Hazing in Texas: A Comprehensive Guide for Johnson City Families Seeking Justice & Accountability

If Your Child Was Hazed at a Texas University, You Are Not Alone

For parents in Johnson City, Hye, Stonewall, and across the peaceful Texas Hill Country, sending your child off to college is an act of profound trust. You envision the picturesque campus, new friends, and academic growth. The reality of brutal hazing rituals—forced drinking, physical abuse, psychological torment—feels like a distant threat, something that happens elsewhere. The truth is far more unsettling. Right now, within driving distance of your home in Blanco County, one of the most serious hazing cases in Texas history is unfolding. It serves as a stark warning for every family in Johnson City whose children attend or may attend Texas universities.

At Attorney911, The Manginello Law Firm, we represent Leonel Bermudez, a University of Houston student who suffered catastrophic injuries during his fall 2025 pledge period with the Pi Kappa Phi Beta Nu chapter. As covered in the Click2Houston report on UH Pi Kappa Phi hazing case, Bermudez was subjected to a regime of humiliation and violence. He was forced to carry a “pledge fanny pack” 24/7 containing condoms and a sex toy. He endured sleep deprivation, overnight chauffeuring duties, and extreme physical hazing at locations including the UH chapter house, a Culmore Drive residence, and Yellowstone Boulevard Park.

The physical abuse culminated on November 3, 2025, when he was forced through 100+ push-ups and 500 squats under threat of expulsion. As detailed in ABC13 coverage of Leonel Bermudez’s UH hazing lawsuit, other tactics included being sprayed in the face with a hose “similar to waterboarding” and forced consumption of milk, hot dogs, and peppercorns until vomiting. The result was rhabdomyolysis—severe skeletal muscle breakdown—and acute kidney failure. His urine turned brown, he couldn’t stand without help, and he was hospitalized for four days with critically high creatine kinase levels, facing ongoing risk of permanent kidney damage.

This $10 million lawsuit, also summarized by Hoodline, names 13 individual fraternity leaders, Pi Kappa Phi’s national headquarters, its housing corporation, the University of Houston, and the UH System Board of Regents. The chapter was swiftly suspended and then voted to surrender its charter. This is not an isolated incident from a faraway campus. It is a Texas case, unfolding in real time, handled by our Texas-based firm. It proves that the most severe forms of hazing are happening here, at schools where Johnson City families send their children.

This guide is written specifically for you—parents, grandparents, and families in Johnson City, Blanco County, and the surrounding Hill Country. We will explain what modern hazing truly looks like, break down the Texas laws designed to protect your child, examine the national patterns that repeat at our state’s universities, and provide a clear, actionable path forward if your family is facing this nightmare. Our goal is to arm you with knowledge and show you that experienced, dedicated legal help is available.

Immediate Help for a Hazing Emergency

If you are reading this because your child is in crisis, act now.

If there is immediate danger or a medical emergency:

• Call 911.
• Then, call us at 1-888-ATTY-911 (1-888-288-9911).

In the first 48 hours, preserve your child’s rights:

1. Get Medical Attention: Even if injuries seem minor, seek a professional evaluation. Conditions like rhabdomyolysis or internal trauma may not be immediately apparent.
2. Preserve Digital Evidence: Screenshot every relevant group chat (GroupMe, WhatsApp, iMessage), text message, and social media post. Take photos of any visible injuries. Our video on using your phone to document evidence explains the best practices.
3. Document Everything: Write down a detailed timeline of events while memories are fresh. Include names, dates, locations, and specific acts.
4. Do Not:
   • Confront the fraternity, sorority, or team.
   • Allow your child to delete messages or “clean up” their phone.
   • Post details on public social media.
   • Give a statement to a university administrator or insurance adjuster without legal counsel.
5. Contact an Experienced Hazing Attorney: Evidence disappears quickly. Organizations circle the wagons. Call us at 1-888-ATTY-911 for a free, confidential consultation to protect your child’s rights and begin the investigation.

Hazing in 2025: It’s More Than “Just Hazing”

For Johnson City parents, the term “hazing” might conjure outdated images of harmless pranks. The reality in 2025 is a spectrum of calculated, often dangerous behaviors designed to assert power and force affiliation. Under Texas law, hazing is any intentional, knowing, or reckless act that endangers the mental or physical health of a student for the purpose of initiation into, affiliation with, or maintaining membership in an organization.

