Hazing & Campus Abuse: A Comprehensive Guide for Silverton Families & Briscoe County, Texas

If you are a parent in Silverton, Briscoe County, with a child in college, the unthinkable nightmare can start with a single phone call or a hesitant late-night confession. It might involve a fraternity “big brother” night that went too far, a Corps of Cadets “tradition” that crossed into abuse, or a sorority pledge retreat that turned dangerous. Right now, in Texas, we are fighting one of the most serious hazing cases in recent memory on behalf of a young man and his family. This reality underscores a critical truth for every family in Silverton, Quitaque, Turkey, and across the Texas Panhandle: the culture of dangerous hazing is not confined to faraway campuses; it thrives within institutions where your children seek community and belonging.

This guide is written specifically for parents and families in Silverton and Briscoe County, Texas. We will demystify what modern hazing truly looks like, explain your legal rights under Texas law, and detail the active, high-stakes litigation we are pursuing right now against a major Texas university and national fraternity. Whether your child attends West Texas A&M in Canyon, Texas Tech in Lubbock, or any campus across the state or nation, the patterns of coercion, institutional failure, and legal accountability are tragically similar.

If This Is Happening Right Now: Immediate Steps for Silverton Families

IMMEDIATE CRISIS ACTION:

• Call 911 if your child is injured, unconscious, or in immediate danger.
• Contact Attorney911: Call 1-888-ATTY-911. We provide immediate legal guidance for hazing emergencies.
• Seek Medical Care: Go to the nearest emergency room. Explain the hazing context to medical staff. For Silverton-area families, this may mean traveling to healthcare facilities in Plainview, Lubbock, or Amarillo.
• Preserve Evidence: Before anything is deleted:
  • Screenshot all group chats (GroupMe, WhatsApp, texts), social media posts, and DMs.
  • Photograph any injuries from multiple angles.
  • Write down everything your child tells you—names, dates, locations, specific acts.
• Do NOT:
  • Confront the fraternity, sorority, or university directly.
  • Let your child delete messages or “clean up” their phone.
  • Sign any documents from the school or an insurance company.
  • Discuss details on public social media.

The Active Case That Defines Our Fight: Leonel Bermudez vs. University of Houston & Pi Kappa Phi

To understand the gravity and complexity of hazing litigation, look no further than the case we are litigating right now. It is not a historical reference; it is a live, multi-million-dollar lawsuit that exemplifies the abuse Texas students face and the institutional systems that often enable it.

We represent Leonel Bermudez, a University of Houston student who suffered catastrophic injuries during his fall 2025 pledge period with the Pi Kappa Phi fraternity’s Beta Nu chapter. What was marketed as brotherhood devolved into systematic torture. Bermudez was subjected to a degrading “pledge fanny pack” rule, forced labor as an overnight driver, and brutal physical hazing at locations including the UH chapter house, a Culmore Drive residence, and Yellowstone Boulevard Park.

The abuse culminated on November 3, 2025, when Bermudez was forced through over 100 push-ups and 500 squats under threat of expulsion. In the days that followed, his body broke down. He was crawling up stairs, passing brown urine, and was rushed to the hospital by his mother. Doctors diagnosed him with rhabdomyolysis (severe muscle breakdown) and acute kidney failure, requiring a four-day hospitalization. Lab tests showed critically elevated creatine kinase levels. He faces an ongoing risk of permanent kidney damage.

This was not the action of a few “bad apples.” The lawsuit names 17 defendants, including the University of Houston, the UH System Board of Regents, Pi Kappa Phi’s national headquarters, the chapter’s housing corporation, and 13 individual fraternity leaders—the president, pledgemaster, risk manager, and others. The institutional response tells its own story: after reports surfaced, Pi Kappa Phi national suspended the chapter on November 6. On November 14, chapter members voted to surrender their charter, shutting it down. UH called the conduct “deeply disturbing” and promised cooperation with law enforcement.

This case, covered extensively by Click2Houston and ABC13, is the flagship proof of our firm’s active, serious hazing litigation. For families in Silverton, it is a stark example of what can happen when traditions turn toxic and institutions fail to protect.

The Greek Ecosystem & Public Records: What Silverton Families Are Up Against

Hazing does not occur in a vacuum. It is facilitated by a complex network of legally recognized organizations. We maintain a proprietary Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine, built from public IRS records, university data, and commercial databases, tracking over 1,423 Greek-related entities across 25 Texas metros. This isn’t abstract data; it’s the map we use to identify every potentially liable organization behind a hazing incident.

For Silverton and Briscoe County families, the relevant Greek networks are often centered where your children attend school. While Silverton itself is not a major Greek life hub, our children attend universities across Texas where these organizations are deeply embedded.

A Snapshot of Texas Greek Organizations (From Public IRS B83 Filings):
The following are examples of the types of entities we track. These are not accusations but illustrations of the organizational landscape recorded in public filings:

• Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority – EIN 364091267 – Waco, TX 76710
• Kappa Sigma – Mu Gamma Chapter Inc – EIN 273662583 – Lufkin, TX 75904
• Alpha Sigma Phi Fraternity Inc (Theta Delta Chapter) – EIN 475370943 – Houston, TX 77204
• Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi (University of Texas at Tyler Chapter) – EIN 352335400 – Tyler, TX 75799
• Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity (Epsilon Kappa Chapter) – EIN 746064445 – Nederland, TX 77627
• Beta Nu Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity Housing Corporation Inc – EIN 462267515 – Frisco, TX 75035
• Texas Kappa Sigma Educational Foundation Inc – EIN 741380362 – Fort Worth, TX 76147

In the Lubbock Metro area (which includes Texas Tech University, a common destination for Panhandle students), Cause IQ data shows 59 Greek organizations. Nearby, the Amarillo Metro has 18, and the College Station-Bryan Metro (Texas A&M) has 42. These entities include undergraduate chapters, alumni associations, housing corporations, and educational foundations—all of which can hold insurance policies and bear legal responsibility.

Where Silverton & Briscoe County Families Send Their Students

Parents in Silverton understand the value of education and often support their children attending universities across Texas. While local options include South Plains College in Levelland or West Texas A&M in Canyon, many students seek degrees at larger institutions with significant Greek life systems. Our legal work often involves cases connected to these schools:

Major Texas Universities with Active Greek Life:

• Texas Tech University (Lubbock, TX) – A major destination for Panhandle students.
• West Texas A&M University (Canyon, TX) – The closest four-year university to Silverton.
• Texas A&M University (College Station, TX)
• University of Texas at Austin (Austin, TX)
• University of Houston (Houston, TX)
• Baylor University (Waco, TX)
• Texas State University (San Marcos, TX)

At each of these campuses, fraternities and sororities operate within Interfraternity Councils (IFC), Panhellenic Councils, and the National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC). The national organizations present—Pi Kappa Alpha, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, Phi Delta Theta, Kappa Sigma, and others—have documented histories of hazing incidents across the country, which becomes critical evidence in proving foreseeability and negligence in Texas lawsuits.

Texas Hazing Law Explained: Rights for Briscoe County Families

Texas has specific statutes to combat hazing, found in the Texas Education Code, Chapter 37, Subchapter F. Understanding these laws is the first step toward accountability.

Key Provisions of Texas Hazing Law:

• Definition (Sec. 37.151): Hazing is any intentional, knowing, or reckless act directed against a student for the purpose of initiation into or affiliation with an organization, that endangers the mental or physical health or safety of the student. This applies on or off campus.
• Criminal Penalties (Sec. 37.152): Hazing is a Class B misdemeanor. It becomes a Class A misdemeanor if the hazing causes bodily injury, and a State Jail Felony if it causes serious bodily injury or death. Individuals who fail to report hazing or who retaliate against reporters also face criminal charges.
• Organizational Liability (Sec. 37.153): The organization itself can be prosecuted and fined up to $10,000 if it authorized or encouraged the hazing, or if an officer knew and failed to report it.
• Consent is NOT a Defense (Sec. 37.155): Crucially, Texas law states that the victim’s “consent” to the hazing activity is not a defense. This legally negates the common argument that “they wanted to be part of it.”
• Immunity for Reporters (Sec. 37.154): A person who reports hazing in good faith to school officials or law enforcement is immune from civil or criminal liability.

In addition to state law, federal frameworks like the Clery Act and Title IX can apply, especially if hazing involves sexual harassment or assault. The Stop Campus Hazing Act of 2024 is also increasing transparency requirements for universities nationwide.

Building a Hazing Case: The Attorney911 Investigative & Legal Strategy

When a family from Silverton contacts us, we deploy a methodical, data-driven strategy honed from years of complex litigation against powerful institutions.

1. Evidence Preservation & Investigation:
We move immediately to secure evidence before it disappears. This includes:

• Digital Forensics: Recovering deleted group chats (GroupMe, WhatsApp, SMS), social media posts, and location data.
• Institutional Records: Subpoenaing university conduct files, prior incident reports, Clery Act logs, and communications between the campus and the national fraternity/sorority.
• National Organization Discovery: Obtaining the national fraternity’s risk management manuals, prior violation history for the chapter, and internal communications.
• Expert Collaboration: Working with medical experts to document injuries like rhabdomyolysis or traumatic brain injury, psychologists to diagnose PTSD, and economists to calculate lifelong impacts.

2. Identifying All Liable Parties:
Using our Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine, we trace liability beyond the individual members to include:

• The individual perpetrators.
• The local chapter (as an entity).
• The national fraternity/sorority headquarters.
• The chapter housing corporation (like those listed in the IRS data).
• The university (for negligent supervision or deliberate indifference).
• Property owners of off-campus hazing venues.

3. Overcoming Defense Tactics:
We anticipate and counter common defenses:

• “They Consented”: We cite Texas 37.155 and argue coercion inherent in the power imbalance.
• “Rogue Actors”: We use pattern evidence from the national organization’s history to show foreseeability.
• “Off-Campus Activity”: We argue the university and national maintain control and benefit from the chapter regardless of location.
• “Insurance Exclusions”: Mr. Lupe Peña’s background as a former insurance defense attorney is invaluable here. We know how insurers try to deny coverage for “intentional acts” and fight to prove underlying negligence that triggers coverage.

Practical Guide & FAQs for Silverton Parents and Students

For Parents – Warning Signs:

• Unexplained injuries, bruises, or burns.
• Extreme fatigue, sleep deprivation, or drastic weight change.
• Secretive behavior about organizational activities.
• Sudden anxiety, depression, or withdrawal from family and old friends.
• Constant, anxious phone use related to group chats.
• Requests for money for unexplained “fines” or “required” purchases.

For Students – Is This Hazing? Ask Yourself:

• Am I being pressured or coerced?
• Would I do this if I truly had a free choice without social consequences?
• Is this activity dangerous, degrading, or illegal?
• Am I being told to keep it a secret from the university or my family?
  If you answer “yes,” it is hazing. Your safety comes first.

Frequently Asked Questions:

• Can we sue if this happened at a school far from Silverton?
  Yes. We are a Texas-based firm that handles cases across the state and works with co-counsel nationwide. The location of your child’s school does not prevent us from seeking justice.

• What if the hazing happened off-campus at a rented house?
  Location does not absolve liability. Universities and national organizations can still be held responsible for activities of their recognized chapters, and property owners may have liability as well.

• How long do we have to take legal action?
  In Texas, the statute of limitations for personal injury and wrongful death is generally two years. However, specific circumstances can affect this timeline. Do not wait. Evidence degrades and memories fade. We have a video explaining statutes of limitations in more detail.

