The Definitive Guide for Warren City & East Texas Families: Hazing, Texas Law, and Holding Fraternities & Universities Accountable

A Message to Parents in Warren City, Gregg County & East Texas

Imagine getting a call in the middle of the night. Your child, a freshman at a Texas university, is in the emergency room. Their story is fragmented, filled with shame and fear. They talk about being forced to drink, about extreme “workouts,” about humiliation disguised as tradition. You learn the words “rhabdomyolysis” and “acute kidney failure.” You see the brownish urine in the hospital bag. The university sends a carefully worded email. The fraternity’s national headquarters issues a statement about “zero tolerance.” And you, sitting in your home in Warren City, Longview, or anywhere across Gregg County, are left with a horrifying reality: your child was nearly killed for wanting to belong.

This is not a hypothetical. Right now, we are actively litigating one of the most serious hazing cases in Texas. 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 brutal: a “pledge fanny pack” filled with humiliating items, forced consumption of milk and hot dogs until vomiting, being sprayed in the face with a hose “similar to waterboarding,” and a November 3rd workout of 100+ push-ups and 500 squats that led to rhabdomyolysis, acute kidney failure, and a four-day hospitalization. This case, filed in Harris County in late 2025, is proof that severe, life-threatening hazing is happening right now at Texas universities.

If you are a parent in Warren City, Longview, Kilgore, or anywhere in East Texas, this guide is for you. You send your children to universities across our state with trust and pride. This article will arm you with the knowledge to recognize hazing, understand the Texas legal landscape, and know how to fight for accountability when that trust is shattered.

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). We provide immediate help—that’s why we’re the Legal Emergency Lawyers™.
• In the first 48 hours:
  • Get medical attention immediately, even if your child insists they are “fine.”
  • Preserve evidence BEFORE it’s deleted: screenshot group chats and texts immediately, photograph injuries from multiple angles, save any physical items.
  • Write down everything your child tells you while memory is fresh (who, what, when, where).
  • Do NOT:
    • Confront the fraternity, sorority, or team directly.
    • Sign anything from the university or an insurance company.
    • Post details on public social media.
    • Let your child delete messages or “clean up” evidence.
• Contact an experienced hazing attorney within 24–48 hours. Evidence disappears fast. We can help preserve it and protect your child’s rights. Call 1-888-ATTY-911 for an immediate, confidential consultation.

Hazing in 2025: What It Really Looks Like for Texas Students

Hazing is not just “boys will be boys” or “harmless tradition.” It is a calculated pattern of abuse that uses power, peer pressure, and secrecy to degrade, control, and endanger. For East Texas families, understanding its modern forms is the first step to protection.

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 mental or physical health or safety of that student. Crucially, under Texas law, the victim’s “consent” is not a defense.

The Four Main Categories of Modern Hazing

1. Alcohol & Substance Hazing: The most common and deadly. This includes forced chugging, “lineup” drinking games, “Big/Little” nights with handles of liquor, and coerced consumption of drugs or unknown substances.
2. Physical Hazing: Beyond “conditioning.” This includes paddling, beatings, extreme calisthenics (“smokings”), sleep deprivation, food/water restriction, exposure to extreme elements, and dangerous physical tests like blindfolded tackles.
3. Sexualized & Humiliating Hazing: Designed to shame and degrade. This includes forced nudity, simulated sexual acts, wearing degrading costumes, acts with racial or sexist overtones, and public shaming rituals.
4. Psychological & Digital Hazing: The 24/7 control system. This includes verbal abuse, isolation, threats, and the modern arsenal of digital coercion: mandatory constant responses in group chats (GroupMe, WhatsApp), location tracking, social media humiliation, and forced posting of compromising content.

This abuse occurs not just in fraternities and sororities, but in Corps of Cadets programs, athletic teams, spirit groups like cheer and dance, marching bands, and other campus organizations. The common threads are power imbalance, secrecy, and the exploitation of a young person’s desire to belong.

