The Complete Guide to Hazing Incidents, Texas Law, and Accountability for Families in Rhome, Texas

If you are a parent in Rhome, or anywhere across Wise County and the North Texas region, receiving a call that your college student has been hospitalized after a fraternity event is a nightmare scenario. Right now, in Texas, we are fighting one of the most serious hazing cases in the country on behalf of a family just like yours.

At The Manginello Law Firm, PLLC (operating as Attorney911, the Legal Emergency Lawyers™), we represent Leonel Bermudez, a University of Houston student who suffered rhabdomyolysis and acute kidney failure after extreme hazing by the Pi Kappa Phi Beta Nu chapter. His urine turned brown, he was hospitalized for four days, and he faces ongoing health risks. This active, multi-million dollar lawsuit names the university, the national fraternity, its housing corporation, and 13 individual members. It is proof that severe, injurious hazing is happening at Texas universities right now, and that our firm has the expertise to hold every responsible entity accountable.

This guide is written specifically for parents and families in Rhome, Decatur, Boyd, and across Wise County to help you understand the reality of modern hazing, your legal rights under Texas law, and the pathways to justice and accountability.

IMMEDIATE HELP FOR HAZING EMERGENCIES

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 help—that’s why we’re the Legal Emergency Lawyers™.

In the first 48 hours:

• Get medical attention immediately.
• Preserve evidence: Screenshot all group chats, texts, and DMs. Photograph injuries from multiple angles. Save physical items.
• Write down everything while memory is fresh (who, what, when, where).
• Do NOT: Confront the fraternity/sorority, sign anything from the university or an insurance company, post details on public social media, or let your child delete messages.

Contact an experienced hazing attorney within 24–48 hours. Evidence disappears quickly. Call us at 1-888-ATTY-911.

Hazing in 2025: What It Really Looks Like for Rhome Families

Hazing is not just a “bad prank” or “boys being boys.” For families in Rhome with students at universities across Texas, it’s a dangerous, often criminal pattern of coercion and abuse that has evolved with technology and secrecy.

A Modern Definition: Hazing is any intentional, knowing, or reckless act—on or off campus—directed against a student for the purpose of joining, affiliating with, or maintaining membership in a group, that endangers the student’s mental or physical health or safety. In Texas, a victim’s “consent” is not a defense.

Main Categories of Hazing Today:

1. Alcohol & Substance Hazing: The most common and deadly. This includes forced chugging, “lineup” drinking games, “Big/Little” nights with handles of liquor (like in the UH Pi Kappa Phi case), and coerced consumption of drugs or unknown substances.
2. Physical Hazing: Extreme calisthenics (“smokings”), paddling, beatings, sleep deprivation, food/water restriction, and exposure to elements. Leonel Bermudez was forced through 100+ push-ups and 500 squats, leading to muscle breakdown.
3. Psychological & Sexualized Hazing: Verbal abuse, threats, isolation, forced nudity, simulated sexual acts, and humiliating rituals. Bermudez was required to carry a “pledge fanny pack” with condoms and a sex toy.
4. Digital Hazing: 24/7 control via group chats (GroupMe, WhatsApp), forced social media posts, location tracking, and humiliation spread through Snapchat or TikTok.

This abuse happens in fraternities, sororities, Corps of Cadets programs, athletic teams, spirit groups, marching bands, and other campus organizations. It often moves off-campus to Airbnb rentals or private houses to avoid detection, but location does not eliminate liability.

Texas Law & Liability Framework: What Rhome Parents Need to Know

Texas has specific laws governing hazing, and understanding them is the first step toward accountability. These laws apply whether your child is at a university in Denton, Fort Worth, College Station, or anywhere else in the state.

Texas Education Code, Chapter 37 (Hazing):

• Definition: Hazing is an intentional, knowing, or reckless act that endangers the mental or physical health of a student for the purpose of initiation, affiliation, or membership.
• Criminal Penalties: Hazing is a Class B misdemeanor. It becomes a Class A misdemeanor if it causes injury and a State Jail Felony if it causes serious bodily injury or death.
• Organizational Liability: The organization itself (fraternity, sorority, team) can be fined up to $10,000 per violation and lose university recognition.
• Critical Protections: The law provides immunity for good-faith reporting and explicitly states that victim consent is not a defense.

