Texas Hazing Litigation Guide for Ranger Families: University Accountability & Legal Rights

A Message to Parents in Ranger, Texas About Campus Safety

It starts with a text message at 2:14 AM. Your child, a freshman at a Texas university, sends a vague message: “Everything’s fine. Don’t worry.” But you do worry. You remember the excitement of their acceptance letter to Texas A&M, UT Austin, or the University of Houston. You helped them move into their dorm, believing they were entering a safe educational environment. Now, weeks into the semester, they’re coming home to Ranger exhausted, withdrawn, or with unexplained injuries. When you ask about bruises or why they’re suddenly failing classes, they shut down. “It’s just part of pledging,” they say. “Everyone goes through it.”

For families in Ranger, Eastland County, and across the broader Dallas-Fort Worth metro area, this scenario has become an unsettling reality. Texas universities host some of the nation’s largest Greek life systems and tradition-heavy organizations where hazing persists despite decades of warnings, policies, and tragic deaths. Right now, in Houston, our firm is actively litigating one of the most serious hazing cases in recent Texas history—a case that demonstrates exactly how dangerous these situations can become and why Ranger families need to understand their legal rights.

The Current Crisis at University of Houston: What Ranger Families Need to Know

In November 2025, Attorney911 filed a $10 million hazing and abuse lawsuit on behalf of Leonel Bermudez against the University of Houston, the Pi Kappa Phi national fraternity headquarters, the Pi Kappa Phi Beta Nu housing corporation, the UH System Board of Regents, and 13 individual fraternity leaders. The details, documented in media reports from Click2Houston and ABC13, describe systematic abuse that nearly killed a young student.

Bermudez, a transfer student, endured what Pi Kappa Phi called “new member education” during Fall 2025. He was forced to carry a “pledge fanny pack” 24/7 containing condoms, a sex toy, nicotine devices, and other humiliating items. He faced enforced dress codes, hours-long “study blocks,” overnight chauffeuring duties, and weekly interviews under threat of expulsion. The physical hazing included sprints, bear crawls, wheelbarrow races, and “save-your-brother” drills in Houston’s Yellowstone Boulevard Park. During cold weather, pledges were stripped to their underwear. They were forced to lie in vomit-soaked grass. Members sprayed them in the face with a hose “similar to waterboarding” and threatened actual waterboarding.

The most dangerous rituals involved forced consumption. Pledges were made to drink milk, eat hot dogs and peppercorns until vomiting, then immediately forced to sprint. On November 3, 2025, Bermudez was subjected to 100+ push-ups, 500 squats, and creed recitation under expulsion threats. He couldn’t stand without help afterward. His condition deteriorated over several days until he passed brown urine—a classic sign of rhabdomyolysis, a potentially fatal condition where muscle tissue breaks down rapidly. His mother rushed him to the hospital where tests confirmed critically high creatine kinase levels, rhabdomyolysis, and acute kidney failure. He was hospitalized for four days and faces ongoing risk of permanent kidney damage.

This isn’t an isolated incident at UH or in Texas. It’s part of a pattern that affects students from Ranger who attend universities across our state. The Pi Kappa Phi chapter was suspended on November 6, 2025, and members voted to surrender their charter on November 14. UH called the conduct “deeply disturbing” and promised disciplinary measures up to expulsion and cooperation with law enforcement. But for Bermudez and his family, the damage was already done.

Why This Matters for Ranger Families

Ranger families send their children to universities throughout Texas. Whether your student attends Tarleton State University in Stephenville (just 45 minutes from Ranger), Texas A&M University in College Station, the University of Texas at Austin, Texas Tech University in Lubbock, or any of the Dallas-Fort Worth area schools like UT Arlington or Texas Christian University, they encounter Greek life systems with documented hazing problems. The same national fraternities and sororities that operate at UH also have chapters at schools where Ranger students enroll. The same insurance companies defend these organizations. The same institutional cover-up patterns occur.

As Texas hazing litigation attorneys based in Houston with offices in Austin and Beaumont, we serve families across Texas, including those in Ranger and Eastland County. We’re currently leading the Bermudez case against UH and Pi Kappa Phi because we believe universities and national Greek organizations must be held accountable when they fail to protect students. If your family is facing a similar situation—whether at UH, Texas A&M, UT Austin, or any Texas campus—you need to understand what hazing looks like in 2025, what Texas law says about it, and what legal options you may have.

