The Definitive Guide to Hazing in Texas: A Resource for Families in Marion and Across the Lone Star State

If This Just Happened: 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 are the Legal Emergency Lawyers™ for a reason.

In the first 48 hours:

• Get medical attention immediately, even if your student insists they are “fine.”
• Preserve evidence BEFORE it’s deleted: Screenshot all group chats, texts, and DMs. Photograph injuries from multiple angles. Save any physical items involved.
• Write down everything while memory is fresh: who, what, when, where.
• Do NOT:
  • Confront the fraternity, sorority, or team directly.
  • Sign anything from the university or an 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 with terrifying speed—deleted group chats, destroyed paddles, coached witnesses. Universities often move quickly to control their narrative. We can help preserve the truth and protect your child’s rights. Call 1-888-ATTY-911 for an immediate, confidential consultation.

Introduction: Speaking Directly to Parents in Marion, Guadalupe County, and Across Texas

Imagine this: Your child, bright-eyed and eager for the full college experience, accepts a bid to join a fraternity, sorority, or campus organization at a Texas university. What starts as exciting “tradition” slowly warps into something darker. They’re carrying a degrading “pledge fanny pack” 24/7. They’re forced to stay awake for days, chauffeuring older members at all hours. They endure “workouts” that cross into torture: hundreds of squats, sprinting until they vomit, being sprayed in the face with a hose “like waterboarding” in the cold.

Then, the unthinkable. They come home broken. They’re hospitalized with a terrifying diagnosis: rhabdomyolysis—severe muscle breakdown—and acute kidney failure. Their urine is brown. They face the risk of permanent organ damage. You learn this wasn’t an accident; it was a systematic, planned campaign of abuse called hazing.

This is not a hypothetical nightmare. This is the exact reality for Leonel Bermudez, a University of Houston student represented by our firm in a $10 million lawsuit against UH, the Pi Kappa Phi national fraternity, and individual members. His case, filed in late 2025 and covered by Click2Houston and ABC13, is a stark warning to every Texas family.

If you are a parent in Marion, Schertz, Cibolo, or anywhere in Guadalupe County, your child may attend a local campus like Texas Lutheran University in Seguin or commute to schools in San Antonio. Many Marion families also send their students to major Texas hubs: the University of Houston, Texas A&M, UT Austin, Baylor, or SMU. The hazing risk is present at all of them.

This guide is for you. We will explain what modern hazing truly looks like, the Texas laws designed to stop it, the national patterns that keep repeating, and what has happened at specific Texas universities. Most importantly, we will outline the legal pathways to accountability and recovery. You are not alone, and you do not have to face powerful institutions by yourself.

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

Hazing is any intentional, knowing, or reckless act—on or off campus—that endangers the mental or physical health of a student for the purpose of joining, maintaining membership in, or affiliating with any organization. In Texas, “consent” is not a defense.

Today’s hazing is sophisticated, often digitally coordinated, and disguised as “team building” or “tradition.” It falls into clear, dangerous categories:

1. Alcohol and Substance Hazing: The most common and deadliest form. This includes forced consumption during “Big/Little” nights, “family tree” drinking games, chugging challenges, and coerced use of drugs. The Leonel Bermudez case involved forced consumption of milk, hot dogs, and peppercorns until vomiting.

2. Physical Hazing: Extreme calisthenics (“smokings”), paddling, beatings, sleep deprivation, exposure to extreme elements, and dangerous “tests.” Bermudez was forced through 100+ push-ups and 500 squats, made to lie in vomit-soaked grass, and exercised in cold weather while in his underwear.

3. Sexualized and Humiliating Hazing: Forced nudity, simulated sexual acts, degrading costumes or roles, and acts with racist or sexist overtones. The “pledge fanny pack” at UH contained condoms and a sex toy as tools of humiliation.

4. Psychological Hazing: Verbal abuse, threats, isolation from friends and family, “silence” rules, and manipulation designed to break down a pledge’s sense of self.

5. Digital Hazing: A 21st-century evolution. Pledges are monitored 24/7 via group chats (GroupMe, WhatsApp), forced to share their location, required to respond instantly to messages at all hours, and coerced into posting embarrassing content on social media. This digital leash creates constant anxiety and sleep deprivation.

