From City of Rotan to Campus: A Texas Family’s Guide to Hazing, Rights, and Legal Accountability

For parents in City of Rotan, the news from larger campuses can feel distant until it hits home. The quiet streets of Fisher County and the values of community and safety we cherish here seem worlds away from the headlines of fraternity abuse. Yet, the reality is that families from our area send their children to universities across Texas, from the sprawling campuses of Texas Tech in Lubbock to the major hubs in Houston and Austin. When hazing strikes, it doesn’t matter where you’re from; the pain, confusion, and search for justice are universal.

Right now, a case unfolding at the University of Houston exemplifies the severe danger facing Texas students and the complex legal battle required to hold institutions accountable. We represent Leonel Bermudez in a $10 million lawsuit against the University of Houston, the Pi Kappa Phi national fraternity, its Beta Nu chapter housing corporation, and 13 individual members. The allegations are harrowing: forced consumption of milk, hot dogs, and peppercorns until vomiting; hours of extreme calisthenics; being sprayed in the face with a hose “similar to waterboarding”; and carrying a humiliating “pledge fanny pack” at all times. This abuse led to Bermudez developing rhabdomyolysis—a severe skeletal muscle breakdown—and acute kidney failure, resulting in brown urine and a four-day hospitalization.

This is not an isolated incident in a far-off city. It is a Texas case, governed by Texas law, and it reveals a system of accountability that parents in Rotan must understand. Whether your child is at a local college, Texas Tech University, or any campus in the state, the legal principles, institutional defenses, and need for experienced counsel remain critically important.

This guide is written for you—the parents, grandparents, and families in City of Rotan and across Fisher County. We will explain what modern hazing truly looks like, the Texas laws designed to protect students, the national patterns that repeat on our campuses, and the practical steps you can take if the unthinkable happens to your family.

If This Just Happened: Immediate Steps for Rotan Families

If your child is in danger RIGHT NOW:

• Call 911 for any medical emergency.
• Then call us: 1-888-ATTY-911 (1-888-288-9911) for immediate legal guidance.

In the first 48 hours:

1. Get Medical Care: Seek immediate medical attention, even if injuries seem minor. Conditions like rhabdomyolysis (seen in the UH case) can be fatal.
2. Preserve Digital Evidence: Screenshot ALL group chats (GroupMe, WhatsApp, texts), social media posts, and DMs BEFORE they are deleted. This is the most critical evidence.
3. Document Physically: Take clear, date-stamped photos of any injuries. Save any physical items involved (clothing, paddles, props).
4. Write It Down: Have your child write a detailed chronology of events while memories are fresh—names, dates, locations, specific acts.
5. Do NOT:
   • Confront the fraternity, sorority, or university directly.
   • Let your child delete any messages or “clean up” their phone.
   • Post details on public social media.
   • Sign anything from a university or insurance adjuster.

Contact an experienced hazing attorney immediately. Evidence vanishes quickly, and universities move fast to control the narrative. We help families in Rotan and across Texas navigate this crisis from day one.

What Hazing Really Looks Like in 2025

Hazing has evolved far beyond simplistic stereotypes. It is any intentional, knowing, or reckless act—on or off campus—that endangers a student’s mental or physical health for the purpose of joining, maintaining membership, or gaining status in a group. Under Texas law, a victim’s “consent” is not a defense due to the inherent power imbalance and coercion.

Modern hazing manifests in several key categories:

• Alcohol & Substance Hazing: The most common and deadly form. This includes forced chugging, drinking games with penalties, “family tree” or “Bible study” rituals where incorrect answers mandate drinking, and coerced consumption of drugs or unknown substances.
• Physical Hazing: Extreme, punitive calisthenics (“smokings”); paddling or beating; sleep deprivation; food/water restriction; exposure to extreme elements; and dangerous “tests” like blindfolded tackles.
• Sexualized & Humiliating Hazing: Forced nudity; simulated sexual acts (“elephant walks”); degrading costumes or roles; and acts with racist, sexist, or homophobic overtones.
• Psychological & Digital Hazing: Verbal abuse and threats; social isolation; forced confessions; and digital harassment through group chats, social media dares, or coerced posting of compromising content.

