From City of Red Lick to College Campus: A Texas Family’s Guide to Hazing, Lawsuits, and Holding Universities Accountable

A Nightmare in Your Neighborhood: When “Tradition” Turns to Trauma

Picture this: a young man from right here in Bowie County, eager to build his future, accepts a bid to join a fraternity at a major Texas university. What begins as excitement quickly spirals into something darker. He’s handed a “pledge fanny pack” he must carry everywhere—filled with condoms, a sex toy, and humiliating items. He’s forced into sleepless nights chauffeuring older members, subjected to weekly interrogations, and driven to hidden locations for “workouts.” At an off-campus house, he’s sprayed in the face with a hose “similar to waterboarding.” At a local park, he’s forced to consume milk, hot dogs, and peppercorns until he vomits, then made to sprint immediately after.

This isn’t a fictional horror story. This is exactly what happened to Leonel Bermudez at the University of Houston in fall 2025. The physical abuse culminated in a November 3rd “workout” where he was forced through 100+ push-ups and 500 squats under threat of expulsion. Days later, his urine turned brown. He was hospitalized for four days with rhabdomyolysis—severe skeletal muscle breakdown—and acute kidney failure, facing potential permanent kidney damage. His attorneys at Attorney911 filed a $10 million lawsuit against the University of Houston, the Pi Kappa Phi national fraternity, its Beta Nu chapter housing corporation, and 13 individual fraternity leaders.

This case, unfolding just hours from City of Red Lick in Harris County, represents the harsh reality facing Texas families today. Hazing isn’t just about “boys being boys” or harmless pranks—it’s systematic abuse that leads to catastrophic injuries, lifelong trauma, and sometimes death. And it’s happening at universities where Red Lick families send their children: UH, Texas A&M, UT Austin, SMU, Baylor, and campuses across our state.

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)
• In the first 48 hours:
  • Get medical attention immediately.
  • Preserve evidence BEFORE it’s deleted: screenshot group chats, photograph injuries, save physical items.
  • Write down everything while memory is fresh.
  • Do NOT confront the organization, sign anything from the university, or post details on social media.
• Contact an experienced hazing attorney within 24–48 hours. Call 1-888-ATTY-911 for immediate consultation.

This guide is for you—parents and families in City of Red Lick, De Kalb, and across Bowie County. We’ll explain what modern hazing really looks like, break down Texas law and your rights, examine patterns at major Texas universities, and show you how experienced legal counsel can fight for accountability when institutions fail to protect your child.

Hazing in 2025: Beyond the Stereotypes

Gone are the days when hazing was merely paddling or silly initiations. Today’s hazing is a calculated blend of psychological control, digital harassment, and physical abuse designed to bind victims through trauma and secrecy. Understanding its forms is the first step in recognizing it.

The Three Tiers of Modern Hazing

1. Subtle Hazing (Often Dismissed as “Tradition”)
This establishes power imbalances and sets the stage for worse abuse. It includes mandatory “pledge duties” like 24/7 driving for members, forced cleaning of houses, social isolation from non-members, and being on call for random tasks at all hours. Digitally, it manifests as required constant monitoring of group chats (GroupMe, WhatsApp), mandatory location sharing via apps, and social media policing by older members.

2. Harassment Hazing (Causing Clear Discomfort)
This escalates to causing emotional and physical distress. It includes sleep deprivation through late-night “meetings,” verbal abuse and degradation, forced consumption of unpalatable foods (like the hot dogs and peppercorns in the UH case), extreme calisthenics framed as “conditioning,” and public humiliation. Modern twists involve digital shaming—forcing pledges to post embarrassing content on TikTok or Instagram, or creating degrading memes shared in private groups.

3. Violent Hazing (High Potential for Serious Injury or Death)
This is where lives are destroyed. It encompasses forced alcohol consumption during “Big/Little” nights or drinking games like “Bible study”; physical beatings and paddling; dangerous “tests” like blindfolded tackles; sexualized hazing including forced nudity or simulated acts; kidnapping and restraint; and exposure to extreme environments. Today, this often moves to off-campus Airbnbs or remote properties to avoid university scrutiny.

