The Complete Guide to Hazing Cases for Hood County & DeCordova, TX Families: Your Legal Rights and Path to Justice

For families in DeCordova and across Hood County, Texas, the dream of sending your child to a Texas university can turn into a nightmare in an instant. Imagine your son returns from a fraternity “pledge brother retreat” near Granbury unable to walk without help, his urine a terrifying brown color. Or your daughter comes home from a sorority “family reveal” at a Dallas-area Airbnb with chemical burns on her arms and recurring panic attacks. You ask what happened, and they shut down—”I can’t talk about it,” they say, “I’ll get kicked out.” The university sends a vague email about “conduct review,” while the national fraternity headquarters states they have “zero tolerance for hazing.” Your child is traumatized, medical bills mount, and powerful institutions seem more concerned with protecting their reputation than your family’s wellbeing.

This is not hypothetical. Right now, in Harris County, our firm is litigating one of the most serious hazing cases in Texas—representing Leonel Bermudez against the University of Houston, Pi Kappa Phi’s national headquarters, and 13 fraternity leaders after he suffered rhabdomyolysis and acute kidney failure from brutal hazing. This case is proof that devastating hazing happens here in Texas, and that families in communities like DeCordova and Hood County need specialized legal help when confronting powerful universities and national Greek organizations.

If This Just Happened to Your Family: Immediate Steps

CRITICAL 48-HOUR ACTION PLAN:

1. MEDICAL CARE FIRST: If your child shows signs of injury (especially brown urine, extreme muscle pain, burns, or intoxication), go to the ER immediately. Tell doctors exactly what happened—”My child was hazed.”
2. PRESERVE EVIDENCE NOW:
   • Screenshot all group chats (GroupMe, iMessage, WhatsApp) immediately—before messages are deleted.
   • Photograph injuries from multiple angles with good lighting.
   • Write down everything your child tells you: names, dates, locations, specific acts.
   • Save physical evidence: clothing, receipts, any objects used.
3. DO NOT:
   • Confront the fraternity/sorority directly
   • Sign anything from the university or an insurance company
   • Let your child delete messages or “clean up” their phone
   • Post details on public social media
4. CALL ATTORNEY911: Evidence disappears fast. Universities and national organizations have legal teams that move immediately to control the narrative. Call us at 1-888-ATTY-911 for immediate guidance on protecting your child’s rights and preventing evidence destruction.

Understanding Hazing in 2025: Beyond the Stereotypes

For Hood County families, understanding modern hazing is critical. It’s not just “boys being boys” or harmless tradition. Today’s hazing is a calculated mix of physical abuse, psychological manipulation, and digital control designed to create dependency and silence.

The Reality for Texas Students

Hazing in 2025 typically falls into three escalating categories:

1. Subtle Hazing (The Gateway):

• “Mandatory” all-night study sessions that are really sleep deprivation
• Forced chauffeuring of older members at all hours
• Required “pledge packs” with humiliating items (as in the UH Pi Kappa Phi case)
• Social media monitoring and instant-response demands in group chats
• Geographic tracking via apps like Find My Friends

2. Harassment Hazing (The Abuse):

• Forced alcohol consumption games: “Century Club,” “Bible Study,” “Family Tree”
• Extreme physical workouts: 500+ squats, 100+ push-ups until collapse
• Food manipulation: forced milk consumption, hot dog eating contests, pepper challenges
• Public humiliation: demeaning costumes, public performances, “roasts”
• Temperature exposure: cold showers, outdoor exposure in underwear

3. Violent Hazing (The Catastrophe):

• Physical beatings and paddling
• Simulated waterboarding (as alleged in the UH case with hose spraying)
• Forced drug consumption
• Sexualized hazing: forced nudity, simulated sex acts
• Dangerous “rituals”: blindfolded tackles, extreme endurance tests

The Leonel Bermudez case at University of Houston exemplifies the violent category: forced through 100+ push-ups and 500 squats on November 3, 2025, then made to consume excessive milk, hot dogs, and peppercorns until vomiting, followed immediately by sprints. This led to rhabdomyolysis—severe muscle breakdown—and acute kidney failure, with his urine turning brown before four days of hospitalization.

Texas Hazing Law: What Hood County Families Must Know

Texas has specific hazing statutes under Chapter 37 of the Education Code that govern cases involving students at our state universities.