Texas Law & Liability: A Framework for Warren City Families

When hazing touches your family, you are navigating two parallel legal systems: criminal and civil. Understanding both is key to achieving true accountability.

Texas Hazing Law (Education Code Chapter 37)

Texas has strong anti-hazing statutes. Key provisions every East Texas parent should know:

• Definition (§37.151): Hazing is defined broadly as reckless or intentional acts that endanger physical or mental health for the purpose of initiation or affiliation.
• Criminal Penalties (§37.152):
  • Class B Misdemeanor: Basic hazing (up to 180 days jail, $2,000 fine).
  • Class A Misdemeanor: Hazing that causes injury requiring medical treatment.
  • State Jail Felony: Hazing that causes serious bodily injury or death.
• Consent is NOT a Defense (§37.155): Even if your child “agreed,” it is still a crime. The law recognizes that consent under peer pressure is not valid.
• Immunity for Reporting (§37.154): Individuals who in good faith report hazing or seek medical help are generally immune from prosecution related to that report. This is critical—it protects those who call 911.

Civil Liability: The Path to Accountability & Compensation

A criminal case, handled by the state, seeks punishment. A civil lawsuit, which your family can file, seeks compensation for harms and losses, and forces institutional accountability. The two can proceed simultaneously.

In a civil hazing case, multiple parties can be held liable:

• Individual Students: Those who planned, carried out, or actively concealed the hazing.
• The Local Chapter: If it operates as a legal entity (many have housing corporations).
• The National Fraternity/Sorority: Headquarters that collect dues, set policies, and oversee chapters. Their knowledge of prior incidents at other chapters is crucial.
• The University: Public universities like Texas A&M and UT have certain immunity, but can be liable for gross negligence, Title IX violations (if hazing is sexualized), or failing to act on known dangers. Private universities like Baylor and SMU have fewer immunity barriers.
• Third Parties: Property owners, landlords, or alcohol providers.

Federal Overlays: The Stop Campus Hazing Act, Title IX & Clery

• Stop Campus Hazing Act (2024): Requires colleges receiving federal aid to report hazing incidents transparently and maintain public hazing data (phasing in through 2026).
• Title IX: When hazing involves sexual harassment or gender-based hostility, it triggers the university’s Title IX obligations for investigation and response.
• Clery Act: Requires reporting of certain campus crimes; hazing incidents often overlap with assault, burglary, or alcohol crimes in these reports.

National Hazing Case Patterns: The Script Texas Chapters Follow

Tragically, hazing incidents follow predictable scripts. National fraternities see the same deadly patterns repeat across the country. These are not “isolated incidents”; they are systemic failures.

• The Alcohol Poisoning Death:

  • Stone Foltz – Bowling Green State (Pi Kappa Alpha, 2021): Forced to drink a bottle of alcohol; died. $10 million settlement ($7M from national, ~$3M from university).
  • Max Gruver – LSU (Phi Delta Theta, 2017): “Bible study” drinking game; died. Led to Louisiana’s felony Max Gruver Act.
  • Andrew Coffey – Florida State (Pi Kappa Phi, 2017): “Big Brother” night; died. FSU suspended all Greek life.

• The Violent Ritual Death:

  • Chun “Michael” Deng – Baruch College (Pi Delta Psi, 2013): Blinded, weighted down, and tackled in a “glass ceiling” ritual; died from brain injury. The national fraternity was criminally convicted.

• The Catastrophic, Non-Fatal Injury:

  • Danny Santulli – Univ. of Missouri (Phi Gamma Delta, 2021): Forced drinking led to permanent brain damage; cannot walk, talk, or see. Multi-million-dollar settlements with 22 defendants.
  • Sigma Alpha Epsilon at Texas A&M (2021): Pledges allegedly doused with industrial-strength cleaner, causing severe chemical burns requiring skin grafts. $1 million lawsuit filed.