The Modern Taxonomy of Abuse

Hazing today generally falls into three escalating tiers:

1. Subtle Hazing: Behaviors that emphasize a power imbalance and normalize control.

• Servitude: Being on-call 24/7 as a designated driver, for cleaning, or running errands for older members.
• Psychological Control: Being assigned a derogatory nickname, forbidden from speaking unless spoken to, or cut off from non-member friends.
• Digital Tethering: Mandatory, instant responses in group chats at all hours; forced location-sharing via apps.

2. Harassment Hazing: Acts that cause emotional or physical discomfort.

• Sleep & Food Deprivation: All-night “study sessions,” wake-up calls at 3 a.m., limits on meals.
• Forced Physical Activity: “Smokings” or extreme calisthenics presented as “conditioning.”
• Public Humiliation: Forced to wear degrading costumes, perform embarrassing acts in public, or endure verbal “roasts.”
• Exposure to Disgusting Conditions: Being covered in food, condiments, or non-harmful but degrading substances.

3. Violent Hazing: Activities with a high potential for severe injury, sexual assault, or death.

• Forced/Coerced Consumption: The most common fatal pattern. “Big/Little” nights, “family tree” drinking games, lineups, or forced chugging of alcohol or unknown substances.
• Physical Assault: Paddling, beatings, “glass ceiling” tackling rituals, forced fights, branding.
• Sexualized Hazing: Forced nudity, simulated sexual acts (“elephant walk”), sexual assault.
• Dangerous Environments: Locked in freezing rooms, left outside in extreme weather, denied bathroom access for extended periods.

These acts do not occur in a vacuum. They are often meticulously planned, documented in group chats, and disguised with euphemisms like “tradition,” “bonding,” or “new member education.” For a family in Johnson City, the first sign may be a sudden change in your child’s behavior—withdrawal, anxiety, exhaustion, or unexplained injuries—coupled with a new, fearful secrecy about their campus activities.

The Texas Legal Framework: Your Child’s Rights and Recourse

Texas has specific laws to combat hazing, primarily found in the Education Code, Chapter 37, Subchapter F. Understanding this framework is crucial for Johnson City families.

Texas Hazing Law (Education Code § 37.151-§ 37.156)

• Definition (§ 37.151): Hazing is broadly defined as any intentional, knowing, or reckless act that endangers the physical or mental health of a student for purposes of initiation or affiliation. It can occur on or off campus.
• Criminal Penalties (§ 37.152):
  • Class B Misdemeanor: Hazing that does not cause serious bodily injury.
  • Class A Misdemeanor: Hazing that causes injury requiring medical treatment.
  • State Jail Felony: Hazing that causes serious bodily injury or death.
  • It is also a crime to fail to report hazing or to retaliate against someone who reports.
• Organizational Liability (§ 37.153): The fraternity, sorority, or other student organization itself can be prosecuted and fined up to $10,000 per violation.
• The Most Critical Provision: Consent is NOT a Defense (§ 37.155): Texas law explicitly states that the victim’s “consent” to the hazing activity is not a defense to prosecution. Courts and lawmakers recognize that true consent is impossible under the peer pressure, power imbalance, and fear of exclusion inherent in these situations.

Civil Liability: The Path to Accountability and Compensation

A criminal case, brought by the state, seeks punishment. A civil lawsuit, which we handle, is brought by the victim and family to secure compensation for damages and force institutional change. They can proceed simultaneously. In a civil hazing case, multiple parties can be held liable:

1. Individual Perpetrators: The members who planned, executed, or concealed the hazing.
2. Chapter Leadership: The president, pledgemaster, risk manager, and other officers.
3. The Local Chapter: As a legal entity (often a housing corporation or alumni association).
4. The National Organization: Headquarters that collect dues, set policies, and have a history of similar incidents at other chapters. Their knowledge is key.
5. The University: Schools can be liable for negligent supervision, deliberate indifference to known risks, or Title IX violations if the hazing is sex-based.
6. Third Parties: Property owners, bars that overserved alcohol, or security companies.