Key Provisions of Texas Hazing Law:

• Definition: Any intentional, knowing, or reckless act that endangers mental or physical health for purposes of initiation into or affiliation with an organization.
• Criminal Penalties:
  • Class B Misdemeanor: Basic hazing offenses
  • Class A Misdemeanor: Hazing causing injury requiring medical attention
  • State Jail Felony: Hazing causing serious bodily injury or death
• Critical Protections:
  • §37.155: Consent is NOT a defense—even if your child “agreed,” it’s still hazing under Texas law
  • §37.154: Good-faith reporter immunity—those who report hazing or call for medical help have protection
  • Organizational liability—both individuals AND the organization can face criminal charges and fines up to $10,000

Texas vs. Federal Law

While Texas law provides the foundation, federal laws create additional layers of protection and liability:

• Stop Campus Hazing Act (2024): Requires universities receiving federal aid to report hazing transparently and implement prevention programs.
• Title IX: When hazing involves sexual harassment or gender-based hostility, federal Title IX obligations apply.
• Clery Act: Requires reporting of certain crimes, including hazing-related assaults.

Where Hood County Students Are at Risk: The Texas University Landscape

Families in DeCordova and Hood County typically send students to a mix of local institutions and major Texas universities. Understanding the Greek ecosystems at these schools is essential.

For Hood County Families: Your Child’s Likely University Destinations

Local & Regional Options:

• Tarrant County College (multiple campuses)
• Weatherford College (Parker County, adjacent to Hood)
• Texas A&M University-Central Texas (Killeen, within driving distance)
• University of Texas at Arlington (Tarrant County)

Major Texas Universities (Common Destinations):

• University of Houston (where the Bermudez case is unfolding)
• Texas A&M University (College Station)
• University of Texas at Austin
• Texas Christian University (Fort Worth, in adjacent Tarrant County)
• Baylor University (Waco)
• Southern Methodist University (Dallas)

The Texas Greek Ecosystem: Public Records Reality

Through our Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine, we maintain data on 1,423 Greek-related organizations across 25 Texas metros. For Hood County families, the most relevant metro is Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, which contains 510 Greek organizations according to Cause IQ data.

Sample Organizations Serving Hood County & North Texas Families:

• Beta Upsilon Chi Fraternity, EIN 74-2911848, Fort Worth, TX 76244 (IRS B83 filing)
• Texas Kappa Sigma Educational Foundation Inc, EIN 74-1380362, Fort Worth, TX 76147 (IRS B83 filing)
• Kappa Alpha Theta Fraternity – Gamma Psi Chapter, TCU, Fort Worth, TX (Cause IQ DFW metro listing)
• Delta Delta Delta – Arlington Alumnae Chapter, Dallas, TX (Cause IQ DFW metro listing)
• Kappa Delta Sorority – Gamma Beta Chapter, Texas Woman’s University, Denton, TX (Cause IQ DFW metro listing)

These organizations—and hundreds like them—form the ecosystem where Hood County students participate in Greek life. When hazing occurs, these entities may carry insurance coverage and have legal responsibility.

National Hazing Patterns: What Texas Courts Already Know

Texas courts recognize that hazing follows predictable patterns within specific national organizations. When we represent Hood County families, we use these established patterns to prove foreseeability and negligence.

Deadly Patterns in National Fraternities:

1. Pi Kappa Alpha (Pike) – The “Big/Little” Alcohol Pattern:

• Stone Foltz, Bowling Green State (2021): Pledge died after being forced to drink entire bottle of alcohol during “Big/Little” night. $10 million settlement.
• David Bogenberger, Northern Illinois (2012): Pledge died from alcohol poisoning during fraternity event. $14 million settlement.
• Pattern Relevance: Shows national organization knew about deadly “Big/Little” drinking traditions but failed to prevent recurrence.

2. Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE) – Physical Abuse & Chemical Hazings:

• Texas A&M University (2021): Pledges suffered severe chemical burns from industrial cleaner, requiring skin grafts. $1 million lawsuit filed.
• University of Texas at Austin (2024): Australian exchange student assaulted, suffering dislocated leg, broken nose, fractured tibia. $1+ million lawsuit.
• Pattern Relevance: Demonstrates SAE’s recurring physical violence problems at Texas campuses specifically.

3. Phi Delta Theta – “Bible Study” Drinking Games:

• Max Gruver, LSU (2017): Pledge died during “Bible study” drinking game where wrong answers meant forced drinking. Led to Louisiana’s felony hazing law.
• Pattern Relevance: Establishes that drinking games framed as “education” are known lethal hazards.

4. Pi Kappa Phi – Extreme Physical Endurance Hazings:

• Andrew Coffey, Florida State (2017): Pledge died from acute alcohol poisoning during “Big Brother Night.”
• Leonel Bermudez, University of Houston (2025): Pledge suffered rhabdomyolysis and kidney failure from extreme workouts and forced consumption. $10 million lawsuit.
• Pattern Relevance: Reveals national pattern of dangerous physical initiations.