Hazing is not limited to fraternities. It occurs in sororities, Corps of Cadets and ROTC programs, athletic teams, spirit squads like cheer and drumline, marching bands, and other campus clubs. The common threads are power imbalance, secrecy, and the exploitation of a desire to belong.

The Texas Legal Framework: Criminal Penalties and Civil Liability

Texas has specific, robust laws against hazing in the Education Code, Chapter 37. Understanding this framework is crucial for families.

Texas Hazing Law (Education Code Chapter 37)

• Definition: Hazing is any intentional, knowing, or reckless act that endangers the physical or mental health of a student for purposes of initiation or affiliation with a school organization.
• Criminal Penalties:
  • Class B Misdemeanor: Hazing that does not cause bodily injury (up to 180 days jail, $2,000 fine).
  • Class A Misdemeanor: Hazing that causes bodily injury (up to 1 year jail, $4,000 fine).
  • State Jail Felony: Hazing that causes serious bodily injury or death (180 days to 2 years state jail, $10,000 fine).
• Critical Protections:
  • Consent is NOT a Defense (§37.155): Even if a student “agreed,” it is still hazing under the law.
  • Immunity for Good-Faith Reporting (§37.154): Individuals who report hazing in good faith are protected from civil or criminal liability.
  • Organizational Liability (§37.153): The organization itself can be prosecuted and fined up to $10,000 if it authorized or knowingly permitted hazing.

Civil Lawsuits: The Path to Accountability and Compensation

A criminal case, brought by the state, seeks punishment. A civil lawsuit, which we file on behalf of victims and families, seeks compensation for damages and institutional accountability. They can proceed simultaneously. Even without a criminal conviction, a civil case can be powerfully successful.

In a civil hazing case, we can pursue multiple defendants:

1. Individual Perpetrators: The members who planned and carried out the acts.
2. The Local Chapter: As a legal entity, for fostering a culture of hazing.
3. The National Headquarters: For negligent supervision, failure to enforce policies, and ignoring known patterns of abuse across the country.
4. The University: For negligent supervision, deliberate indifference to known risks, and premises liability. Public universities (like UH, Texas A&M, UT) have certain immunity hurdles, but exceptions exist for gross negligence.
5. Third Parties: Property owners, landlords, and alcohol providers.

The Bermudez lawsuit names all these entities: 13 individual Pi Kappa Phi members, the UH Beta Nu chapter housing corporation, Pi Kappa Phi’s national headquarters, the University of Houston, and the UH System Board of Regents.

Federal Overlays: Title IX, Clery, and the Stop Campus Hazing Act

• Title IX: If hazing involves sexual harassment or assault, it triggers Title IX obligations for the university, which can provide another avenue for accountability.
• Clery Act: Requires universities to report certain crime statistics, including arrests for liquor/drug/weapon violations and incidents of bodily injury.
• Stop Campus Hazing Act (2024): A new federal law requiring colleges to publish more transparent hazing data and strengthen prevention programs by 2026.

National Hazing Cases: The Tragic Patterns That Keep Repeating

The hazing that injured Leonel Bermudez at UH is not an isolated event. It is part of a national epidemic with a deadly playbook. These major cases establish legal precedents and show the patterns we fight against.

The Alcohol Poisoning Pattern:

• Timothy Piazza (Penn State, Beta Theta Pi, 2017): Died after a bid-acceptance night of forced drinking. Brothers delayed calling 911 for hours. Resulted in the Timothy J. Piazza Anti-Hazing Law in Pennsylvania.
• Max Gruver (LSU, Phi Delta Theta, 2017): Died after a “Bible study” drinking game. Led to Louisiana’s Max Gruver Act, a felony hazing statute.
• Stone Foltz (Bowling Green State, Pi Kappa Alpha, 2021): Died after being forced to drink a bottle of alcohol. Family reached a $10 million settlement with the fraternity national and university.