The Digital Footprint: Evidence and Control

Smartphones have transformed hazing. While they create a trail of evidence through group chats, photos, and videos, they also become tools of control. Pledges may be required to respond to messages instantly at any hour, share their real-time location, and submit to having their social media monitored. This 24/7 digital leash creates psychological exhaustion and makes escape feel impossible.

Texas Law & Institutional Liability: What Red Lick Families Need to Know

Texas has specific laws governing hazing, and understanding them is crucial for families seeking justice. The legal framework creates multiple avenues for accountability, from criminal charges to civil lawsuits for damages.

Texas Education Code Chapter 37: The Anti-Hazing Statute

Texas law defines hazing broadly under Education Code Chapter 37 as any intentional, knowing, or reckless act—on or off campus—directed against a student for the purpose of pledging, initiation, or affiliation with an organization that endangers the student’s mental or physical health or safety.

Key Provisions for Families:

• Consent is NOT a Defense (§37.155): Even if your child “agreed” to participate, it is not a legal defense against hazing charges. The law recognizes the power imbalance and coercion inherent in these situations.
• Criminal Penalties Escalate with Harm (§37.152): Hazing is a Class B misdemeanor. It becomes a Class A misdemeanor if it causes injury requiring medical attention. It becomes a state jail felony if it causes serious bodily injury or death.
• Individuals Can Be Charged for Failing to Report (§37.152): Members or officers who knowingly fail to report hazing can face misdemeanor charges.
• Organizations Can Be Fined and Sued (§37.153): The fraternity, sorority, or club itself can be prosecuted and fined up to $10,000 per violation. More significantly, they can be held civilly liable for damages.
• Immunity for Good-Faith Reporting (§37.154): A person who reports hazing in good faith is immune from civil or criminal liability. Many universities extend this to medical amnesty policies to encourage calling 911 during alcohol-related emergencies.

Civil Lawsuits: The Path to Compensation and Accountability

While criminal cases punish wrongdoing, civil lawsuits are how victims and families recover compensation for their profound losses. A civil hazing case can target a network of liable parties:

1. Individual Perpetrators: The members who planned, executed, or concealed the hazing.
2. The Local Chapter: The campus chapter as an entity, often through its housing corporation or officer structure.
3. The National Headquarters: This is critical. Nationals collect dues, set policies, and provide oversight. If they knew or should have known about dangerous patterns (like Pi Kappa Phi’s history of alcohol hazing prior to the UH incident), they can be held liable for negligent supervision.
4. The University: Public universities like UH, Texas A&M, and UT have a legal duty to protect students. They can be sued for negligence if they knew about a pattern of hazing and failed to take reasonable steps to stop it. Their response to the Pi Kappa Phi case—labeling conduct “deeply disturbing” and cooperating after the fact—will be scrutinized against what they knew beforehand.
5. Third Parties: Landlords of off-campus houses where hazing occurs, or alcohol providers under dram shop laws.

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

• Title IX: If hazing involves sexual harassment, assault, or gender-based discrimination, it triggers Title IX obligations, requiring the university to investigate and take prompt action.
• Clery Act: Requires universities to report certain crimes, including assaults and alcohol/drug violations that often accompany hazing.
• Stop Campus Hazing Act (2024): A new federal law phasing in requirements for universities to report hazing incidents more transparently and strengthen prevention programs by 2026.

Lessons from National Tragedy: Patterns That Repeat in Texas

The Bermudez case at UH is not an aberration. It follows a deadly national script written by years of similar cases. Understanding these patterns shows how predictable—and preventable—these injuries are.

The Alcohol Poisoning Script: Big/Little Nights

• Stone Foltz (Bowling Green State, Pi Kappa Alpha, 2021): Pledge forced to drink a bottle of alcohol; died. $10M+ settlement.
• Max Gruver (LSU, Phi Delta Theta, 2017): Pledge died during “Bible study” drinking game. Led to Louisiana’s felony hazing “Max Gruver Act.”
• Andrew Coffey (Florida State, Pi Kappa Phi, 2017): Pledge died after “Big Brother” night with handles of liquor.
• Texas Connection: The forced consumption of milk and alcohol in the UH Pi Kappa Phi case follows this exact dangerous pattern.

