The Complete Guide to Hazing Lawsuits & Accountability for China Grove, Texas Families

If you are a parent in China Grove, Texas, this is the guide you need when the unthinkable happens. When your child leaves for a Texas university—whether to a campus nearby in San Antonio or hours away in College Station or Houston—you trust they will be safe. You trust the institution. You trust the fraternity, sorority, Corps program, or team they join.

But this is the call no parent in Bexar County ever wants to receive: your child is in the hospital. Vomiting blood. Urine is brown. Kidney failure. Rhabdomyolysis. The university says it’s “deeply disturbing.” The fraternity has been suspended. And your child is whispering, “I had to do it. They said I’d be out if I didn’t.”

Right now, less than 200 miles from China Grove, our firm is fighting exactly this fight. We represent Leonel Bermudez in a $10 million lawsuit against the University of Houston, the Pi Kappa Phi national fraternity, and 13 fraternity leaders. The details are harrowing: forced consumption of food until vomiting, being sprayed in the face with a hose “similar to waterboarding,” 100+ push-ups, 500 squats, and a “pledge fanny pack” filled with humiliating items. Mr. Bermudez developed acute kidney failure, was hospitalized for four days, and faces long-term health consequences. This is not a story from another state; this is happening right now in Texas, and it is proof that hazing here can and does cause catastrophic harm.

If you are a China Grove parent whose child has been hurt while pledging a fraternity, joining a sorority, participating in the Corps of Cadets, or as part of any campus organization, this comprehensive guide is for you. We will explain what hazing looks like in 2025, the Texas laws that protect your child, the national patterns that repeat across campuses, what has happened at Texas universities, and the legal path forward for accountability. We serve families across Texas, including right here in China Grove and throughout Bexar County.

IMMEDIATE HELP FOR HAZING EMERGENCIES:

• 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™.
• 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.
• Contact an experienced hazing attorney within 24–48 hours:
  • Evidence disappears fast (deleted group chats, destroyed paddles, coached witnesses).
  • Universities move quickly to control the narrative.
  • We can help preserve evidence and protect your child’s rights.
  • Call 1-888-ATTY-911 for immediate consultation.

Hazing in 2025: What It Really Looks Like for China Grove Students

For China Grove families, hazing isn’t just about “fraternity pranks” in movies. It’s a sophisticated, often hidden system of coercion that exploits your child’s desire to belong. Hazing is any forced, coerced, or strongly pressured action tied to joining or maintaining status in a group that endangers physical or mental health or is humiliating or degrading. Crucially, “I agreed to it” does not make it safe or legal when there is peer pressure and a severe power imbalance.

Main Categories of Hazing

Alcohol and Substance Hazing
This remains the most common and deadly form. It includes forced or coerced drinking during “lineups,” “Big/Little” nights, or drinking games like “Bible study.” Pledges may be told to finish a bottle of liquor or face expulsion. This isn’t partying; it’s calculated risk that leads to alcohol poisoning, like what happened to Leonel Bermudez at UH after being forced to consume milk, hot dogs, and peppercorns until he vomited.

Physical Hazing
This extends beyond “tough workouts.” It includes paddling, beatings, extreme calisthenics (“smokings” with hundreds of push-ups), sleep and food deprivation, and exposure to extreme elements. In the UH Pi Kappa Phi case, pledges were made to lie in vomit-soaked grass and do bear crawls and sprints in the cold.

Sexualized and Humiliating Hazing
This involves forced nudity, simulated sexual acts, wearing degrading costumes, or being subjected to acts with racial or sexist overtones. Mr. Bermudez was required to carry a “pledge fanny pack” 24/7 containing condoms and a sex toy.

Psychological Hazing
This includes verbal abuse, threats, isolation from friends and family, manipulation, and public shaming. The goal is to break down the individual’s will.