IMMEDIATE HELP FOR RANGER FAMILIES FACING HAZING

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 provide immediate help – that’s why we’re the Legal Emergency Lawyers™

In the first 48 hours:

• Get medical attention immediately, even if the student insists they’re “fine”
• Preserve evidence BEFORE it’s deleted:
  • Screenshot group chats, texts, DMs immediately
  • Photograph injuries from multiple angles
  • Save physical items (clothing, receipts, objects)
• Write down everything while memory is fresh (who, what, when, where)
• Do NOT:
  • Confront the fraternity/sorority
  • Sign anything from the university or 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 fast (deleted group chats, destroyed paddles, coached witnesses)
• Universities move quickly to control the narrative
• We can help preserve evidence and protect your child’s rights
• Call 1-888-ATTY-911 for immediate consultation

What Hazing Really Looks Like in 2025: Beyond the Stereotypes

Modern Hazing: More Sophisticated, Equally Dangerous

Hazing has evolved. It’s no longer just about “Hell Week” paddling or obvious alcohol poisoning incidents. Today’s hazing is often disguised as “team building,” “tradition,” or “new member education.” For Ranger families whose children may be hundreds of miles away at college, recognizing the signs requires understanding these modern tactics.

Digital Hazing & 24/7 Control
The smartphone has become a hazing tool. Pledges in fraternities and sororities across Texas campuses are required to:

• Respond instantly to GroupMe or WhatsApp messages at all hours
• Share live location via Find My Friends or Snapchat Maps
• Post humiliating content on social media as “challenges”
• Participate in group chats where older members issue constant demands
• Suffer sleep deprivation from late-night “mandatory” digital check-ins

Psychological Coercion Disguised as “Community”
Modern hazing often uses psychological pressure rather than just physical force:

• “If you really want to be part of our brotherhood/sisterhood, you’ll do this”
• “Everyone before you did it, and they’re fine”
• “This is what separates those who are committed from those who aren’t”
• Social isolation from non-members, including family back in Ranger

Off-Campus & “Retreat” Hazing
To avoid university oversight and security cameras, organizations move hazing to:

• Airbnb rentals in remote areas
• Off-campus houses owned by alumni
• Camping trips or “retreats” (like the Pi Delta Psi case that resulted in a death)
• Private properties where there are no RAs, campus police, or surveillance

The “It’s Optional” Legal Loophole
Many organizations now frame activities as “optional” to create legal cover. In reality, not participating means social exclusion, denial of a “big brother/sister,” or being labeled “not committed.” Texas courts increasingly recognize that “consent” under these conditions isn’t true voluntary consent.

The Physical Reality: From “Traditions” to Trauma

Despite digital evolution, physical hazing continues with severe consequences:

Alcohol Hazing

• Forced consumption games: “Big/Little” nights, “family tree” drinking, “Bible study” where wrong answers mean drinking
• Pressure to consume dangerous amounts quickly
• Chugging contests, funneling, keg stands beyond safe limits

Physical Endurance Hazing

• Extreme calisthenics (“smokings”) – like the 100+ push-ups and 500 squats in the UH Pi Kappa Phi case
• Sleep deprivation through all-night activities
• Food/water manipulation
• Exposure to extreme temperatures

Violent Hazing

• Paddling and beatings (still occurring despite national prohibitions)
• Dangerous “tests” like blindfolded tackles or “glass ceiling” rituals
• Forced fights or “gladiator” matches
• Chemical exposure (like the Texas A&M SAE case where pledges suffered chemical burns from industrial cleaner)

Sexualized & Degrading Hazing

• Forced nudity or partial nudity
• Simulated sexual acts
• Humiliating costumes or roles
• Racist, sexist, or homophobic degradation

Texas Hazing Law: What Ranger Families Need to Know

Texas Education Code Chapter 37: The Foundation

Texas has specific anti-hazing statutes in the Education Code that apply to all educational institutions, including universities where Ranger students attend. Understanding these laws is crucial for families seeking accountability.

§ 37.151: The Definition That Matters
Hazing means any intentional, knowing, or reckless act, on or off campus, by one person alone or with others, directed against a student, that:

1. Endangers the mental or physical health or safety of a student, AND
2. Occurs for the purpose of pledging, initiation into, affiliation with, holding office in, or maintaining membership in any organization whose members include students.

Key implications for Ranger families:

• Location doesn’t matter – off-campus hazing is still hazing under Texas law
• Mental health harm counts alongside physical harm
• “Reckless” is enough – they don’t need to have intended harm
• “Consent is not a defense” (explicitly stated in § 37.155)

§ 37.152: Criminal Penalties

• 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 causing serious bodily injury or death

§ 37.153: Organizational Liability
Fraternities, sororities, and other organizations can be prosecuted if:

• The organization authorized or encouraged the hazing, OR
• An officer or member acting in official capacity knew about hazing and failed to report it
• Penalties include fines up to $10,000 per violation and university revocation of recognition

§ 37.154: Protection for Those Who Report
Individuals who in good faith report hazing to university or law enforcement are immune from civil or criminal liability that might otherwise result from the report. This includes amnesty for underage drinking violations when calling 911 for medical emergencies.

