The Ultimate Guide to Hazing Lawsuits for Families in Quintana, Texas

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

For parents in Quintana, Surfside Beach, Freeport, and across Brazoria County, sending your child to college is a milestone filled with pride and hope. That hope can turn to terror when a late-night call reveals your student is in the hospital, or when they return home broken, silent, and traumatized by what they endured to “belong.” Hazing is not a distant problem; it is happening right now on Texas campuses where our community’s children study.

Right here in our state, our firm is leading one of the most serious hazing lawsuits in the country. We represent Leonel Bermudez, a University of Houston student who survived a Pi Kappa Phi pledge process so brutal it caused rhabdomyolysis—severe skeletal muscle breakdown—and acute kidney failure. According to the lawsuit and media reports, he was forced to carry a humiliating “pledge fanny pack,” endure hours of extreme calisthenics in the cold, lie in vomit-soaked grass, and was sprayed in the face with a hose in a manner “similar to waterboarding.” After a November 2025 workout of over 100 push-ups and 500 squats, he passed brown urine and was hospitalized for four days with critically high creatine kinase levels, facing a lifelong risk of permanent kidney damage.

This $10 million lawsuit against UH, Pi Kappa Phi’s national headquarters, and 13 fraternity leaders is a sobering reality for every Texas family. It proves that the most dangerous forms of hazing are not relics of the past, but active, ongoing threats at our universities.

This guide is written specifically for parents and families in Quintana, Lake Jackson, Angleton, and throughout the Greater Houston area. We will explain what modern hazing truly looks like, the Texas laws designed to protect your child, and the legal pathways to accountability when universities and national organizations fail in their duty to keep students safe.

Immediate Help for a Hazing Emergency

If your child is in danger RIGHT NOW:

• Call 911 for any medical emergency.
• Then call Attorney911: 1-888-ATTY-911 (1-888-288-9911). We provide immediate legal assistance—that is our promise as the Legal Emergency Lawyers™.

In the First 48 Hours:

1. Get Medical Attention: Even if your child insists they are “fine,” seek professional evaluation. Internal injuries like rhabdomyolysis or psychological trauma are not always immediately visible.
2. Preserve Evidence BEFORE It’s Deleted:
   • Screenshot all group chats (GroupMe, WhatsApp, iMessage), text messages, and social media DMs.
   • Photograph any injuries from multiple angles.
   • Save physical items (damaged clothing, paddles, alcohol bottles).
3. Document Everything: Write down a timeline of events while memories are fresh—who, what, when, and where.
4. Do NOT:
   • Confront the fraternity, sorority, or team directly.
   • Sign any documents from the university or an insurance company.
   • Allow your child to delete messages or “clean up” their phone.
   • Post details on public social media.

Contact an experienced hazing attorney within 24-48 hours. Evidence disappears rapidly, and institutions move quickly to control the narrative. We can help you navigate this crisis. **Call 12. Hazing in 2025: Beyond the Stereotypes

Hazing is no longer just about “hell week” or simple pranks. It is a sophisticated, often digitally-enabled system of coercion and abuse that exploits a young person’s desire for belonging. For Texas law to apply, hazing is defined as 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 or maintaining membership in a group.

The Modern Faces of Hazing

• Alcohol & Substance Hazing: Forced consumption remains the deadliest form. This includes “family tree” drinking games, “Big/Little” nights with handles of liquor, and coerced use of drugs or unknown substances.
• Physical & “Conditioning” Hazing: Disguised as “workouts,” this includes extreme calisthenics (“smokings”), paddling, beatings, sleep and food deprivation, and exposure to extreme elements. The goal is often to cause physical collapse.
• Psychological & Humiliating Hazing: Verbal abuse, threats, social isolation, forced confessions, and public degradation. This includes forced nudity, simulated sexual acts, and acts with racist or sexist overtones.
• Digital Hazing: The 24/7 control mechanism. Pledges are subjected to constant demands via group chats (GroupMe, Discord), required to share live locations, and forced to post humiliating content on social media. Deleting these messages is often a primary cover-up tactic.

Who Is At Risk?