The Physical Endurance Script: “Workouts” and Rituals

• Chun “Michael” Deng (Baruch College, Pi Delta Psi, 2013): Pledge died from traumatic brain injury after a blindfolded “glass ceiling” tackling ritual. The national fraternity was criminally convicted.
• Danny Santulli (Missouri, Phi Gamma Delta, 2021): Pledge suffered permanent brain damage from alcohol hazing; family settled with 22 defendants.
• Texas Connection: The 100+ push-up, 500-squad “workout” that hospitalized Bermudez with rhabdomyolysis is a direct echo of these extreme physical hazing rituals.

The Institutional Cover-Up Script: Delay and Denial

A consistent pattern in fatal cases is the delay in calling 911 due to fear of getting the chapter in trouble. This happened tragically in the Timothy Piazza (Penn State) case, where fraternity brothers waited hours before seeking help while he lay dying. This culture of secrecy is a primary target in litigation.

For a Red Lick family, the takeaway is clear: the fraternity targeting your child at a Texas school has likely seen its national brothers commit the same acts elsewhere. That prior knowledge forms the basis for holding the national organization accountable.

The Texas Campus Landscape: Where Red Lick Students Go to School

Families in City of Red Lick and Bowie County send their students to universities across Texas. Whether it’s a short drive to Texas A&M University-Texarkana or a journey to the state’s flagship campuses, understanding the specific Greek ecosystem and history at each school is vital.

University of Houston: The Current Epicenter

The Leonel Bermudez case has placed UH and its Pi Kappa Phi Beta Nu chapter under a harsh spotlight. The alleged hazing occurred at multiple locations: the chapter house, a Culmore Drive residence owned by a former member, and Yellowstone Boulevard Park for nighttime workouts. Following the lawsuit, Pi Kappa Phi nationals suspended the chapter on November 6, 2025, and members voted to surrender their charter on November 14, shutting it down. UH called the conduct “deeply disturbing” and promised disciplinary action and cooperation with law enforcement.

For Red Lick Families: This active, high-stakes litigation demonstrates that even at a large commuter school, systemic hazing persists. UH’s response will be tested in court. If your child is involved in Greek life at UH, the climate is one of heightened scrutiny but also potential retaliation against whistleblowers.

Texas A&M University: Tradition and Trouble in the Corps

Texas A&M’s unique Corps of Cadets culture and powerful Greek system create a complex environment.

• Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE) Chemical Burns Case (2021): Pledges alleged they were doused with industrial-strength cleaner, raw eggs, and spit, causing severe chemical burns requiring skin graft surgeries. The chapter was suspended, and victims filed a $1 million lawsuit.
• Corps of Cadets Lawsuit (2023): A cadet alleged degrading hazing including being bound in a “roasted pig” position with an apple in his mouth. He sought over $1 million in damages.
• National Patterns: SAE has a notorious national history with multiple hazing deaths, making them a prime example of an organization with clear “prior notice” of the risks they sanction.

University of Texas at Austin: Transparency and Repeated Violations

UT Austin maintains a public online log of hazing violations, offering a unique window into ongoing issues.

• Public Log Examples: The log shows recent sanctions against chapters like Pi Kappa Alpha (2023) for forcing new members to consume milk and perform strenuous calisthenics, and other groups for forced drinking and humiliation.
• Sigma Alpha Epsilon at UT (2024): A lawsuit alleges an Australian exchange student was assaulted at an SAE party, suffering a broken nose, dislocated leg, and fractured tibia. The chapter was already under suspension for prior violations.
• For Families: UT’s transparency is a double-edged sword—it shows the problem is ongoing, but that documentation can become powerful evidence in a civil case to prove the university knew about specific dangerous chapters.

Southern Methodist University & Baylor University: Private School Pressures

At private institutions like SMU and Baylor, Greek life is deeply woven into the social fabric, and internal pressures to protect reputation can be intense.