• Will this bankrupt our family?
  No. We work on a contingency fee basis for hazing injury cases. This means you pay no upfront fees or costs. We only get paid if we successfully recover compensation for you. Learn more about how contingency fees work.

• Can the university punish my child for reporting?
  Texas law and most university policies provide amnesty for students who report hazing in good faith or seek medical help in an emergency, even if they were involved in underage drinking.

Why Attorney911 for Silverton Hazing Cases

When your family faces the trauma of hazing, you need advocates who understand both the human cost and the legal battlefield. The Manginello Law Firm, through Attorney911, brings a unique combination of expertise to hazing litigation.

Our Core Advantages:

• Active, High-Stakes Litigation Experience: We are not theorizing about hazing law; we are actively litigating the Leonel Bermudez vs. UH & Pi Kappa Phi case right now. We know the current tactics of university and fraternity defense teams.
• Insider Insurance Knowledge: Our attorney, Mr. Lupe Peña, spent years as a defense attorney for a national insurance firm. He knows exactly how fraternity and university insurers evaluate claims, fight coverage, and attempt to minimize payouts. Learn more about Mr. Peña’s background.
• Proven Record Against Giant Institutions: Founding attorney Ralph Manginello was one of the few Texas lawyers involved in the BP Texas City explosion litigation. We have experience facing billion-dollar defendants with endless legal resources and are not intimidated by national fraternities or major universities. See Ralph Manginello’s full profile.
• Data-Driven Investigation: Our Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine gives us a foundational advantage. We start with verified public records, not guesses, to identify all potentially liable parties.
• Statewide Service for Texas Families: While based in Houston, Austin, and Beaumont, we serve families across Texas, including those in Silverton, Briscoe County, and the entire Panhandle. We understand the concerns of rural families whose children attend school far from home.
• Spanish-Language Services: Mr. Peña is fluent in Spanish (Se habla Español), ensuring all families can access expert legal counsel in their preferred language.

Your Next Step: A Free, Confidential Consultation

If you suspect or know that your child has been hazed at any college or university, time is your most critical asset. Evidence vanishes, witnesses are coerced, and institutions circle their wagons.

We urge you to contact us for a free, completely confidential consultation. In this conversation, we will:

1. Listen carefully to your story.
2. Explain the legal options available under Texas and federal law.
3. Outline the investigative process.
4. Answer your questions about timelines, costs, and what to expect.
5. Help you preserve crucial evidence.

You do not have to navigate this alone. The institutions involved have powerful lawyers; you deserve the same level of advocacy focused entirely on your child’s recovery and your family’s pursuit of justice.

Contact The Manginello Law Firm / Attorney911 Today:

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

For families in Silverton, Quitaque, and all of Briscoe County: when hazing shatters the college experience, we are here to help you pick up the pieces and fight for accountability.

Plain Text Links to Key Resources:

• Click2Houston coverage of the UH Pi Kappa Phi case: https://www.click2houston.com/news/local/2025/11/21/only-on-2-lawsuit-alleges-severe-hazing-at-university-of-houstons-pi-kappa-phi-chapter-fraternity/
• ABC13 coverage of the UH Pi Kappa Phi case: https://abc13.com/post/waterboarding-forced-eating-physical-punishment-lawsuit-alleges-abuse-faced-injured-pledge-uhs-pi-kappa-phi-fraternity/18186418/
• Attorney911 Video: Using Your Phone to Document Evidence: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLbpzrmogTs
• Attorney911 Video: Statutes of Limitations: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRHwg8tV02c
• Attorney911 Video: Client Mistakes That Can Ruin a Case: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3IYsoxOSxY
• Attorney911 Video: How Contingency Fees Work: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=upcI_j6F7Nc
• Attorney911 Main Website: https://attorney911.com

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 applicable law. If you need legal advice, please contact The Manginello Law Firm, PLLC, for a consultation regarding your individual situation.