Hazing Victims in Kern County Deserve Justice — We’re Fighting for You

This Happened in Houston. It Happens in Kern County Too.

On November 21, 2025, our law firm filed a $10 million lawsuit against Pi Kappa Phi fraternity and the University of Houston for the systematic hazing of a young man named Leonel Bermudez. He was waterboarded with a garden hose, forced to do 500 squats until his muscles broke down, struck with wooden paddles, and made to eat until he vomited — then forced to keep running through his own vomit. He ended up in the hospital for four days with severe rhabdomyolysis and kidney failure.

This wasn’t just hazing. This was torture.

And here’s the devastating truth: The same fraternities operate at universities near Kern County. The same “traditions” exist in Kern County. The same negligence happens in Kern County.

If your child has been hazed at a Kern County university, college, or high school — you are not alone. We are fighting this battle right now, and we will fight for Kern County families with the same fury.

Kern County Families: This Could Be Your Child

Leonel Bermudez wasn’t even a University of Houston student when he was hazed. He was a “ghost rush” — a prospective member expected to transfer for the spring semester. They hazed someone who wasn’t even enrolled yet.

Think about that. How many Kern County students are being hazed right now — at Cal State Bakersfield, Bakersfield College, or even local high schools?

The fraternities and universities involved in this case knew the risks. Pi Kappa Phi had a student die from hazing in 2017. University of Houston had another student hospitalized from hazing in 2017. They had eight years to fix their culture. They did nothing.

Now, they’re facing a $10 million lawsuit. And Kern County families deserve the same accountability.

What Kern County Parents Need to Know About Hazing

1. This Isn’t “Tradition” — It’s Abuse

Hazing isn’t about “building brotherhood.” It’s about power, control, and intimidation. The activities described in our lawsuit — waterboarding, forced eating, extreme physical punishment — are not traditions. They’re crimes.

• Waterboarding with a garden hose (simulated drowning)
• 500 squats, 100 pushups, bear crawls until muscles break down
• Being struck with wooden paddles
• Forced to eat until vomiting, then made to lie in vomit-soaked grass
• Sleep deprivation — forced to drive members at all hours
• Psychological torture — carrying sexual objects, humiliation, threats of expulsion

This isn’t hazing. This is assault. This is battery. This is torture.

2. Universities Are Complicit

The University of Houston owned the fraternity house where Leonel Bermudez was tortured. They collected rent while students were being abused. They had the power to inspect, regulate, and shut it down. They chose not to.

Kern County universities have the same responsibility. If a fraternity or sorority is hazing students on campus property, the university is liable. If they knew about prior incidents and did nothing, they are negligent.

3. National Organizations Know — And They Do Nothing

Pi Kappa Phi’s national headquarters knew about a “hazing crisis” in their organization. They admitted it in their own statements. Yet, they failed to enforce their own policies, and another student ended up in the hospital.

The same national fraternities and sororities operate near Kern County. They know what’s happening in their chapters. They choose to look the other way.

4. Consent Is Not a Defense in California

Some fraternities will argue: “He agreed to participate. He knew the risks.” That doesn’t matter.

In Texas, the law is clear: Consent is not a defense to hazing. California has similar protections. Even if your child “agreed” to participate, they did not consent to being tortured, hospitalized, or killed.

5. Hazing Can Cause Permanent Damage — Or Death

Leonel Bermudez suffered rhabdomyolysis — a life-threatening condition where muscle tissue breaks down and releases toxins into the bloodstream. This can lead to:

• Permanent kidney damage
• Need for dialysis or transplant
• Chronic pain and disability
• Psychological trauma (PTSD, anxiety, depression)

And in the worst cases, hazing kills. Since 2000, there has been at least one hazing death every year in the United States.

What Kern County Families Can Do If Their Child Has Been Hazed

Step 1: Get Medical Attention Immediately

If your child shows any of these symptoms after hazing, take them to the emergency room immediately:

• Severe muscle pain or weakness
• Dark or brown urine (sign of rhabdomyolysis)
• Difficulty walking or moving
• Vomiting or nausea that won’t stop
• Confusion, dizziness, or loss of consciousness
• Signs of alcohol poisoning (if forced drinking was involved)

Do not wait. Rhabdomyolysis and other hazing injuries can become life-threatening within hours.

Step 2: Preserve All Evidence

Hazing cases are won or lost on evidence. If your child has been hazed, save everything:
✅ Text messages, GroupMe chats, Snapchats, Instagram DMs — anything about hazing
✅ Photos or videos of injuries, hazing activities, or the location where it happened
✅ Medical records — hospital bills, doctor’s notes, therapy records
✅ Witness information — names and contact info of other victims or bystanders
✅ Fraternity/sorority documents — pledge manuals, schedules, rules
✅ Academic records — if hazing affected grades or enrollment

Do not delete anything. Even if it’s embarrassing, it could be critical evidence.

Step 3: Do NOT Talk to the Organization Without a Lawyer

Fraternities, sororities, and universities will try to control the narrative. They may:

• Ask your child to sign documents
• Offer a “settlement” that waives their rights
• Pressure them to stay quiet
• Threaten them with expulsion or retaliation

Do not let them manipulate your child. Do not sign anything. Do not give a statement without legal counsel.

Step 4: Contact an Experienced Hazing Lawyer Immediately

Hazing cases are time-sensitive. In California, you typically have two years from the date of injury to file a lawsuit. But evidence disappears quickly, and witnesses forget.

We offer free consultations for Kern County hazing victims. We’ll evaluate your case, explain your rights, and fight for the compensation your family deserves.