• SMU’s Kappa Alpha Order was suspended for several years after a 2017 paddling and alcohol hazing incident.
• Baylor has faced scrutiny over hazing within its baseball program and broader institutional failures on student safety.

The common thread across all five schools—and the dozens of others in Texas—is that national fraternities with documented dangerous histories operate chapters there, and university responses have often been reactive rather than preventive.

The Organizations Behind the Letters: National Histories Matter

When we sue a fraternity chapter, we’re not just suing college students. We’re pursuing a network of liability that often leads to deep-pocketed national organizations and their insurers. This is where our investigative work and the “Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine” become critical.

The Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine: Mapping the Greek Landscape

Our firm maintains a proprietary database built from public records to track the organizational backbone of Greek life in Texas. This includes:

• IRS B83 Records: Over 125 Texas-registered Greek organizations (housing corporations, alumni chapters, honor societies) with Employer Identification Numbers (EINs) and legal addresses.
• Metro Analysis: Tracking 1,423 Greek-related entities across 25 Texas metro areas. For example, there are 188 in the Houston metro and 510 in Dallas-Fort Worth.
• University Rosters: Verified chapter lists for UH, Texas A&M, UT, SMU, and Baylor.

Why This Matters for Your Case:
If your child is hazed by the Pi Kappa Phi chapter at UH, we immediately know to investigate not just the local members, but also:

• The Pi Kappa Phi Beta Nu Fraternity Housing Corporation Inc. (EIN 462267515, Frisco, TX).
• The Pi Kappa Phi national headquarters in Charlotte, NC.
• Related Texas entities like the Pi Kappa Phi Delta Omega Chapter Building Corporation (EIN 371768785, Missouri City, TX).

This allows us to identify all potential sources of insurance coverage and liability from day one. We don’t start from scratch—we start with a map.

National Patterns Become Texas Evidence

The national history of an organization like Pi Kappa Phi or Sigma Alpha Epsilon is not just background noise; it is central to a civil claim. In litigation, we can argue that:

1. The national organization had prior notice of the specific risks (e.g., alcohol poisoning from Big/Little events).
2. Their anti-hazing policies and training were inadequate or negligently enforced.
3. Therefore, their failure to effectively supervise and control their Texas chapter was a direct cause of your child’s injuries.

This approach has led to multi-million dollar settlements and verdicts nationwide, like the $10 million recovery in the Stone Foltz (Pi Kappa Alpha) case.

Building a Hazing Case: Evidence, Strategy, and Damages

If hazing has injured your child, taking immediate, strategic action is crucial. The difference between a successful outcome and a dead end often lies in the first 48 hours.

Critical Evidence to Preserve NOW

1. Digital Communications: DO NOT DELETE. Screenshot entire group chats (GroupMe, WhatsApp, iMessage) showing timestamps and sender names. Preserve Instagram DMs, Snapchat memories, and TikTok messages. Even “disappearing” messages can often be recovered forensically.
2. Photos & Videos: Take clear, dated photos of all injuries from multiple angles. Save any videos from the event, even those shared as “jokes.”
3. Medical Records: Go to the ER or a doctor immediately. Tell them explicitly the injuries are from hazing. This creates a contemporaneous medical record linking cause and effect. Follow up with specialists.
4. Physical Evidence: Save the clothing worn during the incident, any “pledge” items (like the fanny pack in the UH case), receipts for forced purchases, or objects used (paddles, bottles).
5. Witness Information: Write down the names and contact information of other pledges, members, or bystanders immediately.

The Recovery Your Family May Seek

In a civil lawsuit, damages are designed to compensate for both tangible and intangible losses:

• Economic Damages: All past and future medical bills (ER, hospital, surgery, therapy, medications). Lost wages for a parent who must care for the child. Lost future earning capacity if injuries cause permanent disability. Educational costs for missed semesters or transferred schools.
• Non-Economic Damages: Compensation for physical pain, emotional distress, trauma (PTSD, anxiety, depression), humiliation, and loss of enjoyment of life.
• Wrongful Death Damages (if applicable): Funeral costs, loss of financial support, and the profound loss of companionship, love, and guidance for the family.
• Punitive Damages: In cases of particularly reckless or malicious conduct, courts may award damages to punish the defendant and deter future behavior.