Digital/Online Hazing
This is the new frontier. Pledges are subjected to group chat dares, forced to post humiliating content on TikTok or Instagram, or required to share their live location 24/7 via apps. In the UH case, constant monitoring and immediate response demands in group chats were part of the control.

Where Hazing Actually Happens in Texas

Hazing is not limited to stereotypical fraternities. For China Grove students, risk exists across campus life:

• Fraternities and Sororities (IFC, Panhellenic, NPHC, multicultural councils).
• Corps of Cadets / ROTC / Military-Style Groups (especially at Texas A&M).
• Athletic Teams (from football to cheerleading).
• Spirit Squads & Tradition Clubs (like the Texas Cowboys at UT).
• Marching Bands and Performance Groups.
• Some Service, Cultural, and Academic Organizations.

The common threads are social status, “tradition,” and a culture of secrecy that keeps these practices alive even when everyone “knows” hazing is illegal.

Law & Liability Framework: Texas Statutes and China Grove Justice

Understanding the legal landscape is critical for China Grove families seeking accountability. Texas has specific, powerful laws, and federal statutes create additional layers of responsibility for universities.

Texas Hazing Law Basics (Education Code Chapter 37)

Under Texas law—which governs cases for China Grove families—hazing is broadly defined as any intentional, knowing, or reckless act, on or off campus, directed against a student for the purpose of initiation or affiliation that endangers the student’s physical health or safety or causes severe mental distress.

Key provisions from Chapter 37 that protect your child include:

• Criminal Penalties: Hazing is a Class B misdemeanor. It becomes a Class A misdemeanor if it causes injury needing medical treatment and a State Jail Felony if it causes serious bodily injury or death. Failing to report hazing or retaliating against a reporter are also crimes.
• Organizational Liability: The fraternity, sorority, or club itself can be prosecuted and fined up to $10,000 if it authorized the hazing or if an officer knew and failed to report it.
• Consent is NOT a Defense: Texas Education Code § 37.155 explicitly states that a victim’s “consent” to the hazing is not a defense. The law recognizes that consent under peer pressure is not voluntary.
• Immunity for Good-Faith Reporting: A person who in good faith reports hazing to university officials or law enforcement is immune from civil or criminal liability for their own minor involvement. This encourages calling 911 in emergencies.

Criminal vs. Civil Cases: Two Paths to Accountability

Criminal Cases are brought by the state (e.g., Bexar County District Attorney, campus police). The aim is punishment: jail time, fines, probation. Charges can include hazing, furnishing alcohol to minors, assault, or even manslaughter in fatal cases.

Civil Cases are brought by the victim or their family—by you. The aim is monetary compensation for damages and institutional accountability. We focus on negligence, wrongful death, negligent supervision, and emotional distress.

The two cases can proceed simultaneously. A criminal conviction is powerful evidence in a civil suit, but you do not need to wait for criminal charges to be filed to pursue civil justice.

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

Federal law adds another layer of university responsibility:

• Title IX: If hazing involves sexual harassment, assault, or gender-based hostility, it triggers Title IX obligations, which require schools to investigate and take prompt action.
• Clery Act: Requires universities to report certain crimes and maintain safety statistics. Hazing incidents that involve assault or alcohol crimes often overlap with Clery reporting.
• Stop Campus Hazing Act (2024): Requires colleges receiving federal aid to report hazing incidents more transparently and strengthen prevention programs by 2026.

Who Can Be Held Liable in a Civil Hazing Lawsuit?

For a China Grove family, identifying all responsible parties is crucial to achieving full accountability and securing compensation from all available insurance policies.

• Individual Students: Those who planned, supplied alcohol, carried out acts, or helped cover them up.
• Local Chapter: The fraternity/sorority club itself as a legal entity.
• National Fraternity/Sorority Headquarters: Often the deepest pocket. They can be liable based on what they knew or should have known from prior incidents at other chapters, their failure to supervise, and their inadequate enforcement of their own policies.
• University or Governing Board: The school may be sued for negligence, gross negligence, or under Title IX if they knew of risks and were deliberately indifferent. Public universities (UH, Texas A&M, UT) have some sovereign immunity, but exceptions exist.
• Third Parties: Landlords of off-campus houses, bars that overserved alcohol (under Texas dram shop law), and security companies.