Call us 24/7: 📞 1-888-ATTY-911

Why Kern County Families Choose Attorney 911

1. We’re Fighting This Battle Right Now

We are actively litigating a $10 million hazing lawsuit against Pi Kappa Phi and the University of Houston. We know how to build these cases. We know how to win. Kern County families get the same aggressive representation we’re bringing to Houston.

2. We Have Insider Knowledge of How These Organizations Operate

Both of our attorneys — Ralph Manginello and Lupe Pena — are former insurance defense lawyers. We know how fraternities, universities, and insurance companies think. We know their playbook. We use that knowledge to dismantle their defenses and maximize your recovery.

3. We Don’t Back Down From Powerful Institutions

Universities and national fraternities have teams of lawyers, PR firms, and risk managers working to minimize claims. They will try to intimidate you. They will try to lowball you. They will try to make you go away.

We don’t let them. We’ve taken on billion-dollar corporations. We’ve won multi-million dollar verdicts. We will fight for Kern County families just as hard.

4. We Work on Contingency — $0 Upfront for Kern County Families

We understand that cost can be a barrier to justice. That’s why we take hazing cases on contingency. You pay nothing upfront. We only get paid if we win your case.

No hourly fees. No retainers. No financial risk for you.

5. We Serve Kern County — No Matter Where the Hazing Happened

While we’re based in Texas, we represent hazing victims nationwide, including Kern County. We can:

• Offer video consultations for Kern County families
• Travel to Kern County for depositions, trials, and client meetings
• Pursue cases in federal court if needed
• Handle all communications with defendants and insurance companies

Distance is not a barrier to justice.

6. We See Your Child as a Person — Not a Paycheck

We’ve seen what hazing does to kids. We’ve seen the physical injuries. We’ve seen the psychological trauma. We’ve seen the families devastated by loss.

We don’t just see a case. We see your child. And we will fight for them like they’re our own.

What Kern County Families Can Recover in a Hazing Lawsuit

If your child has been hazed, they may be entitled to compensation for:

Economic Damages:

• Medical bills (hospital stays, surgeries, therapy, future treatment)
• Lost wages (time missed from work or internships)
• Educational expenses (tuition, fees, lost scholarships)
• Future earning capacity (if injuries cause permanent limitations)

Non-Economic Damages:

• Physical pain and suffering (the agony of rhabdomyolysis, broken bones, or other injuries)
• Mental anguish (PTSD, anxiety, depression from the abuse)
• Emotional distress (humiliation, shame, loss of trust)
• Loss of enjoyment of life (inability to participate in activities they once loved)
• Disfigurement (scars, burns, or permanent injuries)

Punitive Damages:

In cases of egregious misconduct, courts may award punitive damages to punish the wrongdoers and deter future hazing. These damages can be substantial — especially when universities and national organizations knew about the risks and did nothing.

Kern County Universities and Greek Organizations on Notice

To Fraternities and Sororities Operating Near Kern County:

We are watching. The same legal strategies that secured $10 million verdicts nationwide apply to your chapter. If you haze students in Kern County, we will find every liable entity — the chapter, the national organization, the university, and the individuals involved.

Pi Kappa Phi, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, Pi Kappa Alpha, Phi Delta Theta, Beta Theta Pi, Sigma Chi, Kappa Sigma — if your chapter operates near Kern County, know that Attorney 911 represents victims across America. We will hold you accountable.

To Kern County Universities:

The University of Houston owned the house where a student was waterboarded. They collected rent while students were tortured. They had the power to stop it. They failed.

Cal State Bakersfield, Bakersfield College, local high schools — you have the same responsibility. If you own or control property where hazing occurs, if you fail to supervise Greek life, if you ignore prior incidents — you will be held liable.

To Kern County Parents:

Your child’s safety is not negotiable. If a university or fraternity fails to protect them, we will make sure they pay.

Kern County Families: You Are Not Alone

Hazing victims often feel isolated, ashamed, and afraid. They worry about retaliation. They worry about being ostracized. They worry about ruining their future.

But you are not alone.

Our client in the Pi Kappa Phi case is fearful of doing an interview due to retribution. That fear is real. But it’s also why we must speak out. Because if we don’t, who will?

Your child deserves justice. Your family deserves accountability. And Kern County deserves to know the truth about what’s happening on our campuses.

Call Us Now — Free Consultation for Kern County Hazing Victims

If your child has been hazed at a Kern County university, college, or high school, contact us immediately. We offer:

• Free, confidential consultations
• Immediate case evaluation
• Aggressive legal representation
• No upfront costs — we only get paid if we win

📞 Call 1-888-ATTY-911 (24/7)
📧 Email: ralph@atty911.com
🌐 Visit: attorney911.com

We will travel to Kern County for your case. We will fight for your family. And we will make sure this never happens to another Kern County child.

Enough Is Enough. It’s Time for Kern County to Stand Up.

Leonel Bermudez was waterboarded. He was forced to do 500 squats until his kidneys failed. He spent four days in the hospital fighting for his life.

This didn’t have to happen.

If Pi Kappa Phi had learned from Andrew Coffey’s death in 2017, Leonel wouldn’t have been hospitalized. If the University of Houston had taken action after their 2017 hazing incident, Leonel wouldn’t have been tortured.

Kern County families: How many more students have to be hurt before someone stands up?

We’re standing up. We’re fighting back. And we’re ready to fight for Kern County.

Call us now. 📞 1-888-ATTY-911

Attorney 911 — Legal Emergency Lawyers™
Serving Kern County and Nationwide
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