A Message to Families in Centerville and Leon County: When Hazing Hits Close to Home
For parents in Centerville, Buffalo, Jewett, and across Leon County, the pride of sending a child to college is intertwined with quiet worry. You imagine them in lecture halls at Texas A&M, walking the historic campus of UT Austin, or navigating the vibrant energy of the University of Houston. You trust they’re in good hands. But a phone call in the night can shatter that trust. The voice on the other end is weak, scared, or not your child’s at all—it’s a hospital. Your child is hurt, and the story involves a fraternity, a sorority, a Corps event, or a team “tradition.” The words “hazing” and “initiation” float through the panic, but the reality is a medical crisis: acute kidney failure, a traumatic injury, or worse.
This is not a hypothetical fear. Right now, just a few hours from Leon County in Houston, we are fighting one of the most serious hazing cases in Texas. We represent Leonel Bermudez, a University of Houston student who was brutally hazed as a pledge of the Pi Kappa Phi fraternity’s Beta Nu chapter in fall 2025. According to a detailed Click2Houston report, his ordeal included forced consumption of food until vomiting, hours of extreme calisthenics, humiliation with a “pledge fanny pack,” and being sprayed in the face with a hose “similar to waterboarding.” The physical toll was catastrophic: he developed rhabdomyolysis—a severe muscle breakdown—and acute kidney failure. His urine turned brown, he was hospitalized for four days, and he faces the risk of permanent kidney damage.
This $10 million lawsuit against the University of Houston, Pi Kappa Phi’s national headquarters, and 13 individual fraternity leaders is not an isolated event. It is a stark, current example of the dangerous culture that exists within some campus organizations across Texas, including at the universities where your children may be studying.
This guide is for you—the parents, grandparents, and families in Centerville, Leona, Marquez, and throughout Leon County. Whether your child attends a nearby university like Sam Houston State in Huntsville, a major hub like Texas A&M in College Station, or any Texas campus, you have the right to understand the reality of hazing, the legal framework for accountability, and the practical steps to protect your child. We will explain the laws, unpack the patterns seen in national tragedies, examine the landscape at major Texas schools, and show how a data-driven, experienced legal team builds a case for justice. Our firm, The Manginello Law Firm / Attorney911, is leading the fight in cases like Leonel Bermudez’s. We serve families across Texas, and we are here to help you navigate this crisis.
IMMEDIATE HELP FOR HAZING EMERGENCIES
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If your child is in danger RIGHT NOW:
- Call 911 for medical emergencies.
- Then call Attorney911: 1-888-ATTY-911 (1-888-288-9911). We provide immediate help—that’s why we’re the Legal Emergency Lawyers™.
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In the first 48 hours:
- Get medical attention immediately, even if the student insists they are “fine.”
- Preserve evidence BEFORE it’s deleted:
- Screenshot group chats, texts, DMs immediately.
- Photograph injuries from multiple angles.
- Save physical items (clothing, receipts, objects).
- Write down everything while memory is fresh (who, what, when, where).
- Do NOT:
- Confront the fraternity/sorority.
- Sign anything from the university or insurance company.
- Post details on public social media.
- Let your child delete messages or “clean up” evidence.
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Contact an experienced hazing attorney within 24–48 hours:
- Evidence disappears fast (deleted group chats, coached witnesses).
- We can help preserve evidence and protect your child’s rights.
- Call 1-888-ATTY-911 for a free, confidential consultation.
Hazing in 2025: What It Really Looks Like in Texas
For Leon County families, hazing might conjure images of outdated movie tropes. The reality in 2025 is more systematic, digitally enabled, and often disguised as “tradition” or “team building.” Understanding its forms is the first step in recognizing it.
Hazing is any forced, coerced, or strongly pressured action tied to joining or maintaining status in a group that endangers physical or mental health, humiliates, or exploits. A student’s reluctant “agreement” under intense social pressure and power imbalance does not make it legal or safe.
The Modern Taxonomy of Abuse
1. Alcohol and Substance Hazing: This remains the most common—and deadliest—form. It includes forced chugging, “lineup” drinking games, “Big/Little” nights where handles of liquor are consumed, and trivia games where wrong answers mean shots. The goal is rapid, dangerous intoxication.