What These Patterns Mean for Your Case

When a national fraternity with this documented history has a chapter at a Texas university that repeats the same dangerous conduct, courts recognize:

1. The harm was foreseeable
2. The national organization had prior notice
3. Their failure to prevent recurrence may constitute gross negligence

The Legal Process: Building a Hazing Case for Hood County Families

When you contact Attorney911 about a potential hazing case, here’s what you can expect from our investigation and strategy.

Evidence Collection: The Digital Crime Scene

Modern hazing leaves digital fingerprints everywhere. We systematically preserve:

1. Group Communications:

• GroupMe, WhatsApp, Discord, iMessage threads
• Facebook Messenger, Instagram DMs, Snapchat messages
• Chapter-specific apps and communication platforms
• Digital forensics to recover deleted messages

2. Social Media Evidence:

• Instagram Stories and posts showing events
• TikTok videos of “challenges” or initiations
• Facebook event pages and photo albums
• Location tags and timestamps

3. Institutional Records:

• University conduct files (obtained through discovery)
• Campus police reports
• National fraternity risk management files
• Insurance policies and coverage documents

4. Medical Documentation:

• ER records and hospitalization reports
• Toxicology screens and lab results (critical for alcohol/drug cases)
• Psychological evaluations for PTSD, anxiety, depression
• Specialist reports for ongoing treatment needs

Identifying All Liable Parties

Hazing cases typically involve multiple defendants, each with different insurance coverage and defenses:

1. Individual Students:

• Chapter presidents, pledge educators, risk managers
• Active members who participated in or planned hazing
• Those who supplied alcohol to minors

2. Local Chapter Entities:

• Chapter housing corporations (often have separate EINs)
• Alumni advisory boards
• Local bank accounts and assets

3. National Organizations:

• Fraternity/sorority national headquarters
• Their insurance carriers (often national providers)
• Educational foundations and housing corporations

4. Universities:

• Public universities (UH, Texas A&M, UT) – though sovereign immunity applies in limited ways
• Private universities (TCU, SMU, Baylor) – different liability standards
• Individual administrators in personal capacity

5. Third Parties:

• Property owners (Airbnb hosts, rental property owners)
• Alcohol providers (under Texas dram shop laws)
• Security companies or event staff

Overcoming Common Defense Tactics

Having represented both injury victims and defendants (through Mr. Lupe Peña’s insurance defense background), we know exactly how fraternities and universities will fight hazing claims:

Defense: “The Pledge Consented”

• Our Response: Texas law §37.155 explicitly states consent is NOT a defense to hazing. We show the power imbalance, peer pressure, and coercion that made true consent impossible.

Defense: “This Was Off-Campus”

• Our Response: Location doesn’t eliminate liability. Universities and nationals maintain control over recognized organizations regardless of where abuse occurs. The Pi Delta Psi conviction (Pocono Mountains retreat) established this precedent.

Defense: “National Didn’t Know”

• Our Response: We subpoena national records showing prior incidents at this chapter and others. Pattern evidence establishes “constructive notice”—they should have known based on their own history.

Defense: “We Have Anti-Hazing Policies”

• Our Response: We demonstrate the gap between paper policies and actual enforcement. Prior violations with minimal consequences show the policies weren’t meaningfully implemented.

Defense: “Insurance Doesn’t Cover Intentional Acts”

• Our Response: We argue negligent supervision claims (which are often covered) separate from intentional hazing acts. We also pursue individual policies and umbrella coverage.

Damages: What Hood County Families Can Recover

Hazing cases involve comprehensive damages that reflect both economic losses and profound personal harm.

Economic Damages (Quantifiable Losses):

• Medical Expenses: Past and future ER care, hospitalization, surgeries, medications, therapy
• Lost Educational Opportunity: Tuition for interrupted semesters, lost scholarships, delayed graduation
• Diminished Earning Capacity: For permanent injuries affecting future workforce participation
• Therapy & Rehabilitation: Physical therapy, psychological counseling, specialized trauma treatment

Non-Economic Damages (Personal Harm):

• Physical Pain & Suffering: From injuries, medical procedures, ongoing pain
• Emotional Distress: PTSD, anxiety, depression, humiliation, loss of enjoyment of life
• Reputational Harm: Social stigma, difficulty transferring schools, future employment impacts

Wrongful Death Damages (When Tragedy Strikes):

