🚨 Charlton County Hazing Lawyer: Justice for Fraternity & Sorority Abuse Victims

Charlton County Families: Your Child Deserves Justice

If your son or daughter was hazed at a fraternity or sorority near Charlton County, Georgia, you’re not alone. The same national Greek organizations that waterboarded a student at the University of Houston—sending him to the hospital with kidney failure—operate right here in Charlton County and across Georgia. The same “traditions” that nearly killed our client happen at Georgia colleges and universities near Charlton County. And the same negligence that allowed this abuse exists at institutions where your child may be pledging.

At Attorney 911, we’re fighting this battle right now—and we’re ready to fight for Charlton County families with the same fury. You don’t have to stay silent. You don’t have to accept this.

⚠️ The Hazing Crisis in Georgia: What Charlton County Families Need to Know

This Happened in Texas. It’s Happening in Georgia.

On November 21, 2025, we filed a $10 million lawsuit against Pi Kappa Phi and the University of Houston after our client, Leonel Bermudez, was waterboarded, forced to do 500 squats, struck with wooden paddles, and hospitalized with kidney failure during fraternity hazing.

The same fraternities operate in Georgia.
The same “traditions” exist at Georgia universities.
The same negligence is happening right now in Charlton County.

Georgia Greek Life: A Culture of Abuse

Georgia is home to major universities with active Greek systems, including:

• University of Georgia (UGA)
• Georgia Tech
• Georgia State University
• Valdosta State University
• Colleges and universities near Charlton County

These institutions host chapters of:

• Pi Kappa Phi (the fraternity we’re suing)
• Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE) (known for hazing deaths)
• Pi Kappa Alpha (Pike) (multi-million dollar settlements)
• Kappa Sigma, Sigma Chi, Phi Delta Theta, and others—all with documented hazing histories

If your child is pledging near Charlton County, they face the same risks.

🔥 What Is Hazing? The Truth Behind “Tradition”

Hazing is not team-building. It’s not “brotherhood.” It’s not “just part of the process.”

Hazing is abuse. It’s assault. Sometimes, it’s torture.

What Hazing Really Looks Like in Georgia:

✅ Physical Abuse – Beatings, paddling, forced exercise to exhaustion (like the 500 squats that hospitalized our client)
✅ Forced Consumption – Alcohol poisoning, forced eating until vomiting, water intoxication
✅ Psychological Torture – Sleep deprivation, humiliation, threats of expulsion
✅ Waterboarding & Simulated Drowning – Yes, this happens in Georgia too
✅ Sexual Abuse – Forced nudity, carrying sexual objects, sexual assault
✅ Extreme Physical Punishment – Running drills until collapse, bear crawls, 100-yard crawls

This isn’t “tradition.” This is a crime.

💔 The Medical Consequences: What Hazing Does to Your Child

Hazing doesn’t just leave emotional scars—it can destroy your child’s body.

Our Client’s Story: Kidney Failure from Hazing

Leonel Bermudez was forced to do 500 squats, 100 pushups, and extreme running drills as punishment. He collapsed, crawled up the stairs when he got home, and couldn’t move the next day. His mother rushed him to the hospital, where he was diagnosed with:

• Severe rhabdomyolysis (muscle breakdown)
• Acute kidney failure (life-threatening)
• Hospitalized for 4 days

This is what hazing does to students in Georgia too.

Other Medical Consequences of Hazing:

🚨 Alcohol Poisoning – Can lead to coma or death (like Max Gruver at LSU, who died with a BAC of 0.495)
🚨 Traumatic Brain Injury – From beatings, falls, or extreme exertion
🚨 Hypothermia/Hyperthermia – Forced exposure to extreme temperatures
🚨 Cardiac Arrest – From extreme physical exertion
🚨 PTSD, Anxiety, Depression – Long-term psychological damage
🚨 Death – Since 2000, there has been at least one hazing death per year in the U.S.

If your child was hazed in Georgia, they could be at risk—even if they “seem fine” now.

⚖️ Georgia Hazing Laws: What Are Your Legal Rights?

Georgia’s Anti-Hazing Law (O.C.G.A. § 16-5-61)

Georgia law explicitly bans hazing and makes it a criminal offense.

What qualifies as hazing in Georgia?

• Any act that endangers the physical or mental health of a student
• Includes physical brutality, forced consumption, sleep deprivation, or any activity that creates risk of harm
• Consent is NOT a defense – Even if your child “agreed” to participate, the fraternity can still be held liable

Penalties for hazing in Georgia:

• Misdemeanor (up to 12 months in jail, $1,000 fine)
• Felony (if hazing results in serious bodily injury or death)

Who Can Be Sued for Hazing in Georgia?

You can hold multiple parties accountable, including:
🔹 The local fraternity chapter (the ones who did the hazing)
🔹 The national fraternity organization (they knew about hazing risks)
🔹 The university/college (they failed to protect students)
🔹 Individual members (the ones who participated)
🔹 Alumni & advisors (if they enabled the hazing)
🔹 Property owners (if hazing happened at a fraternity house)

In our case, we’re suing:

• The fraternity chapter
• The national organization
• The university (which owned the fraternity house)
• Individual members and alumni

Charlton County families can do the same.