2. Physical Hazing: Beyond paddling, this includes “smokings” or extreme calisthenics (like the 100+ push-ups and 500 squats forced upon Leonel Bermudez), sleep deprivation rituals, exposure to extreme cold (e.g., in underwear), food/water deprivation, and dangerous “tests” like blindfolded tackles.
3. Psychological and Humiliating Hazing: This includes verbal abuse, isolation from non-members, enforced silence, carrying degrading “pledge packs” (filled with condoms, sex toys, or other humiliating items), public shaming, and coerced confessions.
4. Sexualized Hazing: Forced nudity, simulated sexual acts, inappropriate touching, and sexually degrading role-playing. These acts often overlap with Title IX violations.
5. Digital Hazing: A 2025 hallmark. Pledges are subjected to 24/7 monitoring via GroupMe or Discord, required to share live locations, forced to post embarrassing content on social media, or harassed if they don’t instantly respond to messages at all hours.
Where Hazing Happens: It’s Not Just “Fraternities”
While fraternities and sororities are frequent offenders, hazing permeates other groups:
- Corps of Cadets and ROTC Units: Military-style traditions can cross into abusive physical training and humiliation.
- Athletic Teams: From football to cheerleading, “rookie rituals” can involve forced drinking, harsh physical trials, and sexualized abuse.
- Spirit and Tradition Groups: Organizations like Texas A&M’s Corps or UT’s spirit groups have faced hazing allegations.
- Marching Bands and Performance Groups.
- Academic and Cultural Clubs.
The common thread is a power imbalance between new and old members, a culture of secrecy, and the mantra that “this is how it’s always been done.”
The Texas Legal Framework: Your Rights in Leon County and Beyond
Texas has specific laws to combat hazing, and understanding them is crucial for Centerville families seeking accountability.
Texas Education Code, Chapter 37: The Anti-Hazing Statute
The law defines hazing broadly as any intentional, knowing, or reckless act (on or off campus) that endangers a student’s physical or mental health for the purpose of initiation, affiliation, or membership. Key provisions include:
- Criminal Penalties: 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: Texas Education Code § 37.155 explicitly states that the victim’s “consent” is irrelevant. The law recognizes that consent under peer pressure is not voluntary.
- Organizational Liability: The fraternity, sorority, or club itself can be fined up to $10,000 and lose university recognition.
- Immunity for Good-Faith Reporters: Individuals who report hazing or call for medical help in good faith are protected from criminal or civil liability related to that report.
Criminal vs. Civil Cases: Two Paths to Accountability
- Criminal Cases: Brought by the state (DA’s office). The goal is punishment: jail time, fines, probation. Charges can include hazing, furnishing alcohol to minors, assault, or manslaughter.
- Civil Cases: Brought by the victim and their family. The goal is compensation for damages and institutional accountability. This is where families can recover costs for medical bills, future care, pain and suffering, and emotional distress. A criminal conviction is not required to file a civil lawsuit. In fact, the civil discovery process often uncovers the most comprehensive evidence.
The Federal Overlay: Stop Campus Hazing Act, Title IX, and Clery
- Stop Campus Hazing Act (2024): Requires colleges receiving federal aid to report hazing incidents more transparently and maintain public data, rolling out through 2026.
- Title IX: If hazing involves sexual harassment or assault, it triggers the university’s Title IX obligations for investigation and response.
- Clery Act: Requires universities to report certain campus crime statistics, which can include hazing-related assaults.
Who Can Be Held Liable in a Civil Hazing Lawsuit?
A thorough investigation aims to identify every responsible party, which commonly includes:
- Individual Students who planned, executed, or concealed the hazing.
- The Local Chapter as an entity.
- The National Fraternity/Sorority Headquarters for negligent supervision, failure to enforce policies, and prior knowledge of patterns.
- The University for negligent oversight, failure to act on prior warnings, or Clery/Title IX violations.
- Property Owners of off-campus houses or venues.
- Third Parties like alcohol providers under dram shop laws.
National Case Patterns: The Tragic Scripts That Repeat in Texas
The hazing that injured Leonel Bermudez at UH follows patterns seen in devastating cases nationwide. These “anchor stories” show how predictable and preventable these tragedies are.