Criminal vs. Civil Cases: Different Paths to Accountability

Ranger families often ask: “Will there be criminal charges, or do we need to file a civil lawsuit?” The answer is often both, but they serve different purposes.

Criminal Cases

• Brought by the state (district attorney)
• Goal: Punishment (jail, fines, probation)
• Typical charges: hazing, furnishing alcohol to minors, assault, battery, manslaughter in fatal cases
• Burden of proof: Beyond a reasonable doubt
• Example: In the Max Gruver LSU case, a fraternity member was convicted of negligent homicide

Civil Cases

• Brought by victims or families
• Goal: Compensation and accountability
• Typical claims: negligence, gross negligence, wrongful death, negligent supervision, emotional distress
• Burden of proof: Preponderance of the evidence (more likely than not)
• Example: The Stone Foltz family reached a $10 million settlement with Pi Kappa Alpha national and Bowling Green State University

Why Both Matter:
Criminal convictions can help civil cases by establishing facts, but they’re not required. Civil cases can proceed even if prosecutors don’t file charges. Many families pursue both tracks simultaneously.

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

Stop Campus Hazing Act (2024)
This federal law requires colleges receiving federal aid to:

• Report hazing incidents more transparently
• Strengthen hazing education and prevention
• Maintain public hazing data (phased in by 2026)
• For Ranger families: This means more public information about which organizations have violations

Title IX
When hazing involves sexual harassment, sexual assault, or gender-based hostility, Title IX obligations trigger:

• Mandatory investigations by the university
• Potential federal oversight
• Additional legal claims beyond standard negligence

Clery Act
Requires universities to report certain crimes and maintain safety statistics. Hazing incidents often overlap with Clery-reportable crimes when they involve assaults or alcohol/drug violations.

Who Can Be Liable in a Texas Hazing Case?

1. Individual Students

• Those who planned, supplied alcohol, carried out acts, or helped cover up
• Chapter officers often face greater liability

2. Local Chapter/Organization

• The fraternity/sorority as a legal entity
• House corporations that own chapter properties

3. National Fraternity/Sorority Headquarters

• Organizations that set policies, receive dues, and supervise chapters
• Liability hinges on what they knew or should have known from prior incidents

4. University or Governing Board

• Public universities (UH, Texas A&M, UT) have some sovereign immunity protections but can be sued for gross negligence or Title IX violations
• Private universities (SMU, Baylor) have fewer immunity protections
• Key question: Did the university have prior warnings and fail to act?

5. Third Parties

• Landlords/owners of houses or event spaces
• Bars or alcohol providers (under Texas dram shop law)
• Security companies or event organizers

National Hazing Cases: Patterns That Affect Texas Students

Alcohol Poisoning Deaths: The Most Common Pattern

Timothy Piazza – Penn State, Beta Theta Pi (2017)

• Bid-acceptance event with forced drinking
• Severe falls captured on chapter security cameras
• Hours delayed before calling for help
• 18 fraternity members charged with over 1,000 criminal counts total
• Resulted in Timothy J. Piazza Anti-Hazing Law in Pennsylvania
• For Ranger families: Shows how delayed medical response dramatically increases liability

Andrew Coffey – Florida State, Pi Kappa Phi (2017)

• “Big brother” night where pledge was given a handle of liquor
• Drank to dangerous levels, died from alcohol poisoning
• FSU temporarily suspended all Greek life
• For Ranger families: Demonstrates how formulaic drinking “traditions” repeat across campuses

Max Gruver – LSU, Phi Delta Theta (2017)

• “Bible study” drinking game – wrong answers meant drinking
• Died from alcohol toxicity (BAC 0.495%)
• Resulted in Louisiana’s Max Gruver Act (felony hazing statute)
• For Ranger families: Shows how state laws often change only after tragedy

Stone Foltz – Bowling Green State, Pi Kappa Alpha (2021)

• Forced to consume nearly a bottle of whiskey during pledge event
• Died from alcohol poisoning
• $10 million settlement ($7M from Pi Kappa Alpha national, ~$3M from BGSU)
• Former chapter president personally ordered to pay $6.5 million
• For Ranger families: Demonstrates significant financial consequences for organizations and individuals

Physical & Ritualized Hazing: Beyond Alcohol

Chun “Michael” Deng – Baruch College, Pi Delta Psi (2013)

• Blindfolded, weighted with backpack, repeatedly tackled during “glass ceiling” ritual
• Died from traumatic brain injury
• Fraternity members delayed calling 911
• Pi Delta Psi national fraternity convicted of aggravated assault and involuntary manslaughter
• Banned from Pennsylvania for 10 years
• For Ranger families: Shows national organizations can face criminal liability