• Funeral & Burial Costs
• Loss of Companionship & Support for parents and siblings
• Emotional Suffering of family members
• Parents’ & Siblings’ Therapy for traumatic loss

Settlement vs. Trial: Realistic Expectations

Most hazing cases settle through mediation before trial. Recent public settlements show the range of outcomes:

• Stone Foltz (Pi Kappa Alpha): $10 million total ($7M from national, ~$3M from university)
• David Bogenberger (Pi Kappa Alpha): $14 million settlement
• Max Gruver (Phi Delta Theta): $6.1 million verdict plus confidential settlements
• Sigma Chi (College of Charleston): $10+ million settlement

These amounts reflect cases with catastrophic injuries or death. Each case is unique, and outcomes depend on specific facts, evidence, jurisdiction, and the defendants involved.

Practical Guide for Hood County Parents & Students

If You Suspect Hazing: Warning Signs

Physical Indicators:

• Unexplained bruises, burns, or injuries with inconsistent explanations
• Extreme exhaustion beyond normal college stress
• Sudden weight changes
• Signs of alcohol poisoning or substance use in a previously moderate student

Behavioral Changes:

• New secrecy about organizational activities
• Withdrawal from family, old friends, non-Greek activities
• Personality shifts: increased anxiety, depression, irritability
• Constant phone monitoring for group chat messages
• Defensiveness when asked about the organization

Academic Red Flags:

• Grades dropping suddenly
• Missing classes or falling asleep during instruction
• Skipping assignments for “mandatory” organizational events

Conversations That Open Doors (Not Close Them)

Instead of: “Are they hazing you?”
Try: “How are you finding the balance between [organization] and your classes/sleep?”

Instead of: “You need to quit right now!”
Try: “I’m concerned about some changes I’ve noticed. Can we talk about what’s really happening?”

Instead of: “Why would you put up with this?”
Try: “What would happen if you said no to something they asked you to do?”

Evidence Preservation Checklist

Within First 24 Hours:

• Screenshot ALL group chats (scroll to capture full conversations)
• Photograph injuries from multiple angles with good lighting
• Write detailed notes: who, what, when, where, witnesses
• Save physical evidence (clothing, objects, receipts)
• Seek medical attention and tell providers about hazing

Within First Week:

• Document all university communications
• Create timeline of events
• Identify other affected students (discreetly)
• Backup digital evidence to cloud storage
• Consult with experienced hazing attorney

Critical Mistakes That Can Destroy Your Case

1. Letting your child delete messages – This looks like evidence destruction
2. Confronting the fraternity/sorority directly – Triggers their legal defense immediately
3. Signing university “resolution” forms – Often includes liability waivers
4. Posting details on social media – Creates inconsistencies defense attorneys exploit
5. Waiting for university investigation – Evidence disappears while you wait
6. Talking to insurance adjusters alone – Recorded statements are used against you

Why Attorney911 for Hood County Hazing Cases

When your family faces a hazing crisis, you need more than a general personal injury lawyer. You need attorneys who understand how universities, national fraternities, and their insurance companies fight these cases—and how to win anyway.

Our Unique Qualifications for Hazing Litigation:

1. Insurance Insider Knowledge (Mr. Lupe Peña’s Defense Background):
Mr. Peña spent years as an insurance defense attorney at a national firm. He knows exactly how fraternity and university insurance companies:

• Value and undervalue hazing claims
• Use delay tactics to pressure families
• Fight coverage under “intentional act” exclusions
• Prepare cases for trial or settlement
  “We know their playbook because we used to run it.”

2. Complex Institutional Litigation Experience (Ralph Manginello’s BP Texas City Credential):
Our firm was one of the few Texas firms involved in the BP Texas City refinery explosion litigation—taking on billion-dollar defendants with unlimited legal budgets. This experience directly applies to hazing cases against:

• National fraternities with deep-pocketed insurers
• University systems with sovereign immunity arguments
• Multiple interconnected defendants with coordinated defense strategies

3. Multi-Million Dollar Wrongful Death & Catastrophic Injury Results:
We have recovered millions for families in complex wrongful death cases, collaborating with economists, life care planners, and medical experts to fully value:

• Lifetime care needs for brain injury victims
• Lost earning capacity over decades
• Comprehensive pain and suffering damages
• Family impact and loss of companionship

4. Criminal + Civil Dual Capability (HCCLA Membership):
Ralph Manginello’s membership in the Harris County Criminal Lawyers Association signals elite criminal defense capability. This is critical for hazing cases where:

• Criminal charges may be filed alongside civil claims
• Witnesses need counseling on Fifth Amendment rights
• Parallel proceedings require coordinated strategy
• Former members face dual exposure and need representation