The Physical and Ritualized Violence Pattern:

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

The Catastrophic Injury Pattern:

• Danny Santulli (Univ. of Missouri, Phi Gamma Delta, 2021): Suffered permanent, severe brain damage from alcohol poisoning during a pledge event. His family secured multi-million dollar settlements with numerous defendants.

The Athletic Hazing Pattern:

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

These cases prove that hazing deaths and catastrophic injuries are foreseeable. National fraternities and universities cannot claim ignorance. This “pattern evidence” is a cornerstone of successful civil litigation, showing an organization knew the risks and failed to act.

The Texas University Landscape: A Guide for Marion and Guadalupe County Families

Marion families have deep educational connections. Many students attend Texas Lutheran University (TLU) right in Seguin, Guadalupe County. Others commute to the San Antonio metro area, home to UTSA, Trinity University, and others. Countless more head to the state’s flagship institutions. Here is what you need to know about hazing at key Texas schools.

University of Houston & The Leonel Bermudez Case

For Marion families, UH is a major destination, just a 2.5-hour drive east. The ongoing Pi Kappa Phi case is your local proof of how severe hazing can be.

• The Case: Leonel Bermudez, a Fall 2025 pledge, suffered rhabdomyolysis and acute kidney failure after months of abuse. Hazing occurred at the Pi Kappa Phi house, a Culmore Drive residence, and Yellowstone Boulevard Park. Specific acts included the degrading “fanny pack,” forced overeating and vomiting, hose spraying “like waterboarding,” and extreme physical workouts.
• Institutional Response: After reports, Pi Kappa Phi national suspended the Beta Nu chapter on Nov. 6, 2025. Members voted to surrender their charter on Nov. 14, 2025, shutting it down. UH called the conduct “deeply disturbing” and promised cooperation with law enforcement.
• Legal Relevance: This active, high-stakes lawsuit demonstrates the complex web of liability: individual members, the local housing corporation, the national fraternity, and the public university. We are litigating this case right now.

Texas A&M University & The Corps of Cadets

Many Marion-area students are drawn to the tradition and discipline of Texas A&M.

• Known Incidents: A&M has faced serious hazing allegations in both Greek life and the Corps of Cadets.
  • Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE): A 2021 lawsuit alleged pledges were subjected to chemical burns after substances including industrial-strength cleaner were poured on them.
  • Corps of Cadets: A 2023 lawsuit alleged a cadet was subjected to degrading hazing, including being bound in a “roasted pig” position.
• Parent Guidance: The combination of a powerful Greek system and a rigorous Corps culture requires heightened vigilance. Hazing here is often disguised as “conditioning” or “disciplinary training.”

University of Texas at Austin

UT Austin sets a standard for transparency that other schools should follow.

• Public Hazing Log: UT maintains a public online list of organizations found responsible for hazing, including sanctions. Recent entries include:
  • Pi Kappa Alpha: Sanctioned for forcing new members to consume milk and perform strenuous calisthenics.
  • Texas Wranglers: Sanctioned for forced physical activity and alcohol-related hazing.
• Why This Matters: This public record is a powerful tool. It shows patterns of repeat offenders and proves the university had knowledge of specific risks—a key element in building a negligence case against the school.

Southern Methodist University & Baylor University

These private, prestigious universities are common choices for Texas families.

• SMU: Has dealt with hazing incidents, including a 2017 Kappa Alpha Order chapter suspension for paddling, forced drinking, and sleep deprivation.
• Baylor: Faced a 2020 baseball team hazing scandal that resulted in multiple player suspensions, reflecting that hazing permeates athletic programs.

For private universities like SMU and Baylor, sovereign immunity is less of a barrier, but their internal cultures and disciplinary processes can be opaque. Legal action often requires compelling the disclosure of internal records.

The Organizations Behind the Letters: National Histories Matter

When a chapter at UH, Texas A&M, or UT hazes, it is rarely inventing new cruelty. It is following a national script. This is why the national headquarters’ history is legally relevant.

Using our Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine—a proprietary database of over 1,423 Greek organizations across 25 Texas metros—we track the entities behind the scenes. This includes local house corporations, alumni chapters, and national franchises. For example, our data shows the Beta Nu Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity Housing Corporation Inc. (EIN 46-3267515) registered in Frisco, TX. This is one of the defendants in the Bermudez case.

Sample of Texas Greek Entities (From Public IRS B83 Filings):

• Kappa Sigma – Mu Camma Chapter Inc. (EIN 13-3048786) – College Station, TX 77845
• Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity (EIN 74-6064445) – Nederland, TX 77627
• Sigma Chi Fraternity Epsilon Xi Chapter (EIN 74-6084905) – Houston, TX 77204
• Texas Kappa Sigma Educational Foundation Inc. (EIN 74-1380362) – Fort Worth, TX 76147
• Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi (EIN 90-0293166) – College Station, TX 77843 (Texas A&M Chapter)

National organizations with documented hazing histories that operate on Texas campuses include:

• Pi Kappa Alpha (Pike): Stone Foltz death ($10M settlement). Multiple chapter suspensions.
• Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE): Numerous deaths and injuries nationwide; lawsuits at Texas A&M and UT.
• Phi Delta Theta: Max Gruver death (Louisiana felony law).
• Pi Kappa Phi: Andrew Coffey death (FSU); now the Leonel Bermudez case at UH.
• Kappa Alpha Order: Hazing suspensions at multiple schools, including SMU.

In court, we use this national “pattern evidence” to prove that the organization was on notice. They knew their rituals were dangerous, yet they failed to implement adequate supervision or enforce their own policies. This can establish gross negligence and support claims for punitive damages.

Building a Powerful Hazing Case: Evidence, Damages, and Our Strategy

At Attorney911, we don’t just file lawsuits; we build uncompromising cases based on evidence and strategic insight. Our approach is fueled by two unique advantages: Mr. Lupe Peña’s background as a former insurance defense attorney for national firms (he knows how insurers fight these claims), and Ralph Manginello’s experience in complex federal litigation like the BP Texas City explosion cases (we are not intimidated by billion-dollar defendants).

The Evidence That Wins Cases

We pursue every digital and physical footprint:

1. Digital Communications: GroupMe, WhatsApp, iMessage, Discord, Instagram DMs. We use digital forensics to recover deleted messages.
2. Photos & Videos: Content filmed by members, social media posts, security footage from houses.
3. Internal Documents: Pledge manuals, “tradition” lists, emails between members and national HQ.
4. University Records: Prior conduct reports, Clery Act logs, internal investigation files (obtained through discovery).
5. Medical Evidence: ER records, lab tests (like the critical CK levels showing rhabdomyolysis), psychological evaluations for PTSD.
6. Witness Testimony: Other pledges, former members, roommates, RAs.

Our video on using your cellphone to document evidence provides crucial first steps for families.

Recoverable Damages for Victims and Families

A successful civil case can recover compensation for:

• Economic Damages: All medical bills (ER, hospitalization, surgery, future care), lost wages, reduced future earning capacity.
• Non-Economic Damages: Physical pain, emotional distress, humiliation, loss of enjoyment of life, PTSD.
• Wrongful Death Damages (for families): Funeral costs, loss of financial support, loss of companionship and guidance.
• Punitive Damages: In cases of particularly egregious or reckless conduct, to punish the defendant and deter future behavior.

Overcoming Institutional Defenses

We anticipate and dismantle the standard defenses:

• “They Consented”: Texas law §37.155 voids this. Coercion isn’t consent.
• “It Was Off-Campus”: Liability is based on control and foreseeability, not just property lines.
• “It Was a Rogue Chapter”: We subpoena national records to show prior knowledge and inadequate supervision.
• “Insurance Doesn’t Cover This”: Mr. Peña’s insider knowledge is invaluable in fighting coverage exclusions and bad faith denials.

Practical Action Guides for Marion Families, Students, and Witnesses

For Parents: Warning Signs and Steps

Red Flags:

• Unexplained injuries, bruises, or burns.
• Extreme fatigue, sleep deprivation.
• Sudden withdrawal, anxiety, or depression.
• Secretive phone use, panic over group chat messages.
• Constant, unexplained expenses.

What to Do:

1. Talk Calmly: Ask open-ended questions. “Has anything made you uncomfortable?” not “Are they hazing you?”
2. Prioritize Safety: If injured or intoxicated, go to the ER.
3. Preserve Evidence: Follow the 48-hour checklist above.
4. Document University Contact: Keep a log of all calls/emails with the Dean of Students or conduct office.
5. Consult a Lawyer Early: Before speaking to university investigators or insurance adjusters. Call 1-888-ATTY-911.

For Students: Is This Hazing?

If you answer “yes” to any of these, you are likely being hazed:

• Are you being pressured to do something unsafe or degrading?
• Would you do this if there were no social consequences for refusing?
• Are you told to keep secrets from parents, RAs, or the university?
• Are only new members required to do this?

Your Rights:

• You have the right to leave and quit the organization.
• Texas law protects good-faith reporters.
• You can seek a no-contact order if threatened.

Critical Mistakes That Can Ruin a Case

1. Deleting Evidence: Preserve all messages, even embarrassing ones.
2. Confronting the Organization: This triggers evidence destruction and witness coaching.
3. Signing University Paperwork: Do not sign any “resolution” or waiver without an attorney.
4. Posting on Social Media: Defense lawyers monitor everything; inconsistencies hurt credibility.
5. Waiting Too Long: Texas has a statute of limitations. Evidence and memories fade. Watch our video on Texas statutes of limitations.

Why Attorney911 Is the Right Firm for Texas Hazing Cases

When your family is in crisis, you need advocates with proven experience against powerful institutions, not just general personal injury lawyers. Here is why we are different:

1. We Are Litigating a Major Texas Hazing Case Right Now.
We represent Leonel Bermudez against the University of Houston and Pi Kappa Phi. This isn’t theoretical knowledge; it’s active, front-line experience with the latest defense tactics and institutional responses.

2. Insider Insurance Knowledge.
Mr. Lupe Peña spent years as an insurance defense attorney for national firms. He knows exactly how fraternity and university insurers will try to deny, delay, and undervalue claims. We know their playbook because we used to run it.

3. Complex Institutional Litigation Experience.
Ralph Manginello was involved in the BP Texas City explosion litigation, taking on one of the world’s largest corporations. National fraternities and major universities have deep pockets and aggressive lawyers. We are not intimidated. We are prepared.

4. A Data-Driven Investigative Advantage.
Our Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine maps the ecosystem of liability. We don’t start from scratch; we already know how to identify the housing corporations, alumni associations, and national networks that share responsibility.

5. Empathetic, Victim-Centered Advocacy.
We understand the trauma and confusion your family is experiencing. Our mission is to secure justice for your child and to force changes that will protect other students. We recover multi-million dollar settlements and verdicts, but we also fight for accountability and prevention.

Your Next Step: A Confidential Consultation with Attorney911

If hazing has harmed your child at any Texas campus—whether it’s TLU in Seguin, a San Antonio university, UH, Texas A&M, UT, or anywhere else—we are here to help you navigate this painful journey.

We offer a free, confidential, no-obligation consultation. During this meeting, we will:

• Listen compassionately to your story.
• Review any evidence you have gathered.
• Explain the legal landscape and your family’s options.
• Outline our investigative strategy.
• Discuss our contingency fee structure—you pay nothing unless we win your case.

You don’t have to face the university, the national fraternity, and their insurance companies alone.

Contact The Manginello Law Firm, PLLC / Attorney911 Today.

• Call: 1-888-ATTY-911 (1-888-288-9911)
• Direct: (713) 528-9070
• Website: https://attorney911.com
• Email: ralph@atty911.com or lupe@atty911.com
• Se habla Español: Mr. Lupe Peña provides fluent Spanish-language legal services.

For families in Marion, Schertz, Cibolo, and all of Guadalupe County, we are your dedicated Texas hazing litigation team. Let us help you fight for justice, recovery, and the safety of all students.

Plain Text Links to Key Resources:

News Coverage of the Leonel Bermudez UH Pi Kappa Phi Case:

• Click2Houston Report: 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/

Attorney911 Educational Videos:

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

Attorney911 Main Website & Contact:

• https://attorney911.com

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