DeSoto Families’ Guide to Hazing in Texas: Legal Rights, Cases, and Accountability at Major Universities

1. Hook and Overview: For DeSoto Parents Fearing the Unthinkable

Imagine your child, a bright student from DeSoto, has just started at a Texas university. They join an organization—a fraternity, sorority, Corps program, or athletic team—hoping for friendship and belonging. Then, the texts become secretive. They come home exhausted, with unexplained injuries. They seem anxious, defensive, and are constantly glued to their phone, terrified of missing a “mandatory” message. When you ask, they dismiss it as “just tradition” or “team bonding.” But your gut tells you something is deeply wrong.

You’re right to be concerned. Right now, in Texas, we are fighting one of the most serious hazing cases in recent history. We represent Leonel Bermudez, a University of Houston student who was hazed by the Pi Kappa Phi Beta Nu chapter in fall 2025. The alleged conduct is shocking: forced 24/7 humiliation via a “pledge fanny pack,” extreme physical workouts, being sprayed in the face with a hose “similar to waterboarding,” forced overconsumption of food leading to vomiting, and a brutal “Nov 3 workout” of 100+ push-ups and 500 squats. This abuse caused Bermudez to develop rhabdomyolysis and acute kidney failure. He passed brown urine, was hospitalized for four days, and faces ongoing risk of permanent kidney damage. This is not a historical footnote or a story from another state. This is a $10 million lawsuit filed in Harris County in late 2025, and we are leading it. The chapter was shut down, but the fight for accountability is just beginning.

This guide is for you, the parents and families in DeSoto and across Dallas County, whose children may be attending the University of Houston, Texas A&M, UT Austin, SMU, Baylor, or any other Texas campus. We will show you what modern hazing really looks like, explain your legal rights under Texas law, connect national tragedies to local risks, and provide a clear path forward if the unthinkable happens. You are not alone, and you do not have to navigate this crisis without experienced guidance.

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