These national cases set the precedent. They prove foreseeability. When a chapter at UH, Texas A&M, or UT engages in the same forced drinking or violent rituals, the national headquarters cannot claim ignorance.

Texas University Focus: Where Warren City & East Texas Families Send Their Kids

East Texas is proud of its universities. Families from Warren City and Gregg County send their children to schools across the state, from the local campuses to the major flagship institutions. Here is what you need to know about hazing at the universities most connected to our community.

LeTourneau University (Longview, TX – In Gregg County)

• Campus Snapshot: A private Christian university in our own county. While its Greek life is less traditional, hazing risks exist in athletic teams, aviation programs, and other close-knit student groups.
• For Warren City Families: This is your most local campus. Incidents here would involve local law enforcement and courts you know. Any organized group that uses coercion as part of joining is a potential risk.
• Action Steps: The principles of Texas hazing law apply equally here. Document, seek medical care, and report to both LeTourneau administration and local Longview police if a crime occurred.

Texas A&M University (College Station, TX)

• Campus Snapshot: A culture rich in tradition, including a massive Greek system and the Corps of Cadets. This combination can sometimes foster high-risk behaviors under the guise of “building discipline.”
• Documented Incidents:
  • Corps of Cadets Lawsuit (2023): A cadet alleged degrading hazing including being bound in a “roasted pig” position with an apple in his mouth. Sought over $1 million in damages.
  • Sigma Alpha Epsilon Chemical Burns (2021): As noted above, a severe case resulting in lawsuits and chapter suspension.
• For East Texas Families: Texas A&M is a premier destination for our students. Its size and tradition require extra vigilance. The Corps and fraternities have distinct but overlapping hazing risks.
• How a Case Proceeds: Could involve Texas A&M University Police, Brazos County Sheriff, and civil filings in Brazos County. The University and The Texas A&M University System are potential defendants.

University of Texas at Austin (Austin, TX)

• Campus Snapshot: A flagship campus with a highly transparent approach to hazing. UT Austin maintains a public online log of hazing violations—a resource few schools provide.
• Documented Incidents (From Public Log):
  • Pi Kappa Alpha (2023): New members directed to consume excessive milk and perform strenuous calisthenics. Chapter placed on probation.
  • Sigma Alpha Epsilon (Ongoing): Multiple reports of assault and hazing, including a 2024 case where an Australian exchange student alleged a severe assault at a party.
• For East Texas Families: UT’s transparency is a tool. You can check an organization’s history before your child joins. This public record also becomes powerful evidence in a lawsuit, showing a pattern.
• How a Case Proceeds: Involves UT Police, Austin PD, and Travis County courts. UT’s public data can significantly strengthen a civil claim.

University of Houston (Houston, TX)

• Campus Snapshot: A large, diverse urban campus with active Greek life. Our firm’s flagship case against UH demonstrates the severe risks present.
• The Flagship Case – Leonel Bermudez v. UH & Pi Kappa Phi:
  • The Hazing: “Pledge fanny pack” humiliation, forced overeating, hose spraying “like waterboarding,” and the brutal November 3rd workout at Yellowstone Boulevard Park.
  • The Injury: Rhabdomyolysis and acute kidney failure. Brown urine, inability to stand, four-day hospitalization.
  • The Response: Pi Kappa Phi national suspended the Beta Nu chapter on November 6, 2025. Members voted to surrender their charter on November 14. UH called the conduct “deeply disturbing.”
  • The Lawsuit: $10 million lawsuit against UH, UH System Board of Regents, Pi Kappa Phi national, the chapter housing corporation, and 13 individual members. We represent Mr. Bermudez.
  • Media Coverage: Detailed in Click2Houston, ABC13, and Hoodline.
• For East Texas Families: This active case proves that the most severe hazing is happening now in Texas. It shows the full range of defendants we pursue: from individual members to the highest levels of the university system.