National Hazing Case Patterns: The Script That Repeats in Texas

The hazing incident that affects your China Grove student is rarely an isolated, novel event. It is almost always a repeat of a dangerous script that has played out on campuses nationwide, with tragic results. These national cases set legal precedents and show the patterns of liability that benefit Texas families.

The Alcohol Poisoning & Death 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 dozens of criminal convictions and Pennsylvania’s Timothy J. Piazza Anti-Hazing Law.
• Stone Foltz – Bowling Green State, Pi Kappa Alpha (2021): Died after being forced to drink a bottle of alcohol. The family reached a $10 million settlement ($7M from the national fraternity, ~$3M from the university). The chapter president was also ordered to pay $6.5 million personally.
• Max Gruver – LSU, Phi Delta Theta (2017): Died after a “Bible study” drinking game. The case led to Louisiana’s Max Gruver Act, a felony hazing statute, and a $6.1 million verdict for his family.

The Physical & Ritualized Hazing Pattern

• Chun “Michael” Deng – Baruch College, Pi Delta Psi (2013): Died from traumatic brain injury after a violent, blindfolded “glass ceiling” ritual at a retreat. The national fraternity was criminally convicted of manslaughter and banned from Pennsylvania for 10 years.

The Athletic Program Hazing Pattern

• Northwestern University Football (2023-2025): Showed hazing extends beyond Greek life into multi-million dollar athletic programs, involving alleged sexualized and racist abuse, leading to major lawsuits and confidential settlements.

What This Means for China Grove Families: These cases prove that specific hazing methods—forced drinking games, dangerous physical rituals, cover-ups—are foreseeable. National fraternities and universities cannot claim ignorance. When the same script plays out at a Texas school, these national precedents become powerful evidence of negligence and help justify significant damage awards.

Texas Focus: Where China Grove Students Go to School

China Grove families send their children to universities across our great state. Some attend local institutions in the San Antonio metro, like the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA). Others head to major flagship schools hours away. Hazing risks exist at each of them. Here, we focus on the universities most relevant to our community, including the major hubs where these dangerous national patterns manifest.

University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) & San Antonio-Area Campuses

For many China Grove students, college life begins close to home. UTSA and other San Antonio institutions have active Greek communities documented in public records.

Public Records: Greek Organizations in the San Antonio Metro
Based on public filings and Cause IQ metro data, the San Antonio area is home to numerous fraternities, sororities, and related Greek entities. These include undergraduate chapters, alumni associations, and honor societies that interact with students from Bexar County. For example, public records show entities like:

• Alpha Lambda Chapter of Sigma Chi – San Antonio, TX (Trinity University)
• Kappa Alpha Psi – San Antonio Alumni – San Antonio, TX
• Delta Sigma Theta Sorority – San Antonio Alumnae – San Antonio, TX
• Xi Omicron Iota House Association – San Antonio, TX (Trinity University)

UTSA’s Greek Life & Accountability
UTSA has a Greek life system with its own governing councils. Like all Texas public universities, it is subject to Chapter 37 of the Education Code. Incidents here would fall under the jurisdiction of UTSA Police and potentially Bexar County law enforcement. For China Grove families, the proximity means legal proceedings and investigations are locally accessible.

University of Houston (UH) – The Active Litigation Example

The ongoing case of Leonel Bermudez v. UH & Pi Kappa Phi is the premier example of serious hazing litigation in Texas today. As reported by Click2Houston, ABC13, and Hoodline, the allegations show a systemic pattern:

The Hazing Conduct: Pledges were subjected to a “pledge fanny pack” humiliation rule, enforced dress codes, overnight driving duties, and extreme physical abuse at locations including the chapter house, a Culmore Drive residence, and Yellowstone Boulevard Park. This included being sprayed with a hose “similar to waterboarding,” forced overeating until vomiting, and a November 3rd workout of 100+ push-ups and 500 squats.