The Alcohol Poisoning Pattern
- Timothy Piazza (Penn State, Beta Theta Pi, 2017): Died after a bid-acceptance night of forced drinking. Brothers delayed calling 911 for hours. The case led to sweeping criminal charges and Pennsylvania’ Timothy J. Piazza Anti-Hazing Law.’
- Stone Foltz (Bowling Green State, Pi Kappa Alpha, 2021): Died after being forced to drink a bottle of liquor. His family secured a $10 million settlement ($7M from the national fraternity, ~$3M from BGSU).
The Physical Ritual Pattern
- Chun “Michael” Deng (Baruch College, Pi Delta Psi, 2013): Died from traumatic brain injury after a blindfolded, violent “glass ceiling” ritual at a retreat. The national fraternity was criminally convicted and banned from Pennsylvania.
The Athletic Hazing Pattern
- Northwestern University Football (2023-2025): Widespread allegations of sexualized and racist hazing led to multiple lawsuits, the firing of the head coach, and confidential settlements, proving hazing is entrenched in major athletic programs.
What This Means for Leon County Families: These are not distant stories. The same national fraternities involved in these cases—Pi Kappa Alpha, Beta Theta Pi, Sigma Alpha Epsilon—have active chapters at Texas A&M, UT Austin, UH, and Baylor. The patterns of forced drinking, cover-ups, and institutional failure are tragically consistent. When these patterns repeat at a Texas school, they provide powerful evidence of foreseeability and negligence.
Texas University Focus: Where Leon County Students Study
Families in Centerville often send students to a mix of regional and flagship universities. Understanding the hazing landscape at these schools is critical.
A Snapshot for Leon County Families
- Nearby & Regional Choices: Students may attend Sam Houston State University (Huntsville), Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, or Blinn College.
- Major Statewide Hubs: Many pursue degrees at Texas A&M University (College Station), University of Texas at Austin, University of Houston, Baylor University (Waco), or Southern Methodist University (Dallas).
University of Houston: A Current Case Study in Crisis
The ongoing Bermudez lawsuit is a focal point. The ABC13 coverage details a timeline of abuse culminating in kidney failure. UH labeled the conduct “deeply disturbing,” and the Pi Kappa Phi chapter was shut down. This case demonstrates that even urban, commuter-heavy schools have severe Greek life hazing problems. For families, it underscores the need to look beyond a school’s commuter reputation when assessing hazing risk.
Texas A&M University: Corps Culture and Greek Life
Texas A&M’s unique Corps of Cadets and powerful Greek system present dual risks.
- Corps Hazing: Lawsuits have alleged degrading rituals, including cadets being bound in “roasted pig” positions.
- Fraternity Hazing: Sigma Alpha Epsilon at A&M faced a lawsuit where pledges alleged being doused with industrial cleaner, causing severe chemical burns requiring skin grafts.
- For Leon County Students: A&M is a prime destination. Parents must be aware that hazing risks exist in both the military-style Corps and traditional fraternities.
University of Texas at Austin: Transparency and Repeated Violations
UT Austin maintains a public “Hazing Violations” log, offering a window into ongoing issues.
- Documented Cases: The log shows sanctions against groups like Pi Kappa Alpha for forced milk consumption and strenuous calisthenics, and other spirit groups for alcohol hazing and physical abuse.
- The Takeaway: Even with relative transparency, violations recur. This public record can be a vital tool in civil litigation to prove a pattern of known misconduct.
Southern Methodist University & Baylor University
- SMU: As a private university with affluent Greek life, hazing incidents often remain less public. Past suspensions, like the Kappa Alpha Order chapter in 2017 for paddling and forced drinking, indicate underlying issues.
- Baylor: Following past athletic scandals, Baylor has faced hazing allegations within its baseball program. Its private, religious status adds layers to navigating accountability.
How a Hazing Case Proceeds for a Leon County Family: If your child is hazed at a Texas school, immediate reporting should go to both campus police and the Dean of Students. However, the university’s internal process is separate from your family’s civil claim. A civil lawsuit may be filed in the county where the injury occurred (e.g., Harris County for UH, Brazos County for Texas A&M) or where defendants are located. An experienced Texas hazing lawyer will know the strategic considerations for venue and jurisdiction.
