The Complete Guide to Hazing Lawsuits & Campus Accountability for Ennis, Texas Families

When your child leaves for the University of Houston, Texas A&M, UT Austin, or any Texas campus, you trust the university and student organizations with their safety. For families throughout Ellis County, from Ennis to Waxahachie to Midlothian, that trust is being violated right now in ways most parents never imagine.

The phone call no parent wants: “Mom, Dad, something happened at the fraternity house.” Your child’s voice is shaky. They’re describing forced drinking, brutal workouts, humiliation, and now they’re in the hospital with brown urine and kidney failure. You feel shock, anger, and terrifying helplessness. The university is saying “we’re investigating,” but weeks pass with no real answers. The fraternity’s national headquarters sends generic sympathy while their lawyers prepare defenses. Meanwhile, your child faces permanent physical damage and trauma that will change their life forever.

This isn’t hypothetical. Right now, in Harris County, we’re leading litigation in one of Texas’s most severe hazing cases: Leonel Bermudez v. University of Houston & Pi Kappa Phi (Beta Nu Chapter). This $10 million lawsuit details systematic abuse that left a young man with rhabdomyolysis and acute kidney failure after being forced through hundreds of push-ups and squats, sprayed in the face with a hose “similar to waterboarding,” made to lie in vomit-soaked grass, and humiliated with degrading “pledge fanny pack” requirements. The Pi Kappa Phi chapter has been shut down, but the institutional failures that allowed this to happen remain unaddressed.

This comprehensive guide explains what Texas families in Ennis, Waxahachie, Midlothian, and across Ellis County need to know about hazing in 2025: what it really looks like, Texas law, national patterns, campus-specific realities at schools where Ennis students attend, and your legal options when accountability is the only path to healing and prevention.

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 Ennis Students

Hazing has evolved far beyond the stereotypes of “harmless pranks” or “team bonding.” For Ennis students at Texas universities, modern hazing combines psychological manipulation, digital control, and physical danger in ways designed to evade detection while causing maximum harm.

The Three-Tier System of Modern Hazing

Tier 1: Subtle Hazing (The Gateway)

These behaviors establish power imbalance and normalize control:

• 24/7 digital monitoring: Ennis students forced to share location via Find My Friends, respond instantly to GroupMe messages at all hours, or face punishment
• Servitude requirements: Acting as unpaid chauffeurs for older members, cleaning houses, running errands during exam periods
• Social isolation: Being told to cut contact with non-members, requiring permission to visit family in Ennis on weekends
• Degrading identities: Answering only to humiliating nicknames, wearing specific clothing or accessories marking them as “less than”

Tier 2: Harassment Hazing (The Escalation)

Once subtle hazing is normalized, organizations escalate:

• Sleep deprivation: “Study sessions” that last until 3 AM, followed by 5 AM wake-up calls for “mandatory workouts”
• Food/water manipulation: Forced consumption of spoiled milk, hot sauce, or excessive bland foods until vomiting
• Public humiliation: Being forced to perform embarrassing acts in public spaces, recorded and shared in group chats
• “Voluntary” punishment: Framed as “optional” but with clear social consequences for refusal

Tier 3: Violent Hazing (The Catastrophe)

This is what hospitalized Leonel Bermudez at UH and has killed students nationwide:

• Forced alcohol consumption: “Big/Little” nights with entire bottles of liquor, drinking games where wrong answers mean finishing a handle
• Extreme physical abuse: What happened to Bermudez – 100+ push-ups, 500 squats, bear crawls until collapse, leading to rhabdomyolysis
• Simulated torture: Hose spraying “like waterboarding,” being hog-tied for hours, cold exposure in underwear
• Chemical hazing: Industrial cleaners poured on skin causing chemical burns requiring grafts (as alleged at Texas A&M)
• Sexualized degradation: Forced nudity, simulated sexual acts, “roasted pig” positions

The Digital Transformation of Hazing

Today’s hazing lives on smartphones:

• Group chat coercion: WhatsApp, GroupMe, Discord threads where refusal is publicly shamed
• Social media humiliation: TikTok challenges, Instagram story dares, compromising photos shared privately
• Evidence destruction coaching: Instructions on how to delete messages, use disappearing apps, and what to say if questioned
• Geo-tracking demands: “Share your location 24/7 so we know you’re not talking to campus police”

For Ennis parents, the challenge is recognizing these signs when your child is hours away at school. The sudden secrecy, the exhaustion during weekend visits home, the defensive reactions to simple questions – these may be the only warnings you get before catastrophe strikes.