💰 Multi-Million Dollar Precedents: Hazing Cases Win Big

Hazing lawsuits routinely result in multi-million dollar settlements and verdicts. Here’s what other families have won:

Our $10 million demand for Leonel Bermudez is in line with these precedents—and Georgia families can seek the same justice.

📋 What to Do If Your Child Was Hazed in Georgia

Step 1: Get Medical Help Immediately

• Go to the ER—even if injuries seem minor. Some conditions (like rhabdomyolysis) take days to appear.
• Document everything—photos of injuries, medical records, hospital bills.

Step 2: Preserve Evidence

📱 Save all communications (texts, GroupMe, Snapchat, Instagram DMs)
📸 Take photos/videos of injuries, hazing locations, or evidence
📝 Write down everything—dates, times, what happened, who was involved
👥 Get witness names—other pledges, bystanders, anyone who saw what happened

Step 3: Do NOT Talk to the Fraternity or University Alone

• They will try to control the narrative.
• They will pressure you to stay silent.
• Anything you say can be used against you.

Step 4: Contact a Georgia Hazing Lawyer Immediately

Hazing cases have strict deadlines (usually 2 years in Georgia). The sooner you act, the stronger your case will be.

Call Attorney 911 now for a free, confidential consultation:
📞 1-888-ATTY-911
📧 ralph@atty911.com

We work on contingency—you pay nothing unless we win.

🚫 Why You Shouldn’t Trust the University or Fraternity

Universities and fraternities will do everything to protect themselves—not your child.

What They’ll Say:

❌ “It’s just tradition.” → No. It’s abuse.
❌ “Your child consented.” → Georgia law says consent doesn’t matter.
❌ “We’re investigating.” → They’re covering it up.
❌ “We didn’t know.” → They knew. They always know.

What They’ll Do:

• Destroy evidence (delete texts, erase videos)
• Pressure witnesses (threaten expulsion, social ostracism)
• Offer lowball settlements (to make you go away)
• Delay until the statute of limitations runs out

Don’t let them get away with it. Fight back.

🎯 Why Charlton County Families Choose Attorney 911

1. We’re Fighting This Battle Right Now

• We’re actively litigating a $10 million hazing lawsuit against Pi Kappa Phi and the University of Houston.
• We know exactly how these organizations operate—because we’re suing them.
• We’re not just talking about hazing—we’re taking it to court.

2. We Know How to Win Against Powerful Institutions

• Former insurance defense attorneys—we know how they’ll try to deny your claim.
• Federal court authority—we can sue national fraternities anywhere in the U.S.
• Dual-state bar licenses (Texas & New York)—strategic advantage for multi-state cases.
• $100+ million in settlements/verdicts—we’ve won big before, and we’ll win for you.

3. We Travel to Georgia for Your Case

• We come to Charlton County—for depositions, meetings, and trials.
• Video consultations available—if you can’t travel to us.
• No upfront costs—we work on contingency. You pay nothing unless we win.

4. We Speak Spanish (Se Habla Español)

Many hazing victims in Georgia are Hispanic or international students. We ensure language is never a barrier to justice.

5. We Don’t Back Down

Universities and fraternities will try to intimidate you. We don’t let them. We fight aggressively for every dollar you deserve.

📢 Message to Georgia Fraternities & Universities: We’re Coming for You

To Pi Kappa Phi, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, Pi Kappa Alpha, and all other fraternities operating in Georgia:

We know you exist. We know your corporate structures. We know your insurance policies. We know your hazing death records.

If you haze students in Georgia, we will find every liable entity—and we will sue them all.

To Georgia universities (UGA, Georgia Tech, Georgia State, and others):

The University of Houston owned the house where our client was waterboarded. They knew about prior hazing incidents—and did nothing.

If your institution fails to protect students from hazing, you will be held accountable.

🚨 Georgia Parents: Protect Your Child Before It’s Too Late

Hazing doesn’t just happen at big universities. It happens at:

• Small colleges near Charlton County
• Community colleges
• Private universities
• Military academies
• Sports teams, bands, and clubs

If your child is pledging ANY organization in Georgia, they are at risk.

Warning Signs Your Child Is Being Hazed:

🚩 Unexplained injuries (bruises, cuts, burns)
🚩 Sudden weight loss or exhaustion
🚩 Avoiding questions about their activities
🚩 Missing classes or declining grades
🚩 Withdrawing from friends/family
🚩 Fear of retaliation or expulsion
🚩 Talking about “traditions” they can’t explain

If you see these signs, ACT NOW.

📞 Call Now: 1-888-ATTY-911 | ralph@atty911.com

Charlton County families: You don’t have to face this alone.

We’re Attorney 911—and we’re fighting for hazing victims nationwide.

Call now for a free, confidential consultation. We’ll travel to Charlton County for your case.

📞 1-888-ATTY-911
📧 ralph@atty911.com
🌐 attorney911.com

Justice starts now.