The Definitive Guide to Hazing Incidents & Lawsuits in Texas: A Resource for Sabine County Families

If you are a parent in Sabine County, your worst nightmare may start with a phone call in the middle of the night. Your child, a student at a Texas university, is in the hospital. The story you get is confusing—something about a fraternity event, maybe too much to drink, maybe a “tradition” that went too far. You hear words like “pledge,” “bid night,” and “brotherhood,” but what you see is your child injured, traumatized, and afraid.

Right now, in Texas, we are actively litigating one of the most serious hazing cases in the country. It involves Leonel Bermudez, a pledge at the University of Houston (UH), and the Pi Kappa Phi fraternity’s Beta Nu chapter. This is a $10 million hazing and abuse lawsuit filed in late 2025, and our firm, Attorney911, represents him. The allegations are not vague rumors; they are specific, documented, and brutal.

According to extensive media coverage, Bermudez’s fall 2025 pledge period involved being forced to carry a degrading “pledge fanny pack” containing condoms and sex toys, enduring weeks of forced labor and humiliation, and facing extreme physical abuse. This included being sprayed in the face with a hose “similar to waterboarding,” forced to consume massive quantities of milk, hot dogs, and peppercorns until vomiting, and subjected to punishing workouts that culminated in a Nov. 3 session of over 100 push-ups and 500 squats. The result? Bermudez developed rhabdomyolysis (severe muscle breakdown) and acute kidney failure. He passed brown urine, could not stand without help, and was hospitalized for four days with critically high creatine kinase levels. The Pi Kappa Phi chapter was suspended and then shut down, with UH calling the conduct “deeply disturbing.”

This is not an isolated story from a distant state. This is happening here, at a major Texas public university. And if it can happen at UH, it can happen at Texas A&M, UT Austin, SMU, Baylor, or any of the campuses where Sabine County families send their children.

This guide is written specifically for parents and families in Sabine County and across East Texas. We will explain what modern hazing truly looks like, break down Texas law and your family’s rights, examine the realities at major Texas universities, and show you how experienced legal counsel can pursue accountability and help prevent this from happening to another family.

IMMEDIATE HELP FOR HAZING EMERGENCIES

If your child is in danger RIGHT NOW:

• Call 911 for any medical emergency.
• Then call us at 1-888-ATTY-911 (1-888-288-9911). We are the Legal Emergency Lawyers™ for a reason.

In the First 48 Hours:

1. Get Medical Attention: Even if your child insists they are “fine,” a medical evaluation is critical to document injuries.
2. Preserve Evidence BEFORE It’s Deleted:
   • Screenshot all group chats (GroupMe, WhatsApp, texts), DMs, and social media posts.
   • Photograph any injuries from multiple angles.
   • Save physical items (clothing, receipts, objects used in hazing).
3. Write Down Everything: While memory is fresh, document who, what, when, and where.
4. Do NOT:
   • Confront the fraternity, sorority, or university directly.
   • Sign anything from the university or an insurance company.
   • Post details on public social media.
   • Allow your child to delete messages or “clean up” evidence.

Contact an experienced hazing attorney immediately. Evidence disappears fast. Call Attorney911 at 1-888-ATTY-911 for a free, confidential consultation.

Part 1: Hazing in 2025 – What It Really Looks Like in Texas

Hazing is no longer just about silly pranks. It is a calculated pattern of coercion, control, and abuse designed to test loyalty through humiliation and endurance. For Sabine County parents, understanding its modern forms is the first step to recognizing the danger.

The Three Tiers of Hazing

Tier 1: Subtle Hazing – The “Gateway”
This establishes power imbalance and sets the stage for worse. It includes:

• Mandatory servitude: Acting as a 24/7 designated driver, cleaning members’ rooms, running personal errands.
• Social isolation: Being told to cut contact with non-members, family, or significant others.
• Psychological control: Being assigned a derogatory nickname, forbidden from speaking unless spoken to, required to attend late-night “meetings” that interfere with sleep and class.
• Digital monitoring: Being forced to share live phone location, respond instantly to all group chat messages at any hour, or submit social media for approval.