Texas Hazing Law: What Ellis County Families Need to Know

Texas has specific laws governing hazing, but understanding how they apply requires seeing beyond the statute to how courts actually handle these cases.

Texas Education Code Chapter 37: The Foundation

§ 37.151 Definition: Hazing means any intentional, knowing, or reckless act directed against a student for purposes of initiation into or affiliation with any organization that endangers the mental or physical health or safety of that student.

Key implications for Ennis families:

1. Location doesn’t matter: On-campus, off-campus, at an Airbnb during “retreat” – all covered
2. “Reckless” is enough: They don’t need to intend harm, just disregard obvious risks
3. Mental health counts: PTSD, anxiety, depression from humiliation qualify as injury
4. Affiliation purposes: This covers pledging, initiation, maintaining membership, or holding office

§ 37.152 Criminal Penalties:

• Class B Misdemeanor: Basic hazing (up to 180 days jail, $2,000 fine)
• Class A Misdemeanor: Hazing causing injury requiring medical treatment
• State Jail Felony: Hazing causing serious bodily injury or death

§ 37.155 Critical Protection: “Consent is not a defense.” When your Ennis student says “I agreed to it,” Texas law recognizes they weren’t truly consenting under peer pressure and power imbalance.

Criminal vs. Civil Cases: Different Paths to Accountability

Criminal Cases (The State’s Role):

• Prosecuted by Ellis County District Attorney’s office (if incident occurs locally) or county where university is located
• Focus: Punishment (jail, fines, probation)
• Typical charges: Hazing, furnishing alcohol to minors, assault, manslaughter in deaths
• Reality: Many hazing cases never see criminal charges unless there’s death or media attention

Civil Cases (Your Family’s Path):

• Filed by victims/surviving families
• Focus: Compensation and institutional accountability
• Claims: Negligence, wrongful death, negligent supervision, emotional distress
• Critical advantage: Lower burden of proof than criminal “beyond reasonable doubt”

Federal Overlay: Stop Campus Hazing Act & Title IX

Stop Campus Hazing Act (2024):

• Requires Texas universities receiving federal aid to publicly report hazing incidents starting ~2026
• Mandates prevention education and transparency
• Current gap: Many universities still hide incidents until forced by lawsuits

Title IX Application:

• When hazing involves sexual harassment, assault, or gender-based abuse
• Triggers specific investigation and reporting requirements
• Can provide additional legal claims against universities

The Liability Universe: Who Can Be Held Responsible

1. Individual Students: The ones who planned, supplied alcohol, carried out acts, or covered up

2. Local Chapter: The fraternity/sorority as an entity (if incorporated)

3. National Headquarters: Pi Kappa Phi, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, etc. – often have deepest pockets

4. Housing Corporations: Own chapter houses; can be liable for premises safety failures

5. Universities: UH, Texas A&M, UT, etc. – duty to supervise recognized organizations

6. Third Parties: Landlords of off-campus houses, alcohol providers under dram shop laws

In the Bermudez case against UH and Pi Kappa Phi, we named 17 defendants: the university, its Board of Regents, Pi Kappa Phi national, their housing corporation, and 13 individual members. This comprehensive approach ensures no responsible party escapes accountability.

National Hazing Cases: Patterns That Repeat in Texas

The tragedies at Penn State, LSU, Florida State, and Bowling Green aren’t distant news – they’re roadmaps showing exactly what happens when universities and fraternities prioritize reputation over safety. For Ennis families, these cases establish critical legal precedents and reveal patterns that keep repeating at Texas schools.

Alcohol Poisoning Pattern: The Deadliest Script

Timothy Piazza – Penn State, Beta Theta Pi (2017):

• Bid acceptance night with forced drinking
• Fell multiple times on basement stairs; brothers delayed calling 911 for 12 hours
• 18 members charged with over 1,000 criminal counts total
• Texas connection: Beta Theta Pi has chapters at UT Austin, Texas A&M, SMU

Max Gruver – LSU, Phi Delta Theta (2017):

• “Bible study” drinking game – wrong answers meant chugging liquor
• BAC reached 0.495% (six times legal limit)
• Louisiana passed “Max Gruver Act” making hazing a felony
• Texas connection: Phi Delta Theta has chapters at all five major Texas schools