The Catastrophic Injury: Mr. Bermudez developed rhabdomyolysis (severe muscle breakdown) and acute kidney failure. His urine was brown, he could not stand, and he was hospitalized for four days with critically high creatine kinase levels, facing a risk of permanent kidney damage.

The Institutional Response: Pi Kappa Phi’s national headquarters suspended the Beta Nu chapter on November 6, 2025. On November 14, chapter members voted to surrender their charter, shutting it down. UH called the conduct “deeply disturbing” and promised disciplinary action and cooperation with law enforcement.

Why This Matters to China Grove: This case is not ancient history. It is active litigation we are handling right now. It demonstrates the severity of hazing injuries, the universe of defendants (university, national HQ, housing corporation, 13 individuals), and the legal fight required to hold them all accountable. The same fraternity and insurance companies operate statewide.

Texas A&M University & The Corps of Cadets

Texas A&M’s unique culture brings specific hazing risks, particularly within the Corps of Cadets and its robust Greek system.

Documented Incidents:

• Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE) Chemical Burns Case (2021): Pledges alleged being covered in substances including industrial-strength cleaner, causing severe chemical burns requiring skin graft surgeries. The chapter was suspended, and lawsuits were filed.
• Corps of Cadets Lawsuit (2023): A cadet alleged degrading hazing, including being bound in a “roasted pig” position with an apple in his mouth. The lawsuit sought over $1 million.

For China Grove Families with Aggies: These cases show that hazing at A&M is not theoretical. It involves both fraternities and the revered Corps. The university’s disciplinary processes and the potential for civil action in Brazos County courts are critical considerations.

University of Texas at Austin

UT Austin maintains a public Hazing Violations page, offering more transparency than many schools. This public record can be vital evidence.

Example Violations:

• Pi Kappa Alpha (2023): New members were directed to consume milk and perform strenuous calisthenics. Sanction: probation and mandatory hazing-prevention education.
• Various spirit groups and other fraternities have been sanctioned for forced workouts, alcohol hazing, and punishment-based practices.

The Legal Advantage of Transparency: For an attorney, UT’s public log is a treasure trove. It establishes a pattern of known conduct, which can defeat a university’s claim that an incident was “unforeseeable.” It shows which organizations have been repeatedly warned.

Southern Methodist University (SMU) & Baylor University

These private, prominent Texas universities have their own histories and legal landscapes.

• SMU: Has faced incidents like the 2017 Kappa Alpha Order suspension for paddling and forced drinking. As a private institution, its internal records are less accessible but can be uncovered through litigation.
• Baylor: Has dealt with hazing within its athletic programs, such as the 2020 baseball team suspensions. Its history with institutional response to crisis adds a complex layer to any hazing case.

For China Grove students at these schools, the legal strategy must account for their private status, potentially deeper-pocketed defense firms, and different insurance structures.

Fraternities & Sororities: National Histories That Predict Local Danger

The fraternity chapter that haze your child in College Station or San Antonio is not an island. It is part of a national organization with a known history, standard practices, and, often, a track record of similar incidents across the country. This “pattern evidence” is a cornerstone of holding the national headquarters liable.

Why National Histories Matter in Court

National fraternity and sorority headquarters are not passive entities. They collect dues, provide training, set policies, and grant charters. When a Texas chapter repeats a dangerous “tradition” that has caused death or injury at other chapters, it shows the national organization failed to effectively prevent a foreseeable harm. This supports claims of negligent supervision, training, and enforcement.

Organization Mapping: The Same Dangerous Scripts

Consider these national organizations present at Texas schools and their documented histories:

Pi Kappa Alpha (Pike)

• National Pattern: The “Big/Little” drinking night. This script led to the death of Stone Foltz at Bowling Green ($10M settlement) and a $14 million settlement in the David Bogenberger case at Northern Illinois University.
• Texas Presence: Chapters at UH, Texas A&M, UT, SMU, Baylor.
• China Grove Takeaway: If a Pike chapter in Texas uses forced drinking as initiation, the national HQ cannot claim it was an unforeseeable, rogue event.

Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE)

• National Pattern: A long history of hazing-related deaths and injuries, leading the national organization to famously abolish the “pledge” status in 2014.
• Texas Presence: Chapters at UH, Texas A&M, UT, SMU. Has faced lawsuits at Texas A&M (chemical burns) and UT Austin.
• China Grove Takeaway: SAE nationals have been on notice for decades. Their knowledge of risk is well-established in courtrooms nationwide.

Pi Kappa Phi

• National Pattern: The death of Andrew Coffey at Florida State University in 2017 from alcohol poisoning during a “Big Brother” event.
• Active Texas Litigation: This is the national fraternity we are currently suing in the Leonel Bermudez UH case.
• China Grove Takeaway: The national pattern of alcohol hazing is now being actively litigated in Texas, strengthening the argument for pattern evidence in similar cases.

Kappa Alpha Order, Phi Delta Theta, Sigma Chi, and others all have their own documented histories of fatal and injurious hazing incidents across the United States.

The Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine: Our Investigative Advantage

At Attorney911, we don’t just talk about national patterns; we maintain a proprietary data engine to track them. We’ve analyzed public records to map the Greek ecosystem in Texas. This includes 125+ Texas-registered Greek organizations in IRS filings, data on 1,423 fraternity and sorority entities across 25 Texas metros, and specific campus rosters.

For a China Grove family, this means we can quickly identify:

• The legal name and Employer Identification Number (EIN) of the local chapter housing corporation.
• The affiliated alumni chapters and support foundations in Texas.
• The national headquarters’ financial and corporate structure.
• How the same brand (e.g., Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority) appears across multiple Texas metros in both undergraduate and alumni chapters.

When we take a case, we are not starting from zero. We already know how to find the entities that hold insurance and responsibility. This data-driven approach turns public information into legal leverage.

Building a Hazing Case: Evidence, Damages, and Strategy

Pursuing a hazing case is a complex undertaking against well-funded, experienced opponents. For China Grove families, understanding the process demystifies it and highlights why experienced counsel is non-negotiable.

Evidence: The Digital Paper Trail Wins Cases

Modern hazing lives on smartphones. Preserving this evidence is the single most important step.

• Digital Communications: GroupMe, WhatsApp, iMessage, Discord, and fraternity-specific apps. We use digital forensics to recover deleted messages.
• Photos & Videos: Content filmed by members, social media posts, Stories, security camera footage.
• Internal Documents: Pledge manuals, ritual scripts, emails between officers.
• University Records: Prior conduct files, Clery reports, internal investigation notes—obtained through discovery and public records requests.
• Medical Records: ER reports, toxicology screens, psychological evaluations for PTSD and trauma.
• Witness Testimony: Other pledges, former members, roommates, RAs.

Our video on documenting evidence (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLbpzrmogTs) provides guidance on using a smartphone to start this process immediately.

Damages: What Can Be Recovered

The law allows victims to seek compensation for the full scope of harm, both economic and non-economic.

Economic Damages

• Medical Bills: Past and future ER care, hospitalization, surgery, therapy, medications.
• Lost Earnings & Capacity: Time off work, delayed graduation, reduced lifetime earning potential due to permanent disability (e.g., kidney damage, brain injury).
• Other Costs: Tutoring, transferred tuition, therapy.

Non-Economic Damages

• Physical Pain & Suffering.
• Emotional Distress: PTSD, depression, anxiety, humiliation, loss of enjoyment of life.

Wrongful Death Damages (for families)

• Funeral costs, loss of financial support, and the profound loss of love, companionship, and guidance.

Punitive Damages
In cases of extreme recklessness or cover-ups, courts may award punitive damages to punish the defendant and deter future conduct.

Overcoming Institutional Defense Tactics

National fraternities and universities have sophisticated defense playbooks. We know them because our attorney, Mr. Lupe Peña, used to be on the other side as an insurance defense lawyer. Common defenses we dismantle include:

• “The Pledge Consented”: Texas law (§37.155) makes consent irrelevant.
• “This Was a Rogue Chapter”: We use national pattern evidence to prove the conduct was foreseeable.
• “It Happened Off-Campus”: Duty and liability are based on control and knowledge, not just property lines.
• “We Have Anti-Hazing Policies”: We prove they were “paper policies” never meaningfully enforced.
• “Insurance Doesn’t Cover Intentional Acts”: We argue negligent supervision by nationals or the university is covered, and we battle bad faith denials.

Practical Guides & FAQs for China Grove Parents and Students

For Parents: A Step-by-Step Guide

Warning Signs Your Child Is Being Hazed:

• Unexplained injuries, bruises, burns, or limping.
• Extreme exhaustion, sleep deprivation.
• Drastic mood changes: withdrawal, anxiety, depression.
• Secrecy about group activities, sudden defensiveness.
• Constant, anxious phone use for group chats.
• Requests for unusual amounts of money.

What to Do Immediately:

1. Prioritize Safety & Health: If injured or intoxicated, go to the ER. Tell doctors it was hazing.
2. Preserve Evidence: Help your child screenshot all group chats, photos, and social media posts. Photograph injuries. Do NOT let them delete anything.
3. Document: Write down everything your child tells you (who, what, when, where).
4. Consult an Attorney BEFORE Reporting: Before you contact the university or police, talk to us. We can help you navigate reporting in a way that protects evidence and your rights. Call 1-888-ATTY-911.
5. Avoid Critical Mistakes: Do not confront the fraternity, sign anything from the university, or post on social media.

For Students: Is This Hazing? Your Rights.

If you feel pressured, unsafe, or humiliated to belong, it’s likely hazing. Remember:

• You have the right to leave and quit at any time, for any reason.
• You have the right to call 911 in a medical emergency. Texas law offers protections for good-faith reporters.
• Your “consent” under pressure is not a legal defense for them.
• Preserve evidence: Take screenshots, photos, voice memos (Texas is a one-party consent state).

Critical Mistakes That Can Ruin a Hazing Case

1. Deleting Evidence: It looks like a cover-up and destroys your case.
2. Confronting the Fraternity: They will lawyer up and destroy evidence.
3. Signing University “Resolution” Forms: You may waive your right to sue.
4. Posting on Social Media: Defense attorneys will scour your posts for inconsistencies.
5. Waiting Too Long: Evidence disappears, witnesses scatter, and the Texas statute of limitations (generally 2 years) ticks away.

For more on these mistakes, watch our video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3IYsoxOSxY.

Frequently Asked Questions

“Can we sue a university in Texas for hazing?”
Yes. While public universities have some sovereign immunity, exceptions exist for gross negligence, Title IX violations, and when suing employees individually. Private schools like SMU and Baylor have fewer immunity barriers. The specifics depend on the facts of your case.

“How long do we have to file a lawsuit?”
Generally, two years from the date of injury in Texas. However, complex rules regarding discovery of harm and cover-ups can affect this. Do not wait. Call us to understand your deadlines.

“Will this be public? Will my child’s name be in the news?”
Most civil cases settle confidentially before trial. We prioritize your family’s privacy and can seek protective orders and sealed settlements to shield your child’s identity.

“How much does it cost to hire you?”
We work on a contingency fee basis. You pay no upfront fees or costs. We only get paid if we successfully recover money for you. Learn more in our video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=upcI_j6F7Nc.