Tier 2: Harassment Hazing – The “Endurance Test”
This causes measurable physical and emotional distress.

• Sleep deprivation: Woken for 3 AM “study sessions,” forced to stay awake for days.
• Forced consumption: Eating massive amounts of bland food (like gallons of milk) or disgusting mixtures until vomiting.
• Extreme calisthenics: “Smokings” with hundreds of push-ups, wall-sits until collapse, forced runs.
• Public humiliation: Forced to wear degrading costumes in public, perform embarrassing acts, endure “roasting” sessions.

Tier 3: Violent Hazing – Where Lives Are Destroyed
This has a high potential for catastrophic injury or death—exactly what we allege happened to Leonel Bermudez at UH.

• Forced/coerced alcohol consumption: “Big/Little” nights with handles of liquor, drinking games where wrong answers mean chugging, lineups where pledges must drink until they pass out.
• Physical beatings: Paddling, punching, kicking, “gladiator” fights.
• Dangerous rituals: Blindfolded tackles (“glass ceiling”), exposure to extreme cold, being tied up or restrained.
• Sexualized hazing: Forced nudity, simulated sexual acts, sexual assault.

The line between these tiers is often blurred, and “traditions” escalate quickly. What starts as carrying a fanny pack can, within weeks, lead to a student in the ICU with kidney failure.

Part 2: Texas Law & Liability – What Sabine County Families Need to Know

Texas has robust laws against hazing, but navigating them requires understanding both criminal and civil pathways.

Texas Education Code – Chapter 37 (The Hazing Statute)

The law defines hazing broadly as any intentional, knowing, or reckless act (on or off campus) directed at a student for the purpose of initiation, affiliation, or maintaining membership in a group, that:

• Endangers the mental or physical health or safety of the student.

Key Provisions for Sabine County Families:

• § 37.151: Hazing can be mental or physical harm. Location doesn’t matter.
• § 37.152: Criminal penalties range from a Class B Misdemeanor to a State Jail Felony if the hazing causes serious bodily injury or death.
• § 37.155: “Consent is NOT a defense.” Even if your child “agreed,” it is still a crime under Texas law. This directly counters the number one excuse used by perpetrators.
• § 37.154: Immunity for Good-Faith Reporting. Those who call for help in an emergency are protected from liability. This is critical—students should never hesitate to call 911.

Criminal vs. Civil Cases: Two Paths to Accountability

1. Criminal Case: Brought by the state (DA or prosecutor). Goal is punishment (jail, fines, probation). Charges can include hazing, furnishing alcohol to minors, assault, or manslaughter.
2. Civil Lawsuit: Brought by the victim and their family. Goal is financial compensation for damages and holding all responsible parties accountable. You do not need to wait for a criminal conviction to file a civil case.

Who Can Be Held Liable in a Civil Hazing Lawsuit?

A thorough investigation by a firm like ours looks at the entire chain of responsibility:

• Individual Members: The students who planned, executed, or covered up the hazing.
• Chapter Officers: The president, pledgemaster, risk manager who enabled or failed to stop it.
• The Local Chapter: As an entity, if it is incorporated.
• The National Fraternity/Sorority Headquarters: For failing to supervise, enforce policies, or for having prior knowledge of dangerous patterns. (This is a key defendant in the UH Pi Kappa Phi case).
• The University: For negligent supervision, deliberate indifference to known risks, or Title IX violations. (UH is a named defendant in our Bermudez lawsuit).
• Housing Corporations & Alumni Associations: The entities that own properties or provide oversight.
• Third Parties: Landlords of off-campus houses, bars that overserved alcohol.

Part 3: National Patterns – Lessons for Texas from Catastrophic Cases

The hazing that injured Leonel Bermudez at UH is not unique. It follows a national script that has led to deaths, lifelong injuries, and multi-million dollar verdicts. Understanding these patterns shows why institutions are often legally liable.