Federal Overlays: Title IX and the Stop Campus Hazing Act

• Title IX: If hazing involves sexual harassment or assault, or creates a hostile environment based on sex, it triggers the university’s Title IX obligations for investigation and response.
• The Stop Campus Hazing Act (2024): This new federal law requires colleges receiving federal aid to publish more transparent hazing data and strengthen prevention programs, with full implementation by 2026.

For a family in Blanco County, this legal maze can be daunting. An experienced firm like ours navigates both the criminal implications and the complex civil litigation to build the strongest possible case for maximum accountability.

National Case Patterns: The Script That Repeats in Texas

The hazing that injured Leonel Bermudez at UH is not an anomaly. It follows a well-documented national script. Understanding these patterns is essential because they establish foreseeability—the legal principle that these organizations knew or should have known the risks.

The Alcohol Poisoning Death Pattern

• Timothy Piazza (Penn State, Beta Theta Pi, 2017): Died from traumatic brain injuries after a bid-acceptance drinking night. Brothers delayed calling 911. Resulted in the Timothy J. Piazza Anti-Hazing Law in Pennsylvania.
• Max Gruver (LSU, Phi Delta Theta, 2017): Died from alcohol toxicity after a “Bible study” drinking game. Led to Louisiana’ felony Max Gruver Act.
• Stone Foltz (Bowling Green State, Pi Kappa Alpha, 2021): Died after being forced to drink a bottle of alcohol. Family secured a $10 million settlement ($7M from national Pi Kappa Alpha, ~$3M from the university).

The Physical & Ritualized Violence Pattern

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

The Athletic Program Hazing Pattern

• Northwestern University Football (2023-2025): Widespread allegations of sexualized and racist hazing led to multiple lawsuits, the firing of the head coach, and confidential settlements, proving hazing is endemic beyond Greek life.

What This Means for Johnson City Families: The national fraternities present on Texas campuses—Pi Kappa Alpha, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, Phi Delta Theta, Pi Kappa Phi, and others—have already been on notice for decades. When a chapter at UH or Texas A&M repeats the same dangerous behaviors, it strengthens the argument that the national organization and the university failed in their duty to prevent it.

The Texas Reality: Hazing at Universities Serving Johnson City Families

While Johnson City is a tranquil community, your children likely attend or will attend larger universities where these patterns play out. Our firm maintains the Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine, a proprietary database tracking over 1,400 Greek organizations across 25 Texas metros. This data-driven approach is critical for litigation.

Where Johnson City Families Send Their Kids: The Campus Landscape

Students from Blanco County commonly attend a mix of regional schools and major state universities:

• Local/Regional Campuses:
  • Texas State University (San Marcos): A major destination with active Greek life and historical hazing incidents.
  • University of Texas at Austin: The flagship campus with a publicly available hazing violations log.
  • Central Texas College, Austin Community College: Though less traditional Greek life, club and team hazing can occur.
• Major Statewide Hubs: Johnson City families also send children to Texas A&M University, Baylor University, Southern Methodist University (SMU), Texas Tech, and the University of Houston.

The Greek Ecosystem Connected to These Campuses

Using our analysis of public IRS (B83) filings and commercial data, we track the legal entities behind the Greek letters. For example, here are just a few of the 125+ Texas-registered Greek organizations in our database that are connected to campuses your child might attend:

• KAPPA SIGMA – MU CAMMA CHAPTER INC (EIN: 133048786) – College Station, TX 77845
• ALPHA EPSILON PI FRATERNITY – MU GAMMA CHAPTER (EIN: 262025321) – Denton, TX 76201
• BETA NU PI KAPPA PHI FRATERNITY HOUSING CORPORATION INC (EIN: 462267515) – Frisco, TX 75035
• CHI OMEGA FRATERNITY – CHI OMEGA HOUSE CORPORATION (EIN: 740555581) – Austin, TX 78705
• PI KAPPA PHI DELTA OMEGA CHAPTER BUILDING CORPORATION (EIN: 371768785) – Missouri City, TX 77459
• SIGMA CHI FRATERNITY EPSILON XI CHAPTER (EIN: 746084905) – Houston, TX 77204

This is not a random list. It is a snapshot of the corporate and organizational backbone we investigate in every case to identify every possible source of liability and insurance coverage.