A Practical Guide for Red Lick Parents and Students

For Parents: Warning Signs and Steps

Watch For:

• Unexplained injuries, constant exhaustion, or drastic weight changes.
• Secretive behavior about organization activities, sudden anxiety around phone notifications.
• Personality shifts: withdrawal, depression, irritability, or defensiveness about the group.
• Requests for large sums of money without clear explanation.

What to Do:

1. Prioritize Safety & Health: Get medical care first.
2. Document & Preserve: Help your child save all evidence. Write down their account.
3. Seek Legal Counsel BEFORE Reporting: Contact us at 1-888-ATTY-911. We can advise on how to report to the university or police in a way that protects your child’s rights and preserves evidence.
4. Do NOT: Confront the fraternity, sign anything from the university, or post on social media.

For Students: Your Rights and Safety

• You Have the Right to Leave: No matter what they’ve told you, you can quit anytime. Your safety is paramount.
• Consent is Not a Defense: Under Texas law, you cannot “agree” to be hazed. You are the victim.
• Report Safely: You can report anonymously through university channels or the National Anti-Hazing Hotline (1-888-NOT-HAZE). If there’s a medical emergency, call 911—most schools have amnesty policies to protect those who seek help.
• Get Support: Talk to a trusted adult, a counselor at the university health center, or contact us confidentially.

Why Attorney911 Fights for Hazing Victims in Texas

When your family faces the trauma of hazing, you need more than a lawyer; you need advocates who understand the power dynamics of universities, the tactics of national fraternity insurers, and the science of recovering from catastrophic injury. This is what we bring to every case.

We Are Currently in the Fight: Right now, we represent Leonel Bermudez in his $10 million lawsuit against the University of Houston and Pi Kappa Phi. We are not theorists; we are litigators actively taking on the institutions that failed him. You can read the initial coverage of this case by Click2Houston and ABC13.

Our Unmatched Texas Advantage

• Insider Insurance Knowledge: Our attorney, Mr. Lupe Peña, spent years as an insurance defense attorney for a national firm. He knows exactly how fraternity and university insurers will try to deny, delay, and minimize your claim. We use their playbook against them.
• Complex Institutional Litigation: Managing Partner Ralph Manginello’s experience includes the BP Texas City explosion litigation—fighting billion-dollar defendants. National fraternities and universities have deep pockets and aggressive lawyers. We are not intimidated; we are prepared.
• The Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine: We don’t start investigations from zero. Our proprietary database of Texas Greek organizations gives us an immediate strategic map, identifying all potentially liable entities from house corporations to national headquarters.
• Full-Service Advocacy: We handle both the civil lawsuit for compensation and can advise on related criminal matters, thanks to Ralph’s membership in the Harris County Criminal Lawyers Association (HCCLA). We also coordinate with medical experts, life care planners, and psychologists to fully document the harm done to your child.

Call to Action for Red Lick Families

If hazing has impacted your family—whether at UH, Texas A&M, UT, SMU, Baylor, or any Texas campus—you do not have to navigate this crisis alone. The institutions involved will have lawyers protecting their interests from the very first moment. You deserve the same fierce advocacy.

Contact The Manginello Law Firm, PLLC (Attorney911) today for a free, confidential consultation. We will listen to your story, explain your legal options in clear terms, and help you make the best decision for your family’s future. We serve families across Texas from our offices in Houston, Austin, and Beaumont.

Call 1-888-ATTY-911 (1-888-288-9911) anytime, 24/7. Your consultation is free, and we work on a contingency fee basis—you pay nothing unless we recover compensation for you.

Se habla Español. Contacte a Lupe Peña directamente.

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 have been affected by hazing, please contact an attorney to discuss your specific situation.

The Manginello Law Firm, PLLC / Attorney911 – Legal Emergency Lawyers™
Call: 1-888-ATTY-911 | Website: https://attorney911.com