Baylor University (Waco, TX) & Southern Methodist University (Dallas, TX)

• Private University Context: Both are prestigious private schools with significant Greek life and athletic programs. Their private status means less public transparency, but does not diminish legal liability.
• Notable Incidents: Baylor has faced hazing allegations within its baseball program. SMU has suspended chapters like Kappa Alpha Order for paddling and forced drinking.
• Key Consideration: Discovery in a lawsuit against a private university can often uncover internal reports and prior incidents that are not publicly listed.

The Greek Ecosystem in Texas: Public Records & Organizational Histories

We don’t start investigations from scratch. We maintain a Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine built from public records. This data shows the vast network of organizations behind the Greek letters on campus.

Public Records: A Snapshot of Texas Greek Organizations

The following are real entities recorded in IRS and public filings. This directory illustrates the complex web of house corporations, alumni chapters, and national organizations that can share liability in a hazing case.

• Kappa Sigma – Mu Camma Chapter Inc – EIN 133048786 – 3007 Earl Rudder Fwy S, College Station, TX 77845 (IRS B83 filing)
• Gamma Phi Beta Sorority Inc – EIN 161675890 – 115 Wild Wick Way, The Woodlands, TX 77382 (IRS B83 filing)
• Alpha Sigma Phi Fraternity Inc – EIN 475370943 – 5019 Calhoun Rd, Houston, TX 77204 (IRS B83 filing – Theta Delta Chapter)
• Beta Nu Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity Housing Corporation Inc – EIN 462267515 – 10601 Big Horn Trl, Frisco, TX 75035 (IRS B83 filing – Connected to UH chapter)
• Texas Kappa Sigma Educational Foundation Inc – EIN 741380362 – PO Box 470061, Fort Worth, TX 76147 (IRS B83 filing)
• Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity – EIN 746064445 – 1855 Highway 69 N, Nederland, TX 77627 (IRS B83 filing – Epsilon Kappa Chapter)
• Sigma Chi Fraternity Epsilon Xi Chapter – EIN 746084905 – 4300 Martin Luther King Blvd, Houston, TX 77204 (IRS B83 filing)
• Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi – EIN 900293166 – 114 Henderson Hall 4233 TAMU, College Station, TX 77843 (IRS B83 filing – Texas A&M Chapter)

Why This Data Matters: When hazing occurs, liability rarely stops with the individual students. The chapter’s housing corporation (which may hold insurance), the alumni board, and the national headquarters are all part of the organizational chain. Our ability to immediately identify and investigate these entities is a critical advantage for our clients.

Building a Hazing Case: Evidence, Damages & Attorney911’s Strategy

Building a winning hazing case requires a methodical, evidence-driven approach. It’s about connecting the dots between the act, the injury, and the institutional failures that allowed it to happen.

Critical Evidence Categories

1. Digital Communications: GroupMe, WhatsApp, iMessage, Discord, Instagram DMs. These often contain planning, bragging, admissions, and cover-up attempts. We use digital forensics to recover deleted messages.
2. Photos & Videos: Content filmed by members during events, shared in chats, or posted on social media. This is often the most damning visual evidence.
3. Internal Organization Documents: Pledge manuals, “tradition” lists, emails between officers. These show intent and pattern.
4. University Records: Prior conduct files, probation letters, Clery Act reports, and internal investigation documents obtained through discovery or public records requests.
5. Medical Records: ER reports, hospitalization notes, lab results (like creatine kinase levels for rhabdomyolysis), and psychological evaluations for PTSD, depression, and anxiety.
6. Witness Testimony: Other pledges, former members, roommates, RAs, and bystanders.

Recoverable Damages in a Hazing Case

A civil lawsuit seeks to make the victim and family whole, and to punish reckless behavior. Recoverable damages include:

• Economic Damages:
  • All past and future medical expenses (ER, hospitalization, surgery, therapy, lifelong care).
  • Lost wages and diminished future earning capacity (if injuries prevent certain careers).
  • Educational costs (lost tuition, missed semesters, transfer expenses).
• Non-Economic Damages:
  • Physical pain and suffering.
  • Mental anguish, emotional distress, PTSD, humiliation.
  • Loss of enjoyment of life.
• Wrongful Death Damages (if applicable):
  • Funeral and burial costs.
  • Loss of companionship, love, and financial support for the family.
• Punitive Damages: In cases of gross negligence or intentional conduct, to punish the defendant and deter future behavior.

For a detailed explanation of how we value cases and the contingency fee model, watch our video: How Do Contingency Fees Work?

Overcoming Common Defense Tactics

We know the playbook because Mr. Lupe Peña used to work on the defense side. We anticipate and counter their strategies:

• “The Pledge Consented”: Texas law §37.155 states consent is not a defense. We show the coercion and power imbalance.
• “It Was a Rogue Chapter”: We subpoena national fraternity records to show prior incidents and knowledge, proving pattern and foreseeability.
• “It Happened Off-Campus”: Liability is based on control and sponsorship, not just location. Nationals and universities still have duties.
• “Insurance Doesn’t Cover Intentional Acts”: We argue negligent supervision and failure to enforce policies—which are often covered. We fight bad faith denials.

Practical Guides & FAQs for Warren City Parents & Students

For Parents: Recognizing & Responding

Warning Signs:

• Unexplained injuries, bruises, or burns.
• Extreme fatigue, sleep deprivation, drastic weight change.
• Secretive about activities, sudden withdrawal from family/friends.
• Constant, anxious phone use for group chats.
• Personality changes: anxiety, depression, irritability.
• Financial pressure for unexplained “fines” or purchases.

What to Do:

1. Listen & Document: Ask open questions. Write down everything your child says with dates.
2. Secure Medical Care: Even if they resist. Get a full evaluation and tell the doctor it’s hazing-related.
3. Preserve Evidence: Help your child screenshot ALL digital communications. Photograph injuries.
4. Consult a Lawyer BEFORE Reporting: We can guide you on how to report to maximize safety and evidence preservation. Contact us at 1-888-ATTY-911.
5. Do Not: Confront the organization, sign university paperwork, or post on social media.

For Students: Your Safety & Rights

• Is This Hazing? If you feel coerced, endangered, or humiliated to join or stay in a group, it likely is.
• How to Exit Safely: Your safety comes first. You have the legal right to quit. Tell a trusted person outside the group first, then send a brief resignation text/email. Do not go to “one last meeting.”
• Call 911 in Emergencies: Texas law and most school policies protect those who call for help in good faith, even if underage drinking was involved.
• Report Anonymously: Use campus reporting portals or the National Anti-Hazing Hotline: 1-888-NOT-HAZE.

Critical Mistakes That Can Ruin a Case

1. Deleting Evidence: Screenshot everything first. Deleted messages look like a cover-up.
2. Confronting the Organization: This triggers their defense lawyers and evidence destruction.
3. Signing University “Resolution” Forms: These often contain liability waivers. Have an attorney review anything before signing.
4. Posting on Social Media: Defense investigators monitor everything. Inconsistencies hurt credibility.
5. Waiting Too Long: Evidence disappears, witnesses graduate, memories fade. Texas has a two-year statute of limitations for personal injury, but the clock starts ticking immediately. Learn more in our video: Is There a Statute of Limitations on My Case?

For a full list of pitfalls, watch our guide: Client Mistakes That Can Ruin Your Injury Case.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Can we sue a public university like Texas A&M or UT? Yes. Sovereign immunity has exceptions for gross negligence, Title IX violations, and when suing individuals in their personal capacity. Successful cases have been brought against public universities nationwide.
• How long do we have to file a lawsuit? Generally, two years from the date of injury in Texas. However, special rules can apply. