they sponsor, fund, or recognize the organization.
• “Insurance Doesn’t Cover Intentional Acts”: We argue negligent supervision by the national or university is a covered claim. Our attorney, Mr. Lupe Peña, is a former insurance defense lawyer who knows exactly how these companies fight.

Practical Guides for Bonham Parents, Students, and Witnesses

For Parents: A Step-by-Step Action Plan

1. Prioritize Safety & Health: Get medical care immediately. Health trumps all.
2. Become an Evidence Archivist: Follow the 48-hour checklist at the start of this guide.
3. Report Strategically: File reports with campus police and the Dean of Students, but do not rely on them for your child’s advocacy. Assume any statement you give them will be used to protect the university.
4. Secure Legal Counsel Early: Contact us at 1-888-ATTY-911 before giving formal statements or signing anything. We can manage communications and prevent critical mistakes.

For Students: Is This Hazing? How to Get Out.

• The Test: Are you being pressured, threatened with exclusion, or made to feel unsafe to gain membership? If yes, it’s hazing.
• Your Rights: You have the right to leave. You have the right to report. Texas law protects good-faith reporters.
• Safe Exit: Do not go to a “final meeting.” Send a clear, written resignation. If you fear retaliation, document it and report it to police and your lawyer immediately.

Critical Mistakes That Can Destroy a Case

• Deleting evidence to “move on.”
• Confronting the fraternity/sorority directly, alerting them to preserve evidence.
• Signing a university “resolution agreement” that waives your right to sue.
• Posting about the incident on social media, creating a public record defense attorneys will mine for inconsistencies.
• Waiting for the university to “handle it.” Internal processes are designed to limit institutional liability, not deliver justice.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Can we sue the university? Yes. While public universities have some immunity, exceptions exist for gross negligence and violations of duty. Private universities like SMU and Baylor can be sued directly.
• How long do we have to file a lawsuit? In Texas, the statute of limitations for personal injury is generally two years from the date of injury. However, do not wait. Evidence vanishes within days.
• Will this be public? Many cases settle confidentially. We fight to protect your family’s privacy throughout the process.
• Can we afford a lawyer? We work on a contingency fee basis. You pay nothing unless we win your case. The consultation is free.

Why The Manginello Law Firm Is the Right Choice for Bonham Families

When your family is in crisis, you need more than a lawyer; you need advocates who understand the playbook of your opponents and have the resources to rewrite the ending.

Our Unmatched Texas Hazing Litigation Credentials

• Active, High-Stakes Experience: We are currently lead counsel in the Leonel Bermudez v. University of Houston & Pi Kappa Phi $10 million hazing lawsuit. We are in the trenches right now, fighting the same national fraternities and university systems that may have harmed your child.
• Insider Insurance Knowledge: Our attorney, Mr. Lupe Peña (he/him), spent years as a defense lawyer for national insurance companies. He knows exactly how fraternity and university insurers evaluate claims, deny coverage, and drag out cases. We use their tactics against them.
• Proven Institutional Litigators: Managing partner Ralph Manginello was one of the few Texas lawyers involved in the BP Texas City explosion litigation. We have faced billion-dollar defendants with unlimited legal budgets. A national fraternity or major university does not intimidate us.
• The Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine: We don’t start from scratch. We maintain a proprietary database of over 1,400 Texas Greek organizations, their EINs, addresses, and histories. We know how to find every liable entity, from the local house corporation to the national headquarters.
• Full-Spectrum Advocacy: With Ralph’s membership in the Harris County Criminal Lawyers Association (HCCLA), we can navigate the interplay of criminal and civil cases, advising on all fronts. We also provide Spanish-language legal services through Mr. Peña.

Our Commitment to Bonham and North Texas

While our offices are in Houston, Austin, and Beaumont, we serve hazing victims and their families across Texas. We understand that the students from Bonham, Fannin County, and surrounding communities who attend Texas universities deserve fierce protection. We have the resources and experience to handle cases wherever they occur in the state, and we are committed to being accessible to families in North Texas.

Your Next Step: A Free, Confidential Consultation

You do not have to navigate this nightmare alone. Let us carry the legal burden so you can focus on your child’s healing.

Call Attorney911 today at 1-888-ATTY-911 (1-888-288-9911) for a free, no-obligation consultation. In this confidential meeting, we will:

• Listen compassionately to your story.
• Review any evidence you have gathered.
• Explain your family’s legal rights and options under Texas law.
• Outline our investigative strategy.
• Answer all your questions about the process, timelines, and costs.

Hablamos Español. Contact Mr. Lupe Peña directly at lupe@atty911.com for assistance in Spanish.

Legal Disclaimer: This guide is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Reading this does not create an attorney-client relationship. The outcome of any case depends on its specific facts and circumstances. We encourage you to seek legal counsel for advice on your individual situation.

Plain Text Links to Key Resources

News Coverage of the Leonel Bermudez / UH Pi Kappa Phi Hazing Lawsuit:

• Click2Houston Report: 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 Coverage: 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
• Statutes of Limitations in Texas: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRHwg8tV02c
• Client Mistakes That Can Ruin Your Case: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3IYsoxOSxY
• How Contingency Fees Work: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=upcI_j6F7Nc

Attorney911 Website & Contact:

• Main Website: https://attorney911.com