This abuse occurs in fraternities, sororities, athletic teams, Corps of Cadets programs, spirit groups, marching bands, and other campus organizations. The culture of secrecy, tradition, and social pressure allows it to persist.

Texas Hazing Law & Legal Liability: A Guide for Rotan Families

Texas has specific statutes to combat hazing, primarily found in the Texas Education Code, Chapter 37, Subchapter F. Understanding this framework is crucial for any family seeking justice.

Key Provisions of Texas Law:

• Definition (§37.151): Hazing is defined broadly as any intentional, knowing, or reckless act that endangers physical or mental health for purposes of initiation, affiliation, or membership.
• Criminal Penalties (§37.152): 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. Individuals can also be charged for failing to report hazing.
• Organizational Liability (§37.153): The fraternity, sorority, or club itself can be prosecuted and fined up to $10,000 if it authorized the hazing or if an officer knew and failed to report it.
• Consent is NOT a Defense (§37.155): The law explicitly states that the victim’s consent to the activity is not a valid defense against hazing charges. This legal principle is vital for overcoming the common argument that “they wanted to be there.”
• Good-Faith Reporting Immunity (§37.154): Individuals who report hazing in good faith to authorities are immune from civil or criminal liability related to that report. This aims to encourage bystanders to seek help.

Civil vs. Criminal Cases:

• Criminal Cases: Brought by the state (DA’s office) to punish wrongdoing with jail time, fines, or probation. A criminal conviction is not required to pursue a civil case.
• Civil Lawsuits: Brought by victims and families to obtain compensation for damages (medical bills, pain and suffering, wrongful death) and to hold all responsible parties accountable. This is where families can achieve justice and financial security for long-term care.

Who Can Be Held Liable in a Civil Case?
A thorough investigation seeks to identify every entity with responsibility:

1. Individual Perpetrators: The members who planned, executed, or covered up the hazing.
2. The Local Chapter: As an organized entity.
3. The National Fraternity/Sorority: Headquarters that set policies, collect dues, and are often aware of dangerous patterns across their chapters.
4. The University: For negligence in supervision, failure to enforce policies, or deliberate indifference to known risks. Public universities (like UH or Texas A&M) have certain sovereign immunity defenses, but exceptions exist.
5. Third Parties: Property owners, landlords of off-campus houses, or alcohol providers.

The National Hazing Pattern: Lessons for Texas Families

The tragic case at UH is part of a devastating national pattern. Understanding these precedents shows how courts and juries view hazing and what outcomes are possible.

• Stone Foltz, Bowling Green State University (Pi Kappa Alpha, 2021): A pledge died from alcohol poisoning after being forced to drink a bottle of liquor. The family reached a $10 million settlement ($7M from the national fraternity, ~$3M from the university).
• Timothy Piazza, Penn State (Beta Theta Pi, 2017): A pledge died from traumatic brain injuries after a night of forced drinking, with help delayed for hours. The case led to the Timothy J. Piazza Anti-Hazing Law in Pennsylvania and resulted in dozens of criminal charges.
• Max Gruver, LSU (Phi Delta Theta, 2017): A pledge died during a “Bible study” drinking game. The Max Gruver Act made hazing a felony in Louisiana.
• Danny Santulli, University of Missouri (Phi Gamma Delta, 2021): A pledge suffered permanent, catastrophic brain damage from forced drinking. His family settled with 22 defendants, illustrating the wide net of liability.

These cases prove that forced drinking rituals, delayed medical help, and institutional cover-ups lead to severe legal consequences. They also show that national fraternities often face liability because the same dangerous “traditions” are repeated across chapters—a pattern we see in Texas.