While fraternities and sororities are often in the headlines, hazing pervades many groups:

• Interfraternity Council (IFC) & Panhellenic Sororities
• National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC “Divine Nine”) Organizations
• Multicultural Greek Councils
• Corps of Cadets, ROTC, and military-style groups
• Varsity and Club Athletic Teams
• Spirit Groups (Cheer, Dance, Texas Cowboys-type organizations)
• Marching Bands and Performing Arts Groups

3. The Texas Legal Framework: Your Child’s Rights

Texas has some of the nation’s most clearly defined anti-hazing statutes, found in the Texas Education Code, Chapter 37, Subchapter F. Understanding these laws is the first step to protecting your child.

Texas Hazing Law (Education Code § 37.151)

The law defines hazing broadly as any intentional, knowing, or reckless act that:

• Endangers the mental or physical health or safety of a student, AND
• Is done for the purpose of pledging, initiation, affiliation, holding office, or maintaining membership in any student organization.

Critical Protections for Families:

• “Consent is NOT a Defense” (§ 37.155): Even if your child “agreed” to participate, it is not a legal defense for those who haze. The law recognizes the power imbalance and coercion inherent in these situations.
• Criminal Penalties Escalate with Harm (§ 37.152):
  • Class B Misdemeanor: Basic hazing (up to 180 days jail, $2,000 fine).
  • Class A Misdemeanor: Hazing that causes injury requiring medical treatment.
  • State Jail Felony: Hazing that causes serious bodily injury or death.
• Organizations Can Be Prosecuted (§ 37.153): The fraternity, sorority, or club itself can face fines up to $10,000 and loss of university recognition.
• Good-Faith Reporter Immunity (§ 37.154): Students who call for help in an emergency are generally protected from prosecution for minor related offenses (like underage drinking).

Civil Lawsuits: The Path to Accountability & Recovery

A criminal case, brought by the state, seeks punishment. A civil lawsuit, which we file on behalf of victims and families, seeks compensation for harms and forces institutional change. These cases can proceed even without criminal charges.

Potential Defendants in a Hazing Lawsuit:

1. Individual Students who planned, executed, or covered up the hazing.
2. The Local Chapter as a legal entity.
3. The National Fraternity/Sorority Headquarters for negligent supervision and failure to stop known, dangerous patterns.
4. The University for negligent oversight, especially if it had prior knowledge of dangerous practices.
5. Third Parties like property owners, landlords, or alcohol providers.

The Federal Overlay: Title IX, Clery, and New Federal Laws

• Stop Campus Hazing Act (2024): Requires colleges receiving federal funds to publicly report hazing incidents and bolster prevention programs (fully in effect by 2026).
• Title IX: If hazing involves sexual harassment or assault, gender-based hostility, or creates a hostile educational environment, the university has specific legal obligations to respond.
• Clery Act: Requires universities to report certain crimes, including some hazing-related assaults, in annual security reports.

4. National Cases That Shape Texas Litigation

The tragic patterns seen across the country are critical evidence in Texas cases. They show national organizations and universities what can happen—establishing “foreseeability,” a key legal concept for proving negligence.

• Stone Foltz – Bowling Green State (Pi Kappa Alpha, 2021): A pledge died after being forced to drink a bottle of alcohol. Result: A $10 million settlement ($7M from national Pi Kappa Alpha, ~$3M from the university).
• Timothy Piazza – Penn State (Beta Theta Pi, 2017): Death from traumatic brain injury after a bid-night drinking event; hours-long delay in calling 911. Result: Dozens of criminal charges and the Timothy J. Piazza Anti-Hazing Law in Pennsylvania.
• Max Gruver – LSU (Phi Delta Theta, 2017): Died from alcohol poisoning after a “Bible study” drinking game. Result: The Max Gruver Act made hazing a felony in Louisiana.
• Danny Santulli – Univ. of Missouri (Phi Gamma Delta, 2021): Suffered permanent, catastrophic brain damage from forced drinking. Result: Settlements with 22 defendants, showcasing liability for non-fatal, life-altering injuries.

These cases prove that juries and courts will hold powerful institutions accountable and that multi-million-dollar recoveries are possible for families.