The Organizations Behind the Letters: National Histories Matter
The fraternity that hazed Leonel Bermudez at UH—Pi Kappa Phi—has a national history that includes the death of Andrew Coffey at Florida State. This is not a coincidence; it’s a pattern. When Leon County families consider Greek life, understanding these national histories is crucial.
Why National Headquarters Are Critical Defendants
National fraternities create policies, collect dues, train chapters, and are supposed to supervise. When a local chapter repeats a dangerous “tradition” that has caused death or injury elsewhere, it shows the national organization failed to effectively prevent it. This “foreseeability” is a cornerstone of negligence claims.
A Data-Driven View: The Texas Greek Ecosystem
Our firm maintains a Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine, built from public records, to map the entities behind Greek life. This isn’t abstract; it’s about identifying every potentially liable organization. For example, public IRS records show Texas-registered Greek entities that can include housing corporations and alumni chapters—all of which may have insurance or assets.
Illustrative Public Records (IRS B83 Filings):
- Beta Nu Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity Housing Corporation Inc, EIN 46-2267515, Frisco, TX 75035
- Pi Kappa Phi Delta Omega Chapter Building Corporation, EIN 37-1768785, Missouri City, TX 77459
- Texas Kappa Sigma Educational Foundation Inc, EIN 74-1380362, Fort Worth, TX 76147
- Sigma Chi Fraternity Epsilon Xi Chapter, EIN 74-6084905, Houston, TX 77204
These entities, and hundreds more across Texas metros, are part of the financial and legal infrastructure supporting chapters at schools like UH and Texas A&M. In litigation, we trace responsibility through this network.
Building a Hazing Case: Evidence, Strategy, and Damages
Winning a hazing case requires converting shock and injury into a compelling legal narrative backed by irrefutable evidence.
The Evidence Matrix: What Wins Cases in 2025
- Digital Communications: The #1 source. GroupMe, WhatsApp, Instagram DMs, and deleted messages recovered via forensic analysis. These show planning, boasting, threats, and cover-ups.
- Photos/Videos: Often taken by perpetrators themselves. Social media stories, videos of events, and photos of injuries.
- Medical Records: Documenting the direct physical and psychological harm—ER reports, lab results showing toxicology or kidney injury (like Bermudez’s critically high creatine kinase levels), and psychiatric evaluations for PTSD.
- Organizational Documents: Pledge manuals, national fraternity risk management policies, and emails showing knowledge of prior incidents.
- University Records: Prior disciplinary actions against the same group, obtained through discovery or public records requests.
- Witness Testimony: Other pledges, former members, roommates, and RAs.
We have a detailed video on using your phone to document legal evidence, a critical first step for families.
Understanding Damages: What Can Be Recovered
Civil lawsuits seek to make the victim whole and hold defendants accountable. Recoverable damages include:
- Economic Damages: All medical expenses (past and future), lost wages, costs of required therapy, and diminished future earning capacity if injuries are permanent.
- Non-Economic Damages: Compensation for physical pain, emotional distress, trauma, humiliation, and loss of enjoyment of life.
- Wrongful Death Damages (for families): Funeral costs, loss of financial support, and loss of companionship, love, and guidance.
- Punitive Damages: In egregious cases, to punish particularly reckless or malicious conduct.
Overcoming Institutional Defenses
We anticipate and counter common defense tactics:
- “The Pledge Consented”: Texas law explicitly voids this defense.
- “It Was a Rogue Chapter”: We use national pattern evidence to show the conduct was foreseeable.
- “It Happened Off-Campus”: Liability extends to organizations that sponsor and control activities regardless of location.
- “We Have Anti-Hazing Policies”: We demonstrate the gap between policy-on-paper and actual enforcement.
Our advantage includes Mr. Lupe Peña’s background as a former insurance defense attorney. He knows how fraternity and university insurers fight claims, set reserves, and use delay tactics. This insider knowledge is invaluable in maximizing recovery.
Practical Guides for Leon County Parents, Students, and Witnesses
For Parents: Warning Signs and Action Steps
Warning Signs:
- Unexplained injuries or frequent “accidents.”
- Extreme fatigue, sleep deprivation.