• Stone Foltz – Bowling Green State (Pi Kappa Alpha, 2021): Pledge died from alcohol poisoning after being forced to drink a bottle of whiskey. Outcome: $10 million settlement ($7M from national, $3M from university).
• Timothy Piazza – Penn State (Beta Theta Pi, 2017): Pledge died from traumatic brain injuries after a night of forced drinking, with help delayed for hours. Outcome: Dozens of criminal convictions; changed Pennsylvania law.
• Max Gruver – LSU (Phi Delta Theta, 2017): Pledge died from alcohol toxicity after a “Bible study” drinking game. Outcome: $6.1 million verdict; Louisiana passed the “Max Gruver Act.”
• Danny Santulli – Univ. of Missouri (Phi Gamma Delta, 2021): Pledge suffered permanent, severe brain damage from forced drinking. Outcome: Settlements with 22 defendants; life-long care needed.

The Common Threads: Forced drinking, delayed medical care, a code of silence, and national organizations with long histories of similar incidents. These cases prove that when universities and national fraternities fail to act on foreseeable risks, they are held accountable in court. The same legal principles apply right here in Texas.

Part 4: The Texas University Landscape – Where Sabine County Families Send Their Kids

Sabine County students often attend universities close to home or venture to major hubs across the state. Each campus has its own Greek life ecosystem and history with hazing.

For Sabine County Families: Your Local & Regional Connections

Many students from Sabine County and the surrounding East Texas region attend these nearby institutions, which are part of the broader Texas Greek system we track:

• Stephen F. Austin State University (Nacogdoches): A major regional university with active fraternity and sorority life.
• University of Texas at Tyler
• Texas A&M University-Commerce
• Kilgore College and Tyler Junior College (with connections to four-year Greek systems)

Furthermore, Sabine County families commonly send children to the state’s flagship universities, where Greek life is prominent and national hazing patterns manifest.

University of Houston (UH) – The Active Case

Our firm’s ongoing litigation against UH and Pi Kappa Phi makes this a critical case study for all Texas parents.

• The Allegations: As detailed in the Click2Houston report on UH Pi Kappa Phi hazing, the hazing was systematic, occurring at the chapter house, a Culmore Drive residence, and Yellowstone Boulevard Park.
• University Response: UH labeled it “deeply disturbing” and the chapter was shut down. This demonstrates institutional awareness.
• For Families: UH has reporting channels through the Dean of Students and UHPD. Civil cases involving UH may be filed in Harris County courts.

Texas A&M University – Corps and Greek Life Complexities

• The Corps of Cadets: Has faced lawsuits alleging severe hazing, including a 2023 case where a cadet alleged being bound in a “roasted pig” position.
• Fraternity Incidents: A Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE) lawsuit alleged pledges were doused in industrial cleaner, causing severe chemical burns requiring skin grafts.
• For Families: A&M’s size and tradition-rich culture require specialized understanding of both Greek and Corps disciplinary systems.

University of Texas at Austin – Public Transparency

• Public Violations Log: UT maintains a public list of hazing violations, a resource for families. Past sanctions have involved Pi Kappa Alpha, Texas Wranglers, and others for forced drinking and physical abuse.
• Fraternity Lawsuits: The UT SAE chapter faced a lawsuit from an exchange student alleging a brutal assault in 2024.
• For Families: UT’s transparency can aid investigations, but it also shows hazing persists despite public sanctions.

Southern Methodist University (SMU) & Baylor University

• SMU: As a private university, disciplinary processes can be less transparent. Kappa Alpha Order has faced suspensions for paddling and alcohol hazing.
• Baylor: Has dealt with hazing in its baseball program and navigates the complexity of its religious identity alongside accountability.

Part 5: The Organizations Behind the Letters – A Data-Driven Look

One of our firm’s key advantages is the Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine. We maintain detailed public records on Greek organizations across the state, allowing us to immediately identify all potentially liable entities in a case. This is not guesswork; it’s built from IRS filings, university rosters, and corporate records.