5. The Texas & Quintana Family University Landscape

Parents in Quintana and Brazoria County often send their children to a mix of local colleges, major state schools, and private universities. Each has its own Greek life ecosystem and history with hazing. Understanding this landscape is crucial.

University of Houston (UH) – A Case Study in Our Backyard

UH is not just a neighboring university; it is the epicenter of the active, high-stakes hazing litigation we are leading right now.

The Active Case: Leonel Bermudez v. UH & Pi Kappa Phi
As reported by Click2Houston and ABC13, our client’s ordeal in fall 2025 involved:

• Humiliation: A mandated “pledge fanny pack” with condoms, sex toys, and nicotine.
• Forced Labor: Overnight driving duties, strict dress codes, and weekly interviews.
• Physical Torture: Sprints, bear crawls, being sprayed with a hose “like waterboarding,” forced consumption of milk and hot dogs until vomiting.
• Medical Catastrophe: The Nov. 3 “workout” led to rhabdomyolysis, acute kidney failure, brown urine, and a four-day hospitalization.
• Institutional Response: Pi Kappa Phi’s national headquarters suspended the Beta Nu chapter on Nov. 6, 2025. Members voted to surrender their charter on Nov. 14, shutting the chapter down. UH called the conduct “deeply disturbing.”

For Quintana Families: This case demonstrates that severe hazing is happening now at a major Texas university less than 100 miles from home. It also shows the level of investigative and litigation depth required to take on a public university system and a national fraternity.

Texas A&M University & The Corps of Cadets

Many Brazoria County students choose Texas A&M for its traditions and career pipelines. The Greek and Corps systems there have faced serious allegations.

Notable Incidents:

• Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE) Chemical Burns Case (2021): Pledges alleged being doused with a mixture containing industrial-strength cleaner, causing severe chemical burns requiring skin graft surgeries. A lawsuit sought $1 million.
• Corps of Cadets “Roasted Pig” Lawsuit (2023): A cadet alleged he was bound between beds in a degrading position with an apple in his mouth as part of hazing, seeking over $1 million in damages.

For Parents: Hazing at A&M exists in both Greek life and the revered Corps of Cadets. Traditions are often used as a shield for abuse.

University of Texas at Austin

UT Austin maintains one of the most transparent hazing databases in the country at hazing.utexas.edu. This public record is a powerful tool for families.

Publicly Listed Violations (Examples):

• Pi Kappa Alpha (2023): New members directed to consume excessive milk and perform strenuous calisthenics. Sanction: Probation and mandatory hazing prevention education.
• Sigma Alpha Epsilon (Ongoing): A 2024 lawsuit by an Australian exchange student alleges an assault at a party resulting in a broken nose, dislocated leg, and fractured tibia.

The UT Advantage: This public log can be used as evidence to show a chapter or university had prior knowledge of dangerous patterns.

Southern Methodist University (SMU) & Baylor University

These private institutions have their own significant Greek life and face hazing challenges, though their disciplinary processes are often less transparent than public schools.

• SMU’s Kappa Alpha Order chapter was suspended for several years after a 2017 paddling and alcohol hazing incident.
• Baylor’s Baseball team suspended 14 players in 2020 following a hazing investigation.

6. The Greek Organizational Web: National Histories & Local Liability

When hazing occurs at a UH, A&M, or UT chapter, the national headquarters is almost always a key player. Their extensive history of similar incidents across the country forms the backbone of a negligence claim.

The Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine: How We Uncover Liability

Our firm maintains a proprietary database built from public records to track the ecosystem of Greek organizations in Texas. This includes data from IRS filings (B83 organizations), university rosters, and metro-level organizational listings. For Quintana families, this means we don’t start from zero.