Criminal vs. Civil Cases:

• Criminal Cases: Brought by the state (DA) to punish with jail, fines, or probation. Charges can include hazing, assault, furnishing alcohol to minors, or manslaughter.
• Civil Lawsuits: Brought by victims and families to seek compensation and accountability. This is where we help families recover damages for medical bills, pain and suffering, and future care. A criminal conviction is not required to file a civil case.

Federal Overlay: The Stop Campus Hazing Act (2024) requires universities to improve transparency and reporting. Title IX applies if hazing involves sexual harassment, and the Clery Act requires reporting of certain campus crimes.

Who Can Be Liable in a Civil Case? Our investigative engine identifies all potential defendants:

1. Individual Members who planned or carried out the hazing.
2. The Local Chapter as an entity.
3. The National Fraternity/Sorority Headquarters (like Pi Kappa Phi national in the Bermudez case).
4. The University (like the University of Houston) for negligent supervision.
5. Alumni Housing Corporations & Related Entities that own properties or control chapters.
6. Third Parties like landlords or alcohol providers.

National Hazing Case Patterns: Precedents That Matter for Texas Families

Major cases across the country have shaped the legal landscape and show the tragic patterns that repeat. These precedents are powerful tools in building a case for a Rhome family.

• Timothy Piazza (Penn State, Beta Theta Pi, 2017): Died from alcohol poisoning after a bid acceptance night; brothers delayed calling 911. Resulted in the Timothy J. Piazza Anti-Hazing Law in Pennsylvania.
• Max Gruver (LSU, Phi Delta Theta, 2017): Died after a “Bible study” drinking game. Led to Louisiana’ felony Max Gruver Act.
• Stone Foltz (Bowling Green State, Pi Kappa Alpha, 2021): Died after being forced to drink a bottle of alcohol. Family secured a $10 million settlement.
• Danny Santulli (Univ. of Missouri, Phi Gamma Delta, 2021): Suffered permanent brain damage from forced drinking. Settlements with 22 defendants.
• Chun “Michael” Deng (Baruch College, Pi Delta Psi, 2013): Died from traumatic brain injury during a violent “glass ceiling” ritual at a retreat. The national fraternity was criminally convicted.

These cases prove that forced drinking, delayed medical care, and institutional knowledge are common themes. They also show that juries and courts award significant damages and that national organizations can be held accountable.

Texas University Focus: Where Rhome Families Send Their Kids

Students from Rhome and Wise County attend universities across Texas. Understanding the specific environments and histories at these schools is critical.

The University of North Texas (UNT) & Texas Woman’s University (TWU) – Denton

Proximity & Relevance to Rhome: Located just 45 minutes from Rhome in Denton, many Wise County students choose UNT and TWU. Hazing incidents here directly affect our local community.

Campus Snapshot: UNT has a large, active Greek life community. TWU, while historically women’s, has sororities and co-ed organizations.

Documented Incidents & Climate: Greek organizations at Denton schools have faced disciplinary actions for alcohol violations and hazing-related behavior. The proximity to the DFW metro means social events often involve chapters from multiple universities.

Legal Jurisdiction for Rhome Families: Incidents in Denton fall under Denton County courts and the jurisdiction of UNT Police or Denton PD. Our firm’s investigative reach covers this area comprehensively.

Texas A&M University – College Station

Relevance to Rhome Families: As a premier Texas university, many Rhome students aspire to attend Texas A&M, particularly its renowned Corps of Cadets and Greek systems.

Notorious Cases:

• Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE) Chemical Burns Case: Pledges alleged being doused with industrial-strength cleaner, causing severe burns requiring skin grafts. A lawsuit sought $1 million.
• Corps of Cadets “Roasted Pig” Lawsuit: A cadet alleged being bound between beds in a degrading, sexually simulated pose as part of hazing.

What Rhome Parents Should Know: The culture of tradition in both the Corps and Greek life can sometimes mask abusive behaviors. The university has dedicated conduct offices for both the Corps and general Greek life.

University of Texas at Austin

Transparency as a Tool: UT Austin maintains a public Hazing Violations webpage, listing sanctioned organizations—a resource we use to establish pattern evidence.

Example from the Log: Pi Kappa Alpha was sanctioned for forcing new members to consume milk and perform strenuous calisthenics. Such public records prove the university’s prior knowledge of risky behaviors.

Other Major Texas Hubs

Rhome students also attend Texas Tech (Lubbock), University of Houston, Baylor (Waco), and SMU (Dallas). Each has its own Greek ecosystem and hazing history. For example, our flagship Leonel Bermudez case at UH demonstrates how quickly a promising student can be catastrophically injured.