- Drastic personality changes: withdrawal, anxiety, depression.
- Secrecy about group activities, constant stressed phone use.
- Sudden academic decline.
What to Do:
- Talk Calmly: Ask open-ended questions. “I’m worried about you. Is anything happening that feels unsafe or forced?”
- Prioritize Health: Seek medical and psychological care immediately.
- Preserve Evidence: Help your child screenshot everything. Do not delete.
- Document: Write down a timeline with names, dates, and locations.
- Seek Legal Counsel Early: Before talking to university officials or insurers. Contact us at 1-888-ATTY-911.
For Students: Is This Hazing?
If you answer “yes” to any of these, you are likely being hazed:
- Are you being pressured to do something you wouldn’t normally do?
- Is the activity dangerous, degrading, or illegal?
- Would you stop if there were no social consequences?
- Are you told to keep secrets from the university or your family?
- Are older members making you do things they don’t have to do?
Your Safety First: If you are in danger, call 911. Texas law offers protections for those who report in good faith. You have the right to quit a group at any time. If you fear retaliation, document it and report it to campus authorities and an attorney.
Critical Mistakes That Can Harm a Case
- Deleting Digital Evidence: This looks like a cover-up and destroys your claim. Preserve everything.
- Confronting the Organization Directly: This triggers their legal defense and evidence destruction.
- Signing University Settlement Offers Quickly: These are often lowball and may waive your rights. Have an attorney review anything.
- Posting on Social Media: Defense teams monitor everything. Inconsistencies can be used against you.
- Waiting Too Long: Texas has a statute of limitations for personal injury claims. Evidence and memories fade.
Why Attorney911 Is the Right Firm for Texas Hazing Cases
When your family faces a hazing crisis, you need more than a lawyer; you need advocates who understand the power dynamics, institutional playbooks, and legal complexities of these cases. The Manginello Law Firm, PLLC (Attorney911) brings a unique combination of insider knowledge, tenacity, and deep Texas roots to fight for families in Centerville and across the state.
Our Proven Expertise in Your Corner
- Insider Insurance Knowledge (Mr. Lupe Peña): Mr. Peña spent years as an insurance defense attorney for large companies. He knows exactly how fraternity and university insurers evaluate claims, use delay tactics, and fight coverage. We use their playbook against them to maximize your recovery.
- Complex Institutional Litigation (Ralph Manginello): Ralph’s experience includes the BP Texas City explosion litigation, where he faced billion-dollar defendants with endless legal resources. National fraternities and major universities use the same tactics—we are not intimidated. We know how to build cases that force accountability.
- Active, High-Stakes Hazing Litigation: We are lead counsel in the Leonel Bermudez v. UH & Pi Kappa Phi case. We are not theorists; we are in the courtroom right now, fighting one of the most serious hazing lawsuits in Texas.
- Data-Driven Investigation: Our Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine—mapping over 1,400 Greek organizations—means we don’t start from scratch. We know how to find the housing corporations, alumni groups, and national entities that share liability.
- Dual Civil & Criminal Capability: Ralph’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 families and witnesses comprehensively.
- Spanish-Language Services: Mr. Peña speaks fluent Spanish (Se habla Español). We are committed to serving all Texas families.
We operate on a contingency fee basis, meaning you pay nothing unless we win your case. Watch our video explaining how contingency fees work.
A Call to Action for Leon County Families
If hazing has impacted your child at any Texas campus—whether it’s Sam Houston State, Texas A&M, UH, or any other school—you do not have to navigate this alone. The institutions involved will have teams of lawyers; you deserve dedicated, experienced advocates on your side.
We invite you to contact us for a free, confidential, no-obligation consultation. We will listen to your story, review any evidence you have, explain your legal options in clear terms, and help you decide the best path forward for your family. We serve clients throughout Texas from our offices in Houston, Austin, and Beaumont.
Contact The Manginello Law Firm / Attorney911 Today:
- Call: 1-888-ATTY-911 (1-888-288-9911)
- Direct: (713) 528-9070
- Website: https://attorney911.com
- Email: ralph@atty911.com or lupe@atty911.com (for Spanish)
Your child’s safety and your family’s future are paramount. Let us help you seek the answers, accountability, and justice you deserve.
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.