A Snapshot of the Greek Web in the Houston Metro Area (188+ organizations):

• Texas District of Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity (Houston, TX)
• Delta Sigma Theta Sorority – Houston Alumnae Chapter (Houston, TX)
• Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority – Beta Sigma Chapter (Houston, TX)
• Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority – Alpha Kappa Omega Graduate Chapter (Houston, TX)

Statewide, we track entities connected to major campuses:

• Beta Nu Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity Housing Corporation Inc. (EIN: 462267515 | Frisco, TX 75035)
• Sigma Chi Fraternity Epsilon Xi Chapter (Houston, TX 77204)
• Kappa Sigma – Mu Camma Chapter Inc. (EIN: 133048786 | College Station, TX 77845)
• Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi – Texas A&M University (EIN: 900293166 | College Station, TX 77843)

This data helps us identify every potential defendant—from the local house corporation that holds insurance to the alumni chapter that may have funded activities.

Why National History Matters in Your Case

If your child is hazed by Sigma Alpha Epsilon at Texas A&M, the fact that SAE has faced deadly hazing lawsuits in Alabama, California, and elsewhere is not a coincidence; it’s pattern evidence. It shows the national organization was on notice about the lethal risks of its chapters’ practices but failed to implement effective oversight. This pattern is central to proving negligence and seeking punitive damages.

7. Building a Hazing Case: Evidence, Strategy, and Recovery

Winning a hazing case requires converting outrage into a forensically-supported legal strategy. Here is what we do for families.

The Evidence Pyramid

1. Digital Forensics (The Most Critical): We work with experts to recover deleted GroupMe chats, WhatsApp messages, Instagram DMs, and Snapchat logs. These digital trails show planning, coercion, and cover-ups.
2. Medical & Psychological Records: Documentation of physical injuries (ER reports, lab work for rhabdomyolysis) and mental health diagnoses (PTSD, anxiety, depression) is essential for proving harm.
3. Witness Testimony: Other pledges, former members, roommates, and RAs can provide crucial accounts. We know how to interview witnesses who may be fearful.
4. Institutional Records: Through legal discovery, we obtain the university’s prior disciplinary files on the chapter, internal investigations, and communications with the national headquarters.
5. Physical Evidence: Photographs of injuries, saved clothing, and objects used in hazing (paddles, bottles).

Damages: What Can Be Recovered

A civil lawsuit seeks to make the victim and family “whole” and punish reckless behavior. Recoverable damages include:

• Economic Damages: All medical bills (past and future), lost tuition from withdrawn semesters, lost future earning capacity if disabilities result.
• Non-Economic Damages: Compensation for physical pain, emotional trauma, humiliation, and loss of enjoyment of life.
• Wrongful Death Damages (if applicable): Funeral costs, loss of financial support, and the profound loss of companionship for the family.
• Punitive Damages: In cases of extreme recklessness or cover-ups, courts can award additional damages to punish the defendants and deter future conduct.

Overcoming Institutional Defenses

We anticipate and counter the standard defenses:

• “The Pledge Consented”: Texas law (§ 37.155) explicitly voids this defense.
• “It Was a Rogue Chapter”: We use national pattern evidence and internal communications to prove the national organization knew or should have known.
• “It Happened Off-Campus”: Liability is based on control and sponsorship, not just geography. National fraternities and universities still have duties.
• “We Have a Policy Against Hazing”: We demonstrate the gap between paper policy and actual enforcement, showing negligent supervision.

8. A Practical Guide for Quintana Parents & Students

For Parents: Warning Signs & Action Steps

Red Flags Your Child May Be Being Hazed:

• Unexplained injuries, bruises, or burns.
• Extreme exhaustion, sleep deprivation, or drastic weight change.
• Secrecy about group activities, sudden isolation from old friends.
• Constant, anxious phone use related to group chats.
• Personality changes: increased anxiety, depression, or anger.
• Requests for large sums of money with vague explanations.

What to Do If You Suspect Hazing:

1. Talk Calmly & Supportively: Ask open-ended questions. “What does a typical week look like for your pledge process?” “Has anything made you feel uncomfortable or unsafe?”
2. Preserve Evidence Immediately: Help your child screenshot everything before it’s deleted.
3. Seek Medical Care: A doctor’s evaluation creates an objective record of harm.
4. Report Strategically: You can report to the university’s Dean of Students and campus police. However, consult with an attorney first to understand the implications.
5. Contact a Specialist: Call a firm with proven hazing experience. The university’s primary interest is institutional risk management; your attorney’s duty is solely to your family.

For Students: Your Rights & Safety

• You Have the Right to Leave: You can de-pledge or quit a team at any time, for any reason.
• “Consent” is Not a Get-Out-of-Jail-Free Card for Them: Your agreement under pressure is legally meaningless in a hazing case.
• Good Faith Reporting: Texas law and most university policies protect you from minor conduct violations (like underage drinking) if you are calling 911 to save a life.
• Document Secretly: If safe, use your phone’s recording function (Texas is a one-party consent state) or take notes on details, dates, and names.

Critical Mistakes That Can Harm a Case

• Deleting Digital Evidence: This is the #1 mistake. It looks like a cover-up and destroys your strongest proof.
• Confronting the Organization Directly: This triggers their defense lawyers and leads to evidence destruction.
• Signing University “Resolution” Agreements: These often require waiving your right to sue for inadequate compensation.
• Posting on Social Media: Defense teams scour social media for inconsistencies to attack your credibility.
• Waiting Too Long: Evidence vanishes, witnesses graduate, and the two-year statute of limitations in Texas will expire.

9. Why Attorney911 is the Texas Firm for Hazing Cases

When your family is in a legal emergency caused by hazing, you need more than a generic personal injury lawyer. You need attorneys who understand the intricate layers of university bureaucracy, national fraternity insurance structures, and the digital forensics required to win. You need the Legal Emergency Lawyers™.

Our Unmatched Qualifications for Hazing Litigation

1. We Are Leading the Fight Right Now: We are lead counsel in the Leonel Bermudez v. UH & Pi Kappa Phi $10 million lawsuit. We are not theorizing about hazing law; we are actively litigating one of the most severe cases in the country.
2. Insider Insurance Knowledge: Our attorney, Mr. Lupe Peña, spent years as a defense attorney for national insurance companies. He knows exactly how fraternity and university insurers try to deny claims, undervalue injuries, and drag out cases. We use their playbook against them.
3. Experience Against Billion-Dollar Institutions: Founding partner Ralph Manginello was one of the few Texas plaintiff attorneys involved in the BP Texas City Explosion litigation. We are not intimidated by the deep pockets of national fraternities or university systems.
4. Dual Civil & Criminal Expertise: Ralph Manginello is a member of the Harris County Criminal Lawyers Association (HCCLA). We understand the interplay between criminal hazing investigations and civil lawsuits, allowing us to advise clients comprehensively.
5. The Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine: We don’t guess. We investigate using our proprietary database of Texas Greek organizations, built from IRS records, university rosters, and public filings, to identify every liable entity from day one.
6. A Network of Specialists: We work with leading digital forensics experts, medical specialists for injuries like rhabdomyolysis, psychologists, and economists to build irrefutable cases.

A Call to Action for Quintana & Brazoria County Families

If hazing has injured your child or turned your family’s world upside down, you do not have to navigate this alone. The institutions involved have teams of lawyers whose job is to minimize their liability. You need an advocate whose only mission is your family’s recovery and safety.

Contact The Manginello Law Firm, PLLC (Attorney911) for a free, confidential consultation. We will listen to your story, review the evidence you have, and explain your family’s legal options with clarity and compassion.

• Call our 24/7 line: 1-888-ATTY-911 (1-888-288-9911)
• Local: (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.

We serve families across Texas from our offices in Houston, Austin, and Beaumont. Let us put our experience, data-driven strategy, and relentless advocacy to work for you.

Plain Text Links to Key Resources

News Coverage of the Active UH Pi Kappa Phi Case:

• Click2Houston (KPRC 2) Investigation: 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 Eyewitness News (KTRK) 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 Phone to Document Evidence: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLbpzrmogTs
• Understanding Texas Statutes of Limitations: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRHwg8tV02c
• Client Mistakes That Can Ruin a Case: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3IYsoxOSxY
• How Contingency Fees Work: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=upcI_j6F7Nc

Main Firm Website & Contact:

• Attorney911: 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 applicable law. If you need legal advice, please contact an attorney directly. The Manginello Law Firm, PLLC | 1-888-ATTY-911 | https://attorney911.com