The Greek Ecosystem Surrounding Rhome: A Public Records Directory

If you are a parent in Rhome, you deserve to know who really stands behind the Greek organizations connected to your child. Our firm maintains a Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine built from IRS data, university records, and metro-level research to map this ecosystem. Below is a snapshot of the kinds of organizations we track.

The DFW Metro Area (Containing Rhome): According to our data, the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington metro area contains over 500 Greek-related organizations. This includes undergraduate chapters, alumni associations, housing corporations, and honor societies that serve students from Rhome attending schools across the region.

Example Organizations from IRS and Public Filings Relevant to North Texas:

• Beta Upsilon Chi Fraternity – EIN: 742911848 – Fort Worth, TX 76244 (Cause IQ & IRS listing)
• Texas Kappa Sigma Educational Foundation Inc – EIN: 741380362 – Fort Worth, TX 76147
• Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity – Lambda Lambda Chapter – EIN: 521278573 – Dallas, TX 75241
• Zeta Phi Beta Sorority – Psi Zeta Chapter – EIN: 521345182 – Fort Worth, TX 76105
• Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity Texas Gamma Chapter – EIN: 911981478 – Fort Worth, TX 76109
• Delta Delta Delta – Arlington Alumnae Chapter – Listed in Cause IQ data – Dallas, TX
• Kappa Delta Sorority – Gamma Beta Chapter – Listed in Cause IQ data – Denton, TX (TWU)

Major National Brands with Local Presence: Our cross-referenced data shows brands like Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority and Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity have multiple registered entities across Texas, including in the DFW area, showing how national networks operate locally.

This directory is part of our investigative strategy. When we take a case, we don’t start from zero. We already know how to find the housing corporations, alumni boards, and national insurance policies that may hold responsibility.

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

Building a successful hazing case requires immediate, systematic action and deep investigative expertise. This is where our experience as complex litigation attorneys makes the difference.

Critical Evidence We Secure:

1. Digital Communications: Deleted GroupMe chats, WhatsApp messages, Instagram DMs, and Snapchat stories. We use digital forensics to recover what has been erased.
2. Photos & Videos: Content filmed by members during events, often the most direct proof of abuse.
3. Internal Organization Records: Pledge manuals, “tradition” documents, emails between officers, and national fraternity risk management files.
4. University Records: Prior conduct violations for the same chapter, obtained via discovery or public records requests. A pattern of prior incidents is devastating to a defense.
5. Medical Records: Documentation of injuries, from ER reports to specialist diagnoses of conditions like rhabdomyolysis or PTSD.

Damages Families Can Recover:

• 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 physical pain, emotional distress, trauma, humiliation, and loss of enjoyment of life.
• Wrongful Death Damages: In tragic cases, families can seek funeral costs, loss of financial support, and loss of companionship.

Our Strategic Advantage – The Insider’s View: Our attorney, Mr. Lupe Peña, spent years as an insurance defense attorney for a national firm. He knows exactly how fraternity and university insurance companies try to deny claims, minimize payouts, and drag out cases. We use this insider knowledge to counter their tactics and fight for full value. Furthermore, our managing partner Ralph Manginello’s experience in the BP Texas City explosion litigation proves our firm can face billion-dollar institutional defendants and win.

Practical Guides & FAQs for Rhome Parents and Students

For Parents: Recognizing Warning Signs

• Unexplained injuries, bruises, or burns.
• Extreme fatigue, sleep deprivation, or drastic weight change.
• Sudden secrecy about organizational activities.
• Personality changes: anxiety, depression, withdrawal.
• Constant, anxious phone use related to group chats.
• Financial requests for unexplained “fines” or “dues.”

For Students: Your Rights and Safety

• You can leave. You have the legal right to quit any organization at any time.
• ”Consent” is not a defense in Texas. You cannot legally agree to be hazed.
• Call 911 without fear. Texas law and most university policies offer “good faith” immunity for those seeking medical help in an emergency.
• Preserve evidence. Screenshot everything. Take photos of injuries. Tell a trusted adult.

Critical Mistakes That Can Ruin a Case

1. Deleting messages or “cleaning up” evidence. This looks like a cover-up and destroys your credibility.
2. Confronting the fraternity/sorority directly. This allows them to lawyer up, destroy evidence, and coach witnesses.
3. Signing university “resolution” forms without an attorney. You may be waiving your right to sue for fair compensation.
4. Posting details on social media. Defense attorneys will scour your accounts for inconsistencies.
5. Waiting for the university to “handle it.” Evidence disappears, witnesses scatter, and the statute of limitations runs.

Frequently Asked Questions

“Can we sue a university in Texas for hazing?”
Yes. While public universities have some sovereign immunity, exceptions exist for gross negligence, Title IX violations, and when suing individuals. Private schools like SMU and Baylor have fewer protections. Our flagship case against the University of Houston is a current example.

“How long do we have to file a lawsuit?”
Generally, two years from the date of injury or death in Texas. However, this can be complex. Do not wait. Evidence preservation is most critical in the first days and weeks.

“What if it happened off-campus at a private house?”
Location does not matter. Liability extends based on sponsorship, control, and foreseeability. The Pi Kappa Phi hazing of Leonel Bermudez occurred at both on-campus and off-campus locations in Houston.

“Will our name be in the news?”
Most cases settle confidentially before trial. We prioritize your family’s privacy while aggressively pursuing accountability.

Why Attorney911 for Rhome, Texas Hazing Cases

When your family faces the trauma of hazing, you need more than a general personal injury lawyer. You need a firm with specific expertise in dismantling institutional defenses and a deep understanding of Texas law.

Our Proven Advantages for Your Case:

• Active, High-Stakes Litigation Experience: We are currently leading the $10 million hazing lawsuit against the University of Houston and Pi Kappa Phi on behalf of Leonel Bermudez. We are in the fight right now.
• Insider Insurance Knowledge: Mr. Lupe Peña (he/him) is a former insurance defense attorney. He knows the playbook fraternity and university insurers use to deny claims, and he uses it against them.
• Complex Institutional Litigation: Ralph Manginello was one of the few attorneys involved in the BP Texas City explosion litigation. We are not intimidated by national fraternities, universities, or their high-priced defense teams.
• The Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine: We maintain a proprietary database of over 1,400 Greek organizations in Texas. We know how to find the housing corporations, alumni boards, and national entities that share liability.
• Dual Civil & Criminal Expertise: Ralph’s membership in the Harris County Criminal Lawyers Association (HCCLA) means we understand the interplay between criminal hazing charges and civil lawsuits. We can advise on all fronts.
• Spanish-Language Services: Se habla Español. Mr. Peña is fluent and can serve Spanish-speaking families with compassion and understanding.
• Contingency Fee Basis: We invest in your case. You pay no attorney fees unless we win a settlement or verdict for you.

We serve families across Texas from our offices in Houston, Austin, and Beaumont. A hazing incident at a university in Denton, Fort Worth, College Station, or anywhere else impacts the entire family back home in Rhome. We understand the community values of Wise County and are here to help you navigate this crisis with strength and dignity.

Your Next Step: A Confidential Consultation

If hazing has impacted your child and your family, you do not have to face this alone. The path to answers, accountability, and prevention starts with a conversation.

Contact The Manginello Law Firm, PLLC (Attorney911) for a free, confidential, no-obligation consultation. We will:

• Listen to your story with empathy and without judgment.
• Review any evidence you have gathered.
• Explain your legal options under Texas law in clear terms.
• Discuss our investigative strategy and how we would pursue your case.
• Answer all your questions about process, timeline, and costs.

Call us 24/7 at 1-888-ATTY-911 (1-888-288-9911). You can also reach our lead attorneys directly:

• Ralph Manginello: ralph@atty911.com | (713) 528-9070
• Mr. Lupe Peña: lupe@atty911.com

We are the Legal Emergency Lawyers™. Let us help you through this.

Legal Disclaimer

This article is provided for informational and educational purposes only. It is not legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship between you and The Manginello Law Firm, PLLC.

Hazing laws, university policies, and legal precedents can change. The information in this guide is current as of late 2025 but may not reflect the most recent developments. Every hazing case is unique, and outcomes depend on the specific facts, evidence, applicable law, and many other factors.

If you or your child has been affected by hazing, we strongly encourage you to consult with a qualified Texas attorney who can review your specific situation, explain your legal rights, and advise you on the best course of action for your family.

The Manginello Law Firm, PLLC / Attorney911
Houston, Austin, and Beaumont, Texas
Call: 1-888-ATTY-911 (1-888-288-9911)
Direct: (713) 528-9070 | Cell: (713) 443-4781
Website: https://attorney911.com
Email: ralph@atty911.com | lupe@atty911.com