For Sabine County families, this means we understand the ecosystem your child has entered. The fraternity at your child’s school is not an island; it is part of a national brand with alumni chapters, housing corporations, and insurance policies spread across Texas.

Public Records Directory: Greek Organizations Connected to Texas Campuses

To illustrate the depth of our investigative work, here is a snapshot of the types of entities we track. These are real, publicly registered organizations in Texas:

Fraternity & Sorority Housing and Alumni Entities (Sample):

• Pi Kappa Phi Delta Omega Chapter Building Corporation (EIN: 37-1768785) – Missouri City, TX 77459
• Beta Nu Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity Housing Corporation Inc (EIN: 46-2267515) – Frisco, TX 75035
• Kappa Sigma – Mu Gamma Chapter Inc (EIN: 27-3662583) – Lufkin, TX 75904
• Alpha Sigma Phi Fraternity Inc – Theta Delta Chapter (EIN: 47-5370943) – Houston, TX 77204
• Sigma Chi Fraternity Epsilon Xi Chapter (EIN: 74-6084905) – Houston, TX 77204
• Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc. – Sigma Gamma Chapter (EIN: 39-2352450) – Houston, TX 77254
• Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi – Texas A&M University Chapter (EIN: 90-0293166) – College Station, TX 77843
• Building Corporation of Delta Chapter of Alpha Delta Pi (EIN: 74-6047117) – Austin, TX 78705

Why This Matters: When hazing occurs, liability may extend beyond the undergraduate students to the housing corporation that owns the property, the alumni board that provides oversight, and the national headquarters that collects dues and sets policy. Our pre-existing directory means we start an investigation miles ahead, knowing exactly how to find every entity with potential responsibility and insurance coverage.

Part 6: Building a Hazing Case – Evidence, Strategy, and Damages

Winning a hazing case requires a meticulous, aggressive approach from attorneys who are not intimidated by powerful institutions. This is where our firm’s unique background is decisive.

Critical Evidence in the Digital Age

• Group Chats (GroupMe, WhatsApp, iMessage): The #1 source of evidence. Shows planning, coercion, and boasting.
• Social Media (Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok): Photos/videos of hazing acts, even if posted as “jokes.”
• Internal Fraternity Records: Pledge manuals, “tradition” documents, meeting minutes.
• University Records: Prior conduct violations, police reports, Clery Act filings, and internal emails obtained through discovery.
• Medical Records: Essential to prove the cause and extent of injuries, from ER reports to psychological evaluations for PTSD.

Our Firm’s Strategic Advantages for Texas Families

• Insurance Insider 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 try to deny claims, lowball settlements, and exploit delays. We know their playbook because we used to run it. Learn more about Mr. Peña’s background.
• Complex Institutional Litigation Experience: Managing partner Ralph Manginello was one of the few Texas attorneys involved in the BP Texas City explosion litigation. We have faced billion-dollar defendants with endless legal resources. Universities and national fraternities do not intimidate us. See Ralph Manginello’s full profile.
• Multi-Million Dollar Wrongful Death & Injury Results: We have a proven record of securing significant compensation in catastrophic injury cases, working with economists and life-care planners to ensure families are provided for long-term.
• Full-Spectrum Capability: With Mr. Manginello’s membership in the Harris County Criminal Lawyers Association (HCCLA), we can also advise on the criminal defense aspects that often intertwine with civil hazing cases, protecting witnesses or former members who want to cooperate.

Recoverable Damages in a Hazing Case

• Economic Damages: All medical bills (past and future), lost wages, lost educational costs, diminished future earning capacity.
• Non-Economic Damages: Compensation for physical pain, emotional trauma, humiliation, PTSD, and loss of enjoyment of life.
• Wrongful Death Damages: In the ultimate tragedy, families can seek compensation for funeral costs, loss of companionship, and their own emotional suffering.