University-Specific Hazing Environments

1. University of Texas at Austin
UT maintains a public hazing violations log, a transparency tool we use in litigation. Entries include:

• Pi Kappa Alpha (2023): New members directed to consume milk and perform strenuous calisthenics. Sanction: Probation.
• Texas Wranglers (Spirit Group): Sanctioned for forced workouts and alcohol-related hazing.
  This public record demonstrates pattern and institutional knowledge.

2. Texas A&M University
A&M’s unique Corps of Cadets culture and robust Greek life present distinct hazing risks.

• Sigma Alpha Epsilon Lawsuit (~2021): Pledges alleged being doused with industrial-strength cleaner, causing severe chemical burns requiring skin grafts. The chapter was suspended.
• Corps of Cadets Lawsuit (2023): A cadet alleged degrading hazing, including being bound in a “roasted pig” position. The case sought over $1 million.

3. Texas State University (San Marcos)
As a primary regional university for the Hill Country, Texas State has faced recurring hazing issues within its Greek system, documented through university disciplinary records.

4. Baylor University & Southern Methodist University (SMU)
As private institutions, their disciplinary processes are less transparent, but hazing incidents occur. SMU’s Kappa Alpha Order chapter was suspended in 2017 for paddling and forced drinking. Baylor’s baseball team faced a 2020 hazing scandal resulting in multiple player suspensions.

For a parent in Johnson City, the takeaway is this: no major Texas university is immune. The structures and traditions that enable hazing exist on every one of these campuses.

Building a Powerful Case: The Attorney911 Data & Litigation Advantage

When your family is in crisis, you need attorneys who understand both the profound human cost and the complex legal battlefield. Filing a hazing lawsuit against a national fraternity and a major university is not like a standard car accident claim. It is complex institutional litigation.

Our Investigative Engine: Turning Data into Leverage

We don’t start from scratch. We deploy our Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine, built from thousands of public records, to immediately identify all potentially liable entities. In a case like Leonel Bermudez’s, this means we can trace connections from the UH chapter to its national headquarters, its housing corporation in Frisco, and related alumni entities. This allows us to:

• Send preservation letters to every relevant organization instantly.
• Identify insurance policies that may provide coverage.
• Subpoena internal records showing prior complaints or knowledge of hazing.
• Build a map of organizational liability that defense attorneys cannot easily obscure.

Evidence Is Everything: Preserving the Digital Crime Scene

Modern hazing is planned and documented on phones. Winning cases requires expertise in digital forensics. We immediately work to secure:

• Group Chats (GroupMe, WhatsApp, iMessage): The primary source of evidence, showing planning, bragging, and cover-up attempts.
• Social Media (Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok): Photos, videos, and stories that depict the acts.
• Deleted Data: Working with digital forensic experts to recover “disappearing” messages.
• University & National Organization Records: Using discovery and public records requests to obtain prior incident reports, disciplinary history, and internal communications.

Quantifying the Harm: Damages in a Hazing Case

The goal is full and fair compensation for the devastation hazing causes. Recoverable damages include:

• Economic Damages: All past and future medical bills (ER, hospitalization, surgery, therapy, lifelong care for permanent injuries), lost wages, and loss of future earning capacity.
• Non-Economic Damages: Compensation for physical pain, emotional distress, trauma (PTSD, anxiety, depression), humiliation, and loss of enjoyment of life.
• Wrongful Death Damages (if applicable): Funeral costs, loss of financial support, and the profound loss of companionship, love, and guidance for the family.
• Punitive Damages: In cases of particularly egregious or reckless conduct, damages intended to punish the defendant and deter future behavior.

We collaborate with life-care planners, economists, and medical experts to build a comprehensive picture of the harm, ensuring we fight for a recovery that addresses both immediate needs and long-term security.

Practical Guide for Johnson City Parents, Students & Witnesses

For Parents: Warning Signs and First Steps

• Behavioral Red Flags: Sudden secrecy, withdrawal from family, personality changes (anxiety, depression), excessive fatigue, unexplained injuries or illnesses, constant phone anxiety.
• Financial Red Flags: Unexplained expenses, requests for money for “fines” or “mandatory” purchases.
• If You Suspect Hazing:
  1. Talk to your child with empathy, not accusation. Ask open-ended questions.
  2. If there is any injury, seek medical care and tell the doctor about the hazing.
  3. Preserve Evidence: Help your child screenshot everything. Do not let them delete anything.
  4. Contact an Attorney Before Reporting: While universities have reporting channels, speaking with us first allows us to help you navigate the process strategically and protect against retaliation. Call 1-888-ATTY-911.