Why Attorney911 for China Grove Hazing Cases

When your family faces a hazing crisis, you need more than a generic personal injury lawyer. You need attorneys who understand the unique landscape of institutional defendants, Greek life dynamics, and the specific tactics used to avoid accountability. You need the firm that is already fighting this battle in Texas courtrooms today.

Our Proven Hazing Litigation Credentials

• We Are Leading the Leonel Bermudez UH/Pi Kappa Phi Case Right Now: This isn’t hypothetical. We are actively engaged in one of the most serious hazing lawsuits in Texas. We know the playbook because we’re writing it. Read the media coverage: Click2Houston report, ABC13 coverage.
• Insurance Insider Knowledge (Lupe Peña): Mr. Peña spent years as a defense attorney for national insurance companies. He knows exactly how fraternity and university insurers value claims, deploy delay tactics, and argue coverage exclusions. We know their strategy because we used to be on their side.
• Complex Institutional Litigation Experience (Ralph Manginello): Our firm was one of the few involved in the BP Texas City explosion litigation. We are not intimidated by billion-dollar corporations, national fraternities, or major universities. We have federal court experience and a record of multi-million dollar results in wrongful death and catastrophic injury cases.
• Data-Driven Investigation: We employ the Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine, built from thousands of public records, to map liability and identify all potentially responsible entities from day one. We don’t start investigations from scratch.
• Dual Civil & Criminal Understanding: Ralph Manginello’s membership in the Harris County Criminal Lawyers Association (HCCLA) means we understand the interplay between criminal hazing charges and civil lawsuits. We can advise on all aspects of the legal process.
• Spanish-Language Services: Mr. Peña speaks fluent Spanish. We are proud to serve Hispanic families in China Grove and across Texas in their native language.

Your Next Step: A Confidential, No-Obligation Consultation

If you are a China Grove parent or student grappling with the aftermath of hazing, you do not have to navigate this alone. The institutions involved have teams of lawyers. You deserve a team that fights exclusively for you.

Contact The Manginello Law Firm, PLLC (Attorney911) today for a free, confidential consultation.

We will:

1. Listen to your story with compassion and without judgment.
2. Review any evidence you have gathered.
3. Explain your legal rights and options under Texas law.
4. Outline the potential paths forward, including the realistic timeline and process.
5. Answer all your questions about costs, privacy, and what to expect.

There is no pressure to hire us. This is your chance to get informed and empowered.

Call us 24/7 at 1-888-ATTY-911 (1-888-288-9911).
Direct Line: (713) 528-9070
Email: ralph@atty911.com or lupe@atty911.com (Se habla Español)
Website: https://attorney911.com

Whether your child was hurt at UTSA, UH, Texas A&M, UT Austin, or any other campus, if hazing has impacted your family in China Grove or anywhere in Texas, we are here to help you seek answers, accountability, and justice.

Plain Text Links to Key Resources

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

• Click2Houston (KPRC 2): 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 Eyewitness News (KTRK): https://abc13.com/post/waterboarding-forced-eating-physical-punishment-lawsuit-alleges-abuse-faced-injured-pledge-uhs-pi-kappa-phi-fraternity/18186418/
• Hoodline: https://hoodline.com/2025/11/university-of-houston-and-pi-kappa-phi-fraternity-face-10m-lawsuit-over-alleged-hazing-and-abuse/

Attorney911 Educational YouTube 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 Main Website & Contact:

• https://attorney911.com

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, explain your legal rights, and advise you on the best course of action for your family.

The Manginello Law Firm, PLLC / Attorney911
Houston, Austin, and Beaumont, Texas
Call: 1-888-ATTY-911 (1-888-288-9911)
Direct: (713) 528-9070 | Cell: (713) 443-4781
Website: https://attorney911.com
Email: ralph@atty911.com | lupe@atty911.com (Se habla Español)