Andrew Coffey – Florida State, Pi Kappa Phi (2017):

• Big/Little night where pledges given handles of liquor
• Died alone on couch while others partied around him
• FSU suspended all Greek life temporarily
• Texas connection: Same national organization involved in UH Bermudez case

Stone Foltz – Bowling Green, Pi Kappa Alpha (2021):

• Forced to drink entire bottle of whiskey during “Big/Little”
• $10 million settlement ($7M from national, $3M from university)
• Texas connection: Pi Kappa Alpha has chapters at UT, Texas A&M, Baylor

Physical Hazing Pattern: Brutality Disguised as Tradition

Chun “Michael” Deng – Baruch College, Pi Delta Psi (2013):

• Blindfolded, weighted with backpack, tackled repeatedly in “glass ceiling” ritual
• Brothers delayed calling 911, drove him around searching for hospital
• National fraternity convicted of criminal charges – rare organizational prosecution
• Legal precedent: Off-campus retreats don’t protect organizations from liability

Athletic Hazing Pattern: Not Just Greek Life

Northwestern University Football (2023-2025):

• Sexualized and racist hazing within football program
• Multiple lawsuits; head coach fired then settled wrongful termination claim
• Texas relevance: Shows major athletic programs harbor same abusive cultures

What These Cases Mean for Ennis Families

1. Patterns are predictable: The same scripts (Big/Little nights, drinking games, extreme workouts) keep causing deaths
2. Delayed medical care is lethal: Hours matter when someone has alcohol poisoning or internal injuries
3. Cover-up culture is standard: Organizations consistently prioritize self-protection over victim safety
4. Only lawsuits force change: Legislation and policy reforms typically follow litigation, not precede it
5. Texas isn’t immune: Our state has seen chemical burns at A&M, kidney failure at UH, and will see more without accountability

Texas University Focus: Where Ennis Students Face Risk

Ennis families send students to universities across Texas. Each campus has its own Greek life culture, reporting systems, and history with hazing incidents. Understanding these specifics is crucial when something goes wrong.

University of Houston: The Bermudez Case Ground Zero

For Ennis families: UH is 250 miles southeast but draws students from throughout Texas, including Ellis County. The Bermudez case shows what happens when systems fail completely.

Documented Incidents:

• 2025 Leonel Bermudez Pi Kappa Phi Case: The catastrophic case we’re litigating – forced drinking, simulated waterboarding, extreme exercise causing rhabdomyolysis and kidney failure
• 2016 Pi Kappa Alpha Incident: Pledge suffered lacerated spleen during physical hazing; chapter suspended
• Multiple other suspensions for alcohol-related hazing, forced calisthenics, and policy violations

UH’s Reporting System:

• Office of Dean of Students investigates
• Campus police (UHPD) handle criminal aspects
• Critical gap: Limited public transparency about prior violations

Legal Jurisdiction for Ennis Families:

• Civil cases filed in Harris County courts
• Criminal complaints to UHPD or Houston Police Department
• Federal options if Title IX violations exist

Texas A&M University: Corps Culture & Greek Life Intersection

For Ennis families: A&M is 165 miles southwest – a common destination for Ellis County students seeking traditional college experience.

Corps of Cadets Issues:

• 2023 Lawsuit: Cadet alleged being bound between beds in “roasted pig” position with apple in mouth during hazing
• Tradition-heavy environment with documented abuse history
• Unique challenge: Military-style hierarchy can enable and conceal hazing

Fraternity Incidents:

• Sigma Alpha Epsilon Chemical Burns: Pledges allegedly doused with industrial cleaner causing burns requiring skin grafts
• Multiple chapter suspensions for alcohol hazing, physical abuse
• Pattern: Aggressive physical hazing disguised as “conditioning”

A&M’s Dual Response System:

• Student Conduct Office handles general student organizations
• Corps has separate disciplinary procedures
• Complication: Jurisdictional confusion can delay investigations

University of Texas at Austin: Transparency with Persistent Problems

For Ennis families: UT is 200 miles southwest – many Ellis County students attend this flagship campus.

UT’s Public Hazing Log (Unique in Texas):

• Pi Kappa Alpha (2023): New members forced to consume milk and perform extreme calisthenics; chapter probation
• Texas Wranglers (2022): Alcohol hazing during initiation events; suspension
• Other organizations: Multiple sanctions for forced drinking, physical endurance tests, humiliation

Why UT’s Transparency Matters for Ennis Families:

1. Pattern evidence: Public records show which organizations repeatedly violate policies
2. Notice to university: Documented prior incidents strengthen negligence claims
3. Deterrent effect: Some organizations modify behavior knowing violations will be public

Legal Realities at UT:

• UTPD handles campus criminal matters
• Travis County courts hear civil cases
• Strategic advantage: Public hazing log provides discovery head start

Southern Methodist University: Private School Challenges

For Ennis families: SMU is 35 miles north in Dallas – the closest major university to Ellis County.

Private University Dynamics:

• Less public reporting required than state schools
• Greater control over internal investigations
• Kappa Alpha Order (2017): Paddling, forced drinking, sleep deprivation; multi-year suspension
• Other confidential sanctions: SMU doesn’t publish detailed hazing logs publicly

Legal Considerations:

• Dallas County jurisdiction for civil cases
• SMU Police Department handles campus matters
• Discovery challenge: Must litigation to access internal disciplinary records

Baylor University: Religious Identity & Accountability Tension

For Ennis families: Baylor is 95 miles southwest in Waco – draws students seeking faith-based education.

Baylor’s Complex History:

• Football sexual assault scandal revealed institutional protection patterns
• Baseball hazing (2020): 14 players suspended following hazing investigation
• Cultural tension: “Christian environment” branding vs. reality of student misconduct

Baylor’s Response Framework:

• Title IX Office handles sexualized hazing
• Student Conduct processes other cases
• Pattern concern: Institutional self-protection tendencies documented in prior litigation

Regional Campuses: Closer to Home Risks

For some Ennis students, regional campuses present hazing risks too:

Southwestern Assemblies of God University (Waxahachie):

• Just 15 miles from Ennis in Ellis County
• Christian university with student organizations
• Local jurisdiction: Ellis County Sheriff and Ennis Police Department would respond to incidents

Tarleton State University (Stephenville):

• 100 miles southwest
• Part of Texas A&M system
• Greek life and student organizations active

Navarro College (Corsicana):

• 30 miles southeast
• Junior college with athletic programs
• Hazing risks in sports teams and clubs

For Ennis families, the reality is that hazing risk exists wherever there are student organizations with power imbalances and traditions. Distance from home doesn’t guarantee safety – only accountability systems do.

Fraternities & Sororities: National Histories That Predict Local Danger

The same national organizations that caused deaths at Penn State, LSU, and Bowling Green have chapters at Texas universities. Their national histories aren’t just background – they’re evidence of foreseeable risk that Texas chapters inherited. For Ennis families, understanding these patterns is crucial for holding organizations accountable.

Organizations with Documented Deadly Patterns

Pi Kappa Alpha (ΠΚΑ) – “Pike”:

• Stone Foltz: Bowling Green death, $10 million settlement
• David Bogenberger: Northern Illinois death, $14 million settlement
• Multiple other alcohol poisoning deaths nationwide
• Texas presence: Active chapters at UT Austin, Texas A&M, Baylor, Texas Tech
• Pattern: “Big/Little” nights with forced alcohol consumption

Sigma Alpha Epsilon (ΣΑΕ) – “SAE”:

• Carson Starkey: Cal Poly death led to national pledge process elimination
• Texas A&M chemical burns: Industrial cleaner causing injury requiring grafts
• UT Austin assault: Exchange student suffered dislocated leg, broken bones
• Texas presence: Chapters at all major Texas universities
• Pattern: Physical violence combined with alcohol hazing

Pi Kappa Phi (ΠΚΦ):

• Andrew Coffey: Florida State death during Big/Little event
• Leonel Bermudez: UH kidney failure case we’re litigating
• Texas presence: Chapters at UH, Texas A&M, UT, others
• Pattern: Systematic physical and psychological abuse documented in our UH lawsuit

Phi Delta Theta (ΦΔΘ):

• Max Gruver: LSU death leading to felony hazing law
• Multiple other alcohol hazing incidents nationwide
• Texas presence: Chapters at all five major Texas schools
• Pattern: Drinking games disguised as “education” or “tradition”

Kappa Alpha Order (ΚΑ):

• SMU suspension (2017): Paddling, forced drinking, sleep deprivation
• Multiple chapter suspensions nationally for physical hazing
• Texas presence: Chapters at SMU, Texas A&M, others