For Students: Is This Hazing? How to Get Out Safely.

• Trust Your Instincts: If it feels coercive, dangerous, or degrading, it likely is hazing.
• Your “Consent” is Not a Get-Out-of-Jail-Free Card for Them: Texas law is on your side.
• Exiting Safely: Your safety comes first. You do not need to attend a “final meeting.” You can resign via email. If you fear retaliation, document it and report it to campus police and the Dean of Students.
• Good Faith Reporting: Texas law and most university policies offer amnesty for those who call for medical help in an emergency.

Critical Mistakes That Can Damage a Case

1. Deleting Evidence: Preserve all messages and photos.
2. Confronting the Organization Directly: This triggers their defense strategy and evidence destruction.
3. Posting on Social Media: Defense attorneys scour social media for inconsistencies.
4. Giving a Recorded Statement to Insurance Adjusters: They are not on your side. Direct them to your attorney.
5. Waiting Too Long: Evidence disappears, witnesses scatter, and the statute of limitations runs. In Texas, you generally have two years from the date of injury to file a lawsuit. Watch our video on Texas statutes of limitations for more detail.

Why Johnson City Families Choose Attorney911 for Hazing Litigation

When your family’s future is at stake, you need a firm with the experience, resources, and tenacity to take on powerful institutions. The Manginello Law Firm, PLLC (Attorney911) is not a high-volume personal injury mill. We are Texas trial lawyers who specialize in complex, high-stakes cases.

Our Proven Competitive Advantages:

1. Insider Insurance Knowledge: Our attorney, Mr. Lupe Peña (he/him), spent years as a defense attorney for a national insurance firm. He knows exactly how fraternity and university insurers value claims, fight coverage, and drag out cases. We use their playbook against them. Learn more about Mr. Peña’s insurance defense experience.

2. Experience Against Billion-Dollar Defendants: Managing Partner Ralph Manginello was one of the few plaintiff attorneys involved in the BP Texas City explosion litigation. We are not intimidated by the deep pockets of national fraternities or university legal teams. We’ve faced Goliaths before. Learn about Ralph Manginello’s background.

3. Active, High-Stakes Hazing Litigation: We are not theorizing about hazing law; we are actively litigating one of the most severe cases in the country—the Leonel Bermudez v. UH & Pi Kappa Phi lawsuit. This current experience is directly applicable to your case.

4. Data-Driven Investigation: Our Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine gives us a head start no other firm can match. We know the organizational landscape before we even take your case.

5. Spanish-Language Services: Mr. Peña is a fluent Spanish speaker, ensuring we can serve the full diversity of Texas families with comfort and clarity.

6. Contingency Fee Basis: You pay nothing upfront. We only get paid if we successfully recover money for you. Watch our video explaining how contingency fees work.

A Clear Path Forward for Your Family

The journey begins with a confidential conversation. When you call 1-888-ATTY-911, you will speak directly with our team. We will listen carefully to your story, explain the legal landscape in plain English, and outline a strategic approach tailored to your unique situation. We will handle the immense burden of investigation, evidence preservation, and legal warfare, allowing you to focus on your child’s healing and your family’s wellbeing.

From our offices in Houston, Austin, and Beaumont, we serve families across Texas, including those in Johnson City, Blanco County, and the entire Hill Country region. If hazing has shattered your trust and injured your child, you do not have to face this alone.

Contact The Manginello Law Firm, PLLC (Attorney911) today for a free, no-obligation consultation.

Call 1-888-ATTY-911 (1-888-288-9911)
Direct: (713) 528-9070 | Cell: (713) 443-4781
Website: https://attorney911.com
Hablamos Español: Contact Mr. Lupe Peña at lupe@atty911.com

Legal Disclaimer: This guide is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Reading this does not create an attorney-client relationship. Every case is fact-dependent. For advice on your specific situation, please contact an attorney directly. The information is current as of late 2025.