Part 7: Practical Guide for Sabine County Parents & Students

Warning Signs Your Child May Be Being Hazed

• Physical: Unexplained injuries, bruises, burns; extreme exhaustion; significant weight change; signs of alcohol poisoning.
• Behavioral: Sudden secrecy; withdrawing from family and old friends; personality changes (anxiety, depression); defensiveness about the group; constant phone anxiety for group chats.
• Academic: Grades plummeting; missing classes; falling asleep in school.
• Digital: Being forced to share location; having social media controlled; deleting message histories.

What to Do If You Suspect Hazing

1. Talk Calmly: Ask open-ended questions. “Are you safe?” “Is anything making you uncomfortable?” Listen without judgment.
2. Preserve Evidence: If they show you messages, help them screenshot everything. Photograph injuries.
3. Seek Medical Care: Health comes first. A medical record also creates crucial documentation.
4. Report: Options include campus police, the Dean of Students, and local law enforcement. The National Anti-Hazing Hotline (1-888-NOT-HAZE) allows anonymous reporting.
5. Consult a Lawyer FIRST: Before making formal statements or meeting with university officials, talk to an attorney who can protect your child’s rights and advise on strategy. Watch our video on client mistakes that can ruin your injury case.

Critical Mistakes to Avoid

• Deleting Evidence: Messages seem embarrassing, but they are proof.
• Confronting the Fraternity/Sorority: This triggers their defense team and leads to evidence destruction.
• Signing University Paperwork: Universities may offer “internal resolution” that waives your right to sue.
• Waiting Too Long: Texas has a statute of limitations. Evidence fades, witnesses graduate. Act quickly. Understand the deadlines in our video on Texas statutes of limitations.

Part 8: Why Attorney911 for Your Texas Hazing Case

For Sabine County families, the choice of legal counsel is the most important decision after ensuring your child’s safety. You need more than a general personal injury firm. You need a team built for complex institutional warfare, with a track record of facing—and beating—the largest defendants.

We Are Currently in the Fight. Our active representation of Leonel Bermudez in his $10 million lawsuit against the University of Houston and Pi Kappa Phi is not just a case study; it is proof of our commitment and capability right now. We are not theorizing about hazing litigation; we are leading it.

Our Texas Roots and Reach. While our principal office is in Houston, we serve families across Texas, including Sabine County and all of East Texas. We understand Texas courts, Texas juries, and the specific cultures of Texas universities. Se habla Español—Mr. Peña provides fluent Spanish-language legal services.

No Fee Unless We Win. We work on a contingency fee basis for personal injury cases. You pay no upfront costs, and our fee is a percentage of the recovery we secure for you. This makes aggressive, high-quality legal representation accessible to every family. See how it works in our video on contingency fees.

Your Next Step: A Free, Confidential Consultation

If hazing has hurt your child and your family, you are not alone. The path to accountability starts with a conversation.

We invite you to contact The Manginello Law Firm, PLLC (Attorney911) for a free, no-obligation case evaluation. In this confidential consultation, we will:

• Listen carefully to your story.
• Review any evidence you have gathered.
• Explain your legal rights and options under Texas law.
• Outline how we would investigate and build a case.
• Answer your questions honestly, including about costs and timelines.

There is no pressure to hire us. Our goal is to empower you with the information you need to make the best decision for your family’s future and your child’s healing.

Call us 24/7 at 1-888-ATTY-911 (1-888-288-9911). You can also reach us directly at (713) 528-9070 or via email at ralph@atty911.com or lupe@atty911.com.

Visit our website at https://attorney911.com to learn more about our firm and our proven results in wrongful death and catastrophic injury cases.

Legal Disclaimer
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Reading this does not create an attorney-client relationship. Each case is unique, and outcomes depend on specific facts and law. If you believe you have a hazing claim, please contact an attorney immediately for advice pertaining to your individual situation.

The Manginello Law Firm, PLLC / Attorney911
Call: 1-888-ATTY-911 (1-888-288-9911)
Website: https://attorney911.com