The Texas Greek Ecosystem: Data Every Parent in Rotan Should Know

We maintain a Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine built from public records to understand the full landscape of Greek organizations in our state. This data is critical for identifying all potentially liable parties in a lawsuit.

Statewide Snapshot: Public IRS filings and business records show over 125 Texas-registered Greek organizations (house corporations, alumni chapters, honor societies) with federal employer IDs and official addresses. Furthermore, commercial data aggregators indicate there are over 1,423 fraternity and sorority-related entities operating across 25 Texas metropolitan areas.

What This Means for Rotan Families: When hazing occurs, the investigation must look beyond the undergraduate chapter name. There are often separate legal entities—like housing corporations and alumni associations—that own property, hold insurance, and share responsibility. For example, in the ongoing UH Pi Kappa Phi case, the Beta Nu Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity Housing Corporation Inc. (EIN 46-2267515, Frisco, TX 75035) is a named defendant alongside the national organization and individuals.

Our investigative approach uses this data to map the entire organizational structure behind a chapter, ensuring no responsible entity escapes accountability. This is the depth required to succeed against well-funded national organizations.

Where Rotan Students Go: Campus-Specific Realities

Families in Rotan and Fisher County send their students to a variety of Texas institutions. Understanding the environment at these schools is key.

Texas Tech University (Lubbock): As a major regional university, Texas Tech has a significant Greek life presence and a large student population. Hazing incidents here would fall under Lubbock County jurisdiction, but the legal principles remain the same as in Houston or Austin. Any family from our area dealing with an incident at Texas Tech needs counsel familiar with both Texas hazing law and the specific dynamics of that campus.

Major Statewide Hubs (UH, Texas A&M, UT Austin, Baylor, SMU): Many Rotan students also attend these larger universities. Each has its own history:

• University of Houston: As seen in the Bermudez case, UH faces serious litigation alleging systemic failure. The university called the conduct “deeply disturbing” and the chapter was shut down.
• Texas A&M University: Has faced lawsuits against fraternities and within its Corps of Cadets alleging severe physical and sexualized hazing.
• University of Texas at Austin: Maintains a public hazing violations log, showing sanctions against groups like Pi Kappa Alpha for forced milk consumption and calisthenics.
• Baylor University & SMU: As private institutions, they have faced hazing scandals in athletics and Greek life, respectively.

The common thread is that hazing persists despite policies, and universities often struggle—or fail—to eradicate it. This is why independent legal action is frequently necessary to obtain true accountability and compensation.

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

Winning a hazing case requires a meticulous, data-driven approach. As we are demonstrating in the UH Pi Kappa Phi litigation, it involves:

1. Comprehensive Evidence Collection:

• Digital Forensics: Recovering deleted group chats (GroupMe, WhatsApp, iMessage), social media posts, and location data.
• Internal Documents: Obtaining pledge manuals, chapter bylaws, and communications between local and national organizations.
• University Records: Using discovery and public records requests to uncover prior complaints, disciplinary history, and internal investigations related to the group.
• Medical Documentation: Corroborating injuries with ER records, lab results (like creatine kinase levels for rhabdomyolysis), and psychological evaluations for PTSD.

2. Demonstrating Damages: A victim is entitled to recover:

• Economic Damages: All past and future medical expenses, lost wages, and loss of future earning capacity.
• 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 particularly egregious or reckless conduct, damages meant to punish the defendant and deter future behavior.

3. Overcoming Institutional Defenses: National fraternities and universities have sophisticated defense playbooks. They may argue: “The victim consented,” “It was a rogue chapter,” “It happened off-campus,” or “We have anti-hazing policies.” Our experience, including Mr. Lupe Peña’s background as a former insurance defense attorney, allows us to anticipate and dismantle these arguments by showing patterns of behavior, prior knowledge, and failed oversight.

Practical Guides for Parents, Students, and Witnesses

For Parents in Rotan:

• Warning Signs: Unexplained injuries, extreme fatigue, personality changes, secrecy about group activities, sudden academic decline, and constant anxiety about phone notifications.
• How to Talk to Your Child: Be calm, non-judgmental, and focused on safety. Ask open-ended questions: “Has anything made you uncomfortable?” “Do you feel pressured to do things you don’t want to do?”
• If Harm Occurs: Prioritize health, preserve evidence, document everything, and consult a lawyer before engaging with the university or organization.

For Students:

• Is This Hazing? If you feel pressured, coerced, endangered, or humiliated to belong, it likely is. “Tradition” is not an excuse.
• Your Rights: You have the right to be safe. You have the right to report. In Texas, good-faith reporters have immunity. You can leave any group at any time.
• Exiting Safely: Tell a trusted adult first. You can resign via email/text to create a record. Avoid “one last meeting” where pressure or retaliation might occur.

Critical Mistakes That Can Damage a Case:

1. Deleting digital evidence.
2. Confronting the organization before consulting a lawyer.
3. Signing university-offered settlement or release forms without legal review.
4. Posting details about the incident on social media.
5. Waiting too long to act, allowing evidence to disappear and statutes of limitations to expire.

Why Attorney911 for Hazing Cases: A Texas Firm Serving Rotan Families

When your family faces a hazing crisis, you need attorneys with the specific experience to take on powerful institutions. The Manginello Law Firm, PLLC (Attorney911) is built for this fight.

Our Litigation Advantage:

• Active, High-Stakes Experience: We are lead counsel in the Leonel Bermudez v. UH & Pi Kappa Phi lawsuit—a current, multi-million-dollar case against a major Texas university and national fraternity. This isn’t theoretical; it’s what we do every day.
• Insurance Insider Knowledge: Attorney Lupe Peña spent years as a defense attorney for national insurance companies. He knows how fraternity and university insurers value claims, fight coverage, and use delay tactics. We know their playbook because we used to help write it.
• Proven Against Billion-Dollar Defendants: Managing Partner Ralph Manginello was one of the few Texas attorneys involved in the BP Texas City explosion litigation. We are not intimidated by the deep pockets of national fraternities or universities.
• Data-Driven Investigation: We employ the Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine—using public records data to map organizational structures and identify every entity with potential liability and insurance coverage.
• Full-Spectrum Advocacy: With Ralph’s membership in the Harris County Criminal Lawyers Association (HCCLA), we understand both the criminal and civil sides of hazing cases, allowing us to advise clients comprehensively.

We serve families across Texas from our offices in Houston, Austin, and Beaumont. For families in City of Rotan, Fisher County, and throughout West Texas, we provide the experienced, aggressive representation necessary to navigate this complex legal terrain and fight for the justice and compensation your family deserves.

Your Next Step: A Confidential Consultation

If you suspect your child has been hazed or injured in connection with a campus organization, you are not alone. The path forward begins with information and experienced guidance.

We offer a free, confidential, no-obligation consultation to every family that contacts us. In this conversation, we will:

• Listen carefully to your story.
• Review any evidence you have gathered.
• Explain your legal rights and options under Texas law.
• Outline the investigation process and potential strategies.
• Answer your questions honestly, including those about costs (we work on a contingency fee basis—no fee unless we win).

Contact The Manginello Law Firm, PLLC / Attorney911 Today:

• Call: 1-888-ATTY-911 (1-888-288-9911)
• Direct Line: (713) 528-9070
• Website: https://attorney911.com
• Email: ralph@atty911.com or lupe@atty911.com

Se habla Español. Mr. Peña provides fluent Spanish-language legal services.

For the families of City of Rotan and all of Texas, we are here to help you through this crisis. Let us use our experience, data, and dedication to fight for your child’s future and hold every responsible party accountable.

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 evidence. We encourage you to seek qualified legal counsel to discuss your specific situation. The information is current as of late 2025.

The Manginello Law Firm, PLLC / Attorney911
Legal Emergency Lawyers™
1-888-ATTY-911 | https://attorney911.com
Offices in Houston, Austin, and Beaumont, Texas