5. Texas-Specific Geographic Mastery:
With offices in Houston, Austin, and Beaumont, we understand Texas courts, judges, and procedures. For Hood County families, this means:

• Familiarity with North Texas jurisdictions and venues
• Understanding of Texas-specific laws (Chapter 37 hazing statutes, dram shop liability)
• Relationships with local experts and investigators
• Knowledge of university systems and their defense patterns

6. Comprehensive Investigative Resources:
We maintain a network of specialists critical for hazing cases:

• Digital forensics experts to recover deleted messages
• Medical specialists in rhabdomyolysis, TBI, PTSD
• Greek life culture experts to explain traditions and coercion
• Economists to calculate lifetime damages
• Private investigators to locate witnesses and evidence

7. Spanish-Language Services:
Mr. Peña speaks fluent Spanish, ensuring Hispanic families in Hood County and across Texas can access justice in their preferred language.

Our Current Flagship Case: Proof We’re Fighting This Battle Right Now

We are currently litigating Leonel Bermudez v. University of Houston & Pi Kappa Phi—a $10 million hazing lawsuit that exemplifies everything families need to understand:

The Hazing:

• “Pledge fanny pack” humiliation with condoms, sex toys, nicotine devices
• Extreme physical workouts at Yellowstone Boulevard Park
• Forced milk, hot dog, and peppercorn consumption until vomiting
• Hose spraying “similar to waterboarding”
• Hog-tying of another pledge for over an hour
• The November 3 “workout”: 100+ push-ups, 500 squats under expulsion threat

The Medical Catastrophe:

• Rhabdomyolysis (severe muscle breakdown)
• Acute kidney failure
• Brown urine, inability to stand
• Four-day hospitalization
• Critically high creatine kinase levels
• Ongoing risk of permanent kidney damage

The Institutional Response:

• Pi Kappa Phi national suspended chapter November 6, 2025
• Chapter voted to surrender charter November 14, 2025
• UH called conduct “deeply disturbing”
• 13 individual defendants named including chapter president, pledgemaster
• Multiple entity defendants: UH, Board of Regents, national HQ, housing corporation

This case demonstrates our active, serious engagement with exactly the type of institutional hazing litigation that Hood County families might face.

Your Next Step: Contact Attorney911 for a Confidential Consultation

If you suspect your child has been hazed at any Texas university, we offer a confidential, no-obligation consultation to help you understand your legal options.

What to Expect in Your Free Consultation:

1. We Listen: We’ll hear your full story without judgment or interruption
2. Evidence Review: We’ll examine any evidence you’ve preserved (photos, messages, medical records)
3. Legal Options Explained: We’ll outline potential paths: criminal reporting, civil lawsuit, both, or neither
4. Realistic Assessment: We’ll discuss likely challenges, timelines, and potential outcomes
5. Cost Transparency: We work on contingency—no fee unless we recover for you
6. No Pressure: Take time to decide what’s right for your family

Contact Information:

Call 24/7: 1-888-ATTY-911 (1-888-288-9911)
Direct Line: (713) 528-9070
Cell: (713) 443-4781
Website: https://attorney911.com
Email: ralph@atty911.com (Ralph Manginello) or lupe@atty911.com (Lupe Peña)

Spanish Services Available:
Hablamos Español – Contacte a Lupe Peña en lupe@atty911.com para una consulta confidencial en español.

Plain Text Links to Key Resources

For your convenience, here are verified resources mentioned in this guide:

News Coverage of Current UH Pi Kappa Phi Case:

• Click2Houston Investigation: 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/
• Hoodline Summary: https://hoodline.com/2025/11/university-of-houston-and-pi-kappa-phi-fraternity-face-10m-lawsuit-over-alleged-hazing-and-abuse/

Attorney911 Educational Videos:

• Using Your Phone to Document Evidence: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLbpzrmogTs
• Texas Statutes of Limitations: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRHwg8tV02c
• Client Mistakes That Ruin Cases: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3IYsoxOSxY
• How Contingency Fees Work: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=upcI_j6F7Nc

Firm Website & Practice Areas:

• Main Website: https://attorney911.com
• Wrongful Death Practice: https://attorney911.com/law-practice-areas/wrongful-death-claim-lawyer/
• Criminal Defense Practice: https://attorney911.com/law-practice-areas/criminal-defense-lawyers/
• Ralph Manginello Profile: https://attorney911.com/attorneys/ralph-manginello/
• Lupe Peña Profile: https://attorney911.com/attorneys/lupe-pena/

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