Danny Santulli – University of Missouri, Phi Gamma Delta (2021)

• Forced to consume excessive alcohol during “pledge dad reveal” night
• Suffered severe, permanent brain damage (cannot walk, talk, or see)
• Requires 24/7 care for life
• Settlements with 22 defendants, reportedly multi-million dollar total
• For Ranger families: Demonstrates catastrophic non-fatal injuries have life-altering consequences

Athletic Program Hazing: Not Just Greek Life

Northwestern University Football (2023-2025)

• Former players alleged sexualized, racist hazing within football program
• Multiple lawsuits against university and staff
• Head coach Pat Fitzgerald fired, then settled wrongful-termination suit confidentially
• For Ranger families: Hazing extends beyond Greek life to athletic programs with institutional tolerance

Texas Universities: Where Ranger Students Face Hazing Risks

Understanding Where Ranger Families Send Their Children

Ranger students attend universities throughout Texas, with many choosing schools within reasonable driving distance or with strong academic programs in their field. The hazing risks at these institutions directly impact our community:

Primary Universities for Ranger Students:

1. Tarleton State University (Stephenville, TX – 45 minutes from Ranger)

   • Part of Texas A&M University System
   • Active Greek life with fraternities and sororities
   • Close proximity makes it a common choice for Ranger families

2. Texas A&M University (College Station, TX)

   • Large Greek life system and Corps of Cadets
   • Many Ranger students attend for engineering, agriculture, and business programs

3. University of Texas at Arlington (Arlington, TX)

   • Part of the DFW metro area, accessible for Ranger families
   • Growing Greek life presence

4. Texas Tech University (Lubbock, TX)

   • Popular for students from West Texas communities
   • Significant Greek life population

5. Other Texas Schools: UT Austin, Baylor, TCU, University of Houston, and various state universities throughout Texas

University of Houston: Current Active Litigation

As detailed in our opening, Attorney911 currently represents Leonel Bermudez in a $10 million lawsuit against UH and Pi Kappa Phi. This case represents the active, serious hazing litigation happening right now in Texas.

UH’s Greek Life Landscape:

• 50+ fraternity and sorority chapters
• Includes Interfraternity Council, Panhellenic Council, National Pan-Hellenic Council, and Multicultural Greek Council organizations
• Pi Kappa Phi was part of the IFC system until its November 2025 suspension and charter surrender

Previous UH Hazing Incidents:

• 2016 Pi Kappa Alpha case: Pledge suffered lacerated spleen after being slammed onto a table during hazing; chapter faced misdemeanor charges and suspension
• Various alcohol-related hazing violations resulting in probation or suspension
• Ongoing pattern of “tradition” overriding safety

How a Hazing Case at UH Might Proceed for a Ranger Family:

1. Jurisdiction: Cases typically filed in Harris County courts where UH is located
2. Investigation: Our firm would obtain UHPD reports, student conduct files, and national fraternity records
3. Medical evaluation: Documenting injuries like rhabdomyolysis requires specialist testimony
4. Digital evidence: Recovering deleted GroupMe chats and social media evidence
5. Potential defendants: Individual members, chapter, Pi Kappa Phi national, UH, property owners

Texas A&M University: Corps Culture and Greek Life

Texas A&M represents a significant destination for Ranger students, particularly those interested in engineering, agriculture, and military programs. The unique Corps of Cadets culture creates additional hazing risks alongside traditional Greek life.

Corps of Cadets Hazing Issues:

• 2023 Lawsuit: Cadet alleged degrading hazing including simulated sexual acts and being bound between beds in a “roasted pig” pose with an apple in his mouth
• Sought over $1 million in damages
• Texas A&M stated it handled the matter under its rules
• For Ranger families: Shows hazing extends beyond Greek organizations

Sigma Alpha Epsilon Chemical Burns Case (2021):

• Pledges allegedly covered in substances including industrial-strength cleaner, raw eggs, spit
• Caused severe chemical burns requiring skin graft surgeries
• Pledges sued fraternity for $1 million
• Fraternity suspended for two years by university
• For Ranger families: Demonstrates extreme physical hazing beyond alcohol

Texas A&M’s Hazing Response System:

• Student Conduct Office investigates hazing allegations
• Corps of Cadets has separate disciplinary system
• Public transparency varies – less than UT Austin’s public violations list
• Ranger family consideration: Dual systems (university and Corps) can complicate reporting and accountability

University of Texas at Austin: Public Transparency Model

UT Austin maintains one of Texas’ most transparent hazing reporting systems, which provides valuable information for Ranger families evaluating campus safety.

UT’s Public Hazing Violations Page:

• Lists organizations