A Guide to Hazing Laws, Cases, and Rights for Families in McCamey, Texas

For parents in McCamey, the moment your child leaves for college is filled with hope. You’ve supported them through Upton County schools, cheered them on, and prepared them for the next chapter at a great Texas university. But a phone call in the middle of the night can change everything. Your child is hurt, they’re scared, and they’re whispering about things that shouldn’t happen to anyone—forced drinking, brutal workouts, humiliation. They might say it’s just “tradition” or that they “agreed to it,” but as a parent, you know something is deeply wrong.

This is the reality of modern hazing, and it’s happening right now at Texas campuses where McCamey students enroll. This comprehensive guide is written specifically for you—parents and families in McCamey, Texas—to cut through the confusion, explain your legal rights under Texas law, and show you how to protect your child and hold the right people accountable. From the oil fields of West Texas to the dorm rooms of major universities, we understand the values of this community: looking out for your own, demanding fairness, and protecting those who can’t protect themselves. That’s exactly what we do.

If This Just Happened: Immediate Help for Hazing Emergencies

If your child is in danger RIGHT NOW:

• Call 911 for any medical emergency.
• Then call us immediately: 1-888-ATTY-911 (1-888-288-9911). We are Legal Emergency Lawyers™ for a reason.

In the first 48 hours—Critical Steps for McCamey Families:

• Get Medical Attention: Go to the ER or urgent care immediately, even if your child insists they are “fine.” Tell the doctors exactly what happened—that it was hazing.
• Preserve Evidence BEFORE It’s Deleted:
  • Screenshot every group chat (GroupMe, WhatsApp, iMessage, Instagram DMs).
  • Photograph all injuries from multiple angles with good lighting.
  • Save any physical items—torn clothing, paddles, receipts for alcohol.
• Write Everything Down: While memories are fresh, write names, dates, locations, and what was said or done.
• Do NOT:
  • Confront the fraternity, sorority, or team.
  • Let your child delete messages or “clean up” their phone.
  • Sign anything from the university or an insurance company.
  • Post details on public social media.

Contact an experienced hazing attorney within 24–48 hours. Evidence disappears fast. Universities and national organizations move quickly to control the story. We can help you preserve evidence, understand your rights, and protect your child.

What Hazing Really Looks Like in 2025: Beyond the Stereotypes

Hazing isn’t just “boys being boys” or a harmless prank. It is a calculated pattern of abuse designed to establish power and control. For McCamey families, understanding its modern forms is the first step to recognizing it.

A Modern Definition: Hazing is any forced, coerced, or strongly pressured action tied to joining or maintaining status in a group, where the behavior endangers physical or mental health, humiliates, or exploits. The key is coercion—the fear of social exclusion, retaliation, or failure is what makes “consent” legally meaningless under Texas law.

Main Categories of Hazing Today:

1. Alcohol & Substance Hazing: The most common and deadly. This includes forced chugging, drinking games with punishment for wrong answers (“Bible study”), being given a handle of liquor on “Big/Little Night,” or coerced drug use.
2. Physical Hazing: Paddling, beatings, “smokings” (extreme calisthenics like hundreds of push-ups), sleep deprivation, exposure to extreme cold or heat, and forced consumption of inedible or excessive amounts of food (milk, hot dogs, etc.).
3. Sexualized & Humiliating Hazing: Forced nudity, simulated sexual acts (“elephant walk”), degrading costumes, and acts with racial or sexist overtones.
4. Psychological Hazing: Verbal abuse, threats, isolation from friends and family, forced confessions, and public shaming.
5. Digital Hazing: The new frontier. This includes 24/7 demands via GroupMe, forced participation in humiliating TikTok or Instagram challenges, cyberstalking via location-sharing apps, and threats if messages aren’t answered instantly.

Where It Happens: While fraternities and sororities are often in the news, hazing also occurs in Corps of Cadets programs, athletic teams, spirit groups (like cheerleading), marching bands, and other campus clubs. The common thread is a toxic blend of tradition, secrecy, and power imbalance.

Texas Hazing Law & Liability: What McCamey Families Must Know

Texas takes hazing seriously. The governing law is Chapter 37, Subchapter F of the Texas Education Code. Here’s what it means for you.

The Legal Definition (Plain English): 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, affiliating with, or maintaining membership in any organization.

Key Provisions for Parents:

• Consent is NOT a Defense (§37.155): Even if your child “went along with it,” that does not make it legal. The law recognizes the power imbalance and coercion at play.
• Criminal Penalties (§37.152): Hazing can be a misdemeanor, but it becomes a state jail felony if it causes serious bodily injury or death. Individuals can also be charged for failing to report hazing or retaliating against someone who reports.
• Immunity for Good-Faith Reporting (§37.154): A person who reports hazing to university or law enforcement in good faith is immune from civil or criminal liability. Many universities also have medical amnesty policies to encourage calling 911.
• Organizational Liability (§37.153): The fraternity, sorority, or club itself can be prosecuted and fined up to $10,000 per violation. This opens the door for serious civil liability.

Criminal vs. Civil Cases: Two Paths to Accountability

• Criminal Cases: Brought by the state (DA’s office). Aim is punishment—fines, probation, or jail time for individuals. This does not provide financial compensation to your family.
• Civil Lawsuits: Brought by victims and families. Aim is compensation for damages (medical bills, pain and suffering, lost future earnings) and institutional accountability. A criminal conviction is not required to file a civil case. These are the cases we handle, seeking justice and financial recovery for the profound harm caused.

Who Can Be Held Liable in a Civil Case?

1. The Individuals who planned, carried out, or supervised the hazing.
2. The Local Chapter as an organization.
3. The National Fraternity/Sorority Headquarters for negligent supervision, failure to enforce policies, and allowing known dangerous traditions to continue.
4. The University for negligent supervision, deliberate indifference to known risks, or Title IX violations (if the hazing is sex-based).
5. Third Parties like landlords of off-campus houses or alcohol providers.

A Stark Warning from Houston: The Leonel Bermudez Case

Right now, we are actively litigating one of the most severe hazing cases in Texas, which exemplifies everything McCamey parents need to understand. Our client, Leonel Bermudez, a transfer student at the University of Houston (UH), was hazed by the Pi Kappa Phi Beta Nu chapter in the fall of 2025.

The Hazing He Endured:

• Humiliation: Forced to carry a “pledge fanny pack” 24/7 containing condoms, a sex toy, and other degrading items.
• Servitude: Mandatory overnight chauffeuring, strict dress codes, and hours-long “study” blocks.
• Physical Torture: Sprints, bear crawls, and “save-your-brother” drills at Yellowstone Boulevard Park. Being sprayed in the face with a hose “similar to waterboarding.” Forced to lie in vomit-soaked grass.
• Forced Consumption: Made to drink milk and eat hot dogs and peppercorns until vomiting, then forced to immediately run sprints.
• The Final Workout: On November 3, he was forced to do over 100 push-ups and 500 squats under threat of expulsion, leaving him unable to stand.

The Medical Catastrophe: Days later, Leonel passed brown urine and could not crawl up stairs. Rushed to the hospital, he was diagnosed with rhabdomyolysis (severe muscle breakdown) and acute kidney failure. He was hospitalized for four days with critically elevated creatine kinase levels and faces a lifelong risk of permanent kidney damage.

The Legal Action & Fallout: We filed a $10 million lawsuit in Harris County against UH, the UH System Board of Regents, Pi Kappa Phi’s national headquarters, the chapter housing corporation, and 13 individual fraternity leaders. Following media coverage by Click2Houston and ABC13, Pi Kappa Phi suspended the chapter on November 6, and members voted to surrender their charter on November 14, shutting it down. UH called the conduct “deeply disturbing.”

This case is not an isolated incident. It is the flagship example of the brutal, institutionalized hazing that persists in 2025. It shows why experienced legal counsel is necessary to fight universities and national organizations that prioritize their reputation over student safety.

Where McCamey Families Send Their Kids: The Texas Campus Landscape

Parents in McCamey and Upton County often have children at universities across the state. The journey from West Texas to a large campus can be challenging, and understanding the specific hazing landscape at these schools is crucial.

For McCamey Students: Common University Destinations

• Texas Tech University (Lubbock): A major destination for West Texas students. Has a large Greek system and a significant presence of national fraternities and sororities with complex histories.
• University of Texas at Austin & Texas A&M University: As flagship institutions, they attract students from every Texas town. Both have vast Greek communities, Corps of Cadets programs (at A&M), and storied traditions that can sometimes cross the line into abuse.
• Midwestern State University (Wichita Falls) & Angelo State University (San Angelo): Regional campuses closer to home with active Greek life.
• University of Houston, Baylor (Waco), and SMU (Dallas): Other major hubs with significant Greek life where McCamey students may enroll.

The Greek Ecosystem Serving Texas Students

Behind every fraternity or sorority chapter on campus is a network of legal entities. Our firm maintains a Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine built from public records to track these organizations. For example, the Pi Kappa Phi chapter at UH was supported by entities like the “Beta Nu Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity Housing Corporation Inc.” (EIN 46-2267515, Frisco, TX). Statewide, we track over 1,423 Greek-related organizations across 25 Texas metros.

A Sample of Texas Greek Organizations from Public Filings:

• Kappa Sigma – Mu Camma Chapter Inc (EIN 13-3048786, College Station, TX 77845)
• Alpha Sigma Phi Fraternity Inc – Theta Delta Chapter (EIN 47-5370943, Houston, TX 77204)
• Sigma Chi Fraternity Epsilon Xi Chapter (EIN 74-6084905, Houston, TX 77204)
• Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi – Texas A&M Chapter (EIN 90-0293166, College Station, TX 77843)
• Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc. – Sigma Gamma Chapter (EIN 39-2352450, Houston, TX 77254)

These entities often hold insurance policies and assets, and identifying them is a critical first step in building a liability case.

National Patterns: Why Fraternity Histories Matter for Texas Cases

The organizations on Texas campuses are chapters of national brands. When a tragedy occurs in Ohio or Louisiana, it establishes a pattern that national headquarters knew or should have known about. This “foreseeability” is central to holding them accountable in Texas.

Deadly Patterns from National Cases:

• Pi Kappa Alpha (ΠΚΑ): Stone Foltz died at Bowling Green State in 2021 after being forced to drink a bottle of alcohol. The national organization and university paid a $10 million settlement.
• Beta Theta Pi (ΒΘΠ): Timothy Piazza died at Penn State in 2017 after a bid acceptance night. The case led to the Timothy J. Piazza Anti-Hazing Law in Pennsylvania.
• Phi Delta Theta (ΦΔΘ): Max Gruver died at LSU in 2017 from alcohol poisoning after a “Bible study” drinking game, leading to Louisiana’s Max Gruver Act.
• Sigma Alpha Epsilon (ΣΑΕ): Has faced numerous lawsuits, including a 2021 Texas A&M case where pledges suffered severe chemical burns from industrial cleaner, requiring skin graft surgeries.

These histories matter because they show national organizations are aware of the deadly scripts—Big/Little nights, forced drinking games, extreme physical trials—yet dangerous chapters often face only minor, temporary sanctions until someone is killed or catastrophically injured.

Building a Hazing Case: Evidence, Strategy, and Our Approach

When you come to us, we deploy a systematic, evidence-driven strategy honed from 25+ years of complex litigation, including taking on billion-dollar corporations in the BP Texas City explosion case.

1. Immediate Evidence Preservation:
We guide you to secure what matters most:

• Digital Forensics: Group chats (GroupMe, WhatsApp), deleted messages, social media posts, and location data. We use experts to recover what seems lost.
• Medical Documentation: We obtain all ER records, lab results (key for rhabdomyolysis cases like Leonel Bermudez’s), and psychological evaluations.
• Institutional Records: We subpoena university conduct files, prior incident reports, and national fraternity risk-management records to prove patterns of known misconduct.

2. Identifying All Liable Parties:
Using our Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine, we map the entire ecosystem: the individual members, the local chapter corporation, the national headquarters, alumni housing corporations, and the university. We leave no stone unturned.

3. Damages: What Can Be Recovered

• Economic Damages: All medical bills (past and future), lost wages, costs of therapy, and diminished future earning capacity if injuries are permanent.
• Non-Economic Damages: Compensation for pain and suffering, severe emotional distress, PTSD, humiliation, and loss of enjoyment of life.
• Wrongful Death Damages: In the ultimate tragedy, families can seek compensation for funeral costs, loss of financial support, and the profound grief and loss of companionship.

4. Our Unique Strategic Advantages:

• Insurance Insider Knowledge: Our attorney, Mr. Lupe Peña, spent years as a defense attorney for a national insurance firm. He knows exactly how fraternity and university insurers fight claims, deny coverage, and lowball settlements. We know their playbook.
• Institutional Litigation Experience: Founding partner Ralph Manginello was involved in the BP Texas City refinery explosion litigation. We are not intimidated by wealthy, powerful institutions with deep-pocketed lawyers.
• Dual Civil/Criminal Insight: Ralph’s membership in the Harris County Criminal Lawyers Association (HCCLA) means we understand the interplay between criminal hazing charges and civil lawsuits, allowing us to advise clients comprehensively.

Practical Guide for McCamey Parents & Students

For Parents – Warning Signs:

• Unexplained injuries, bruises, or burns.
• Extreme fatigue, sleep deprivation, or drastic weight change.
• Sudden secrecy about group activities or fear when their phone buzzes.
• Withdrawal from family, old friends, or loss of interest in academics.
• Personality changes: anxiety, depression, or defensiveness about the organization.

What to Do if You Suspect Hazing:

1. Talk Calmly: Ask open-ended questions. “Are you safe?” “Is anything making you uncomfortable?”
2. Prioritize Health: Seek medical attention for any injury or concerning symptom.
3. Document: Write down what your child tells you. Help them screenshot messages.
4. Seek Legal Counsel Early: Before reporting to the university, contact us. We can help you navigate the process to protect your child from retaliation and preserve evidence. Learn about common mistakes in our video, Client Mistakes That Can Ruin Your Injury Case.

For Students – Is This Hazing?
If you feel pressured, unsafe, humiliated, or forced to do something you wouldn’t otherwise do to belong, it likely is. Your “consent” under pressure is not real consent. Your safety comes first.

How to Report & Exit Safely:

• Medical Emergency: Call 911. Good Samaritan/amnesty policies often protect you.
• Reporting: You can report to campus police, the Dean of Students, or anonymously via national hotlines (1-888-NOT-HAZE).
• Leaving: You can quit anytime. Send a clear text/email: “I resign my membership effective immediately.” You do not owe them a meeting.

Why McCamey Families Choose The Manginello Law Firm / Attorney911

When your family is in crisis, you need more than a lawyer; you need advocates who understand power, institutions, and how to fight for justice. From our offices in Houston, Austin, and Beaumont, we serve families across Texas, including those here in McCamey and throughout Upton County.

We Offer:

• Free, Confidential Consultations: We listen to your story without judgment.
• Contingency Fee Basis: You pay no attorney fees unless we win your case. Learn how this works in our video, How Do Contingency Fees Work?
• Spanish-Language Services: Mr. Lupe Peña speaks fluent Spanish (Se habla Español).
• A Commitment to Your Family: We handle the legal battle so you can focus on healing and supporting your child.

The hazing that injured Leonel Bermudez at UH is a stark reminder that this is not a problem of the past. It is a present and ongoing danger. If hazing has touched your family, you do not have to face the university, the national fraternity, and their insurance companies alone.

Contact us today for a free, no-obligation case evaluation. Let us help you get answers, secure accountability, and fight for the justice and recovery your family deserves.

Call the Legal Emergency Lawyers™ at 1-888-ATTY-911 (1-888-288-9911) or visit https://attorney911.com.

Legal Disclaimer

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Reading this does not create an attorney-client relationship. Every case is unique, and outcomes depend on specific facts and law. If you need legal advice, please contact an attorney directly. We are licensed to practice in Texas. Principal office in Houston, Texas.