Hazing in Texas: A Complete Guide for Pine Island & Waller County Families Seeking Accountability

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

For parents in Pine Island and across Waller County, the call you never want to receive is the one telling you your child has been hurt at college. The fear deepens when you learn the injury wasn’t from an accident, but from a deliberate act of humiliation, coercion, or violence by a group they trusted. Hazing isn’t just “boys being boys” or harmless tradition. In 2025, it’s a dangerous, often criminal practice that continues to injure and kill students across Texas, sometimes right in our backyard.

Right now, in Harris County, we are actively fighting one of the most serious hazing lawsuits in Texas. We represent Leonel Bermudez, a University of Houston student who suffered catastrophic injuries during his fall 2025 pledge period with the Pi Kappa Phi fraternity’s Beta Nu chapter. As detailed in the Click2Houston investigation, the alleged hazing included forced consumption of food until vomiting, extreme physical workouts, humiliating “pledge fanny pack” rules, and being sprayed in the face with a hose in a manner “similar to waterboarding.” This conduct led Mr. Bermudez to develop rhabdomyolysis (severe muscle breakdown) and acute kidney failure, requiring four days of hospitalization and ongoing medical care. This $10 million lawsuit names the University of Houston, its Board of Regents, Pi Kappa Phi’s national headquarters, its housing corporation, and 13 individual fraternity leaders as defendants.

This case is not an anomaly. It is evidence of a systemic problem within Greek life and campus organizations across our state. If your child is a student at UH, Texas A&M, UT Austin, Baylor, or any Texas campus, and you suspect they have been subjected to similar abuse, this guide is for you. We’ve created this comprehensive resource to help families in Pine Island, Waller County, and throughout Texas understand the reality of modern hazing, their legal rights, and the path to accountability.

Immediate Help for a Hazing Emergency in Pine Island

If you believe your child is in danger RIGHT NOW:

• Call 911 for immediate medical or police assistance.
• Then call Attorney911: 1-888-ATTY-911 (1-888-288-9911). We provide immediate legal guidance for emergencies—that’s why we’re the Legal Emergency Lawyers™.

In the First 48 Hours (Critical Actions):

• Seek Medical Attention: Even if injuries seem minor, get a professional evaluation. Conditions like rhabdomyolysis or internal injuries may not be immediately apparent.
• Preserve Evidence: This is the most critical step. Evidence disappears quickly.
  • Screenshot all group chats (GroupMe, WhatsApp, iMessage), texts, and social media messages related to the incident.
  • Photograph any visible injuries from multiple angles.
  • Save any physical items (clothing, paddles, receipts).
  • Write down everything your child recalls: names, dates, times, locations, specific acts.
• Do NOT:
  • Confront the fraternity, sorority, or team directly.
  • Let your child delete messages or “clean up” their phone.
  • Post details on public social media.
  • Sign anything from the university or an insurance company without legal counsel.

Contact an Experienced Hazing Attorney. Time is your enemy in these cases. Universities and organizations move quickly to control narratives, and digital evidence can be deleted in an instant. We can help you navigate this crisis from the first phone call. Call us at 1-888-ATTY-911 for a free, confidential consultation.

Hazing in 2025: What It Really Looks Like Beyond the Stereotypes

Hazing has evolved. It’s no longer just about paddling in a basement. Today’s hazing is a blend of psychological pressure, digital control, and physical abuse, often disguised as “team building” or “tradition.” For Pine Island parents whose children may be new to the Greek life scene at Texas schools, understanding these modern tactics is crucial.

Texas Law (Education Code Chapter 37) defines hazing as any intentional, knowing, or reckless act directed against a student for the purpose of initiation, affiliation, or membership in an organization that:

1. Endangers the student’s mental or physical health or safety.
2. This includes actions occurring on or off campus.

Crucially, the victim’s “consent” is not a defense under Texas law. The power imbalance between pledges and active members, coupled with the desire for belonging, means true voluntary consent rarely exists.

Modern Hazing Methods: A Three-Tiered Reality

1. Subtle Hazing (Often Dismissed as “Just How It Is”)

• Servitude & Control: Mandatory chauffeuring, cleaning members’ houses, running personal errands at all hours.
• Psychological Manipulation: “Pledge fanny packs” with humiliating contents, enforced dress codes, being assigned derogatory nicknames.
• Digital Tethering: Required 24/7 monitoring of and instant response to group chats (GroupMe, Discord). Mandatory location sharing via apps.

2. Harassment Hazing (Creates an Abusive Environment)

• Sleep Deprivation: Late-night “study sessions” or 3 AM wake-up calls for meaningless tasks.
• Forced Consumption: Eating/drinking excessive amounts of specific foods (milk, hot dogs, raw eggs) or unpleasant substances.
• Public Humiliation: Forced embarrassing performances, wearing degrading costumes in public, being “grilled” or screamed at.
• Extreme Calisthenics: “Smokings” or workouts (like the 100+ push-ups and 500 squats in the UH Pi Kappa Phi case) framed as “conditioning” but designed to punish and exhaust.

3. Violent Hazing (High Risk of Severe Injury or Death)

• Forced/Coerced Alcohol Consumption: The most common fatal hazing method. This includes “family tree” drinking games, “Big/Little” nights with handles of liquor, and lineups where pledges must chug.
• Physical Assault: Paddling, beating, tackling (like the “glass ceiling” ritual in the Pi Delta Psi case that killed Chun Deng).
• Sexualized Hazing: Forced nudity, simulated sexual acts, and sexual assault.
• Dangerous Environments: Exposure to extreme cold/heat, kidnapping pledges, or dangerous driving tasks.

Texas Hazing Law & Liability: The Legal Framework for Pine Island Families

When hazing occurs, multiple layers of law and potential liability come into play. Understanding this framework is the first step toward holding the right parties accountable.

Texas Criminal Hazing Law (Education Code Chapter 37)

• Class B Misdemeanor: Basic hazing violation (up to 180 days jail, $2,000 fine).
• Class A Misdemeanor: Hazing that causes bodily injury.
• State Jail Felony: Hazing that causes serious bodily injury or death.
• Organizations can be fined up to $10,000 per violation if they authorized or knowingly permitted hazing.

Civil Liability: The Path to Compensation and Accountability

A criminal case, brought by the state, seeks punishment. A civil lawsuit, brought by the victim or their family, seeks compensation for damages and to hold institutions accountable. They can proceed simultaneously. In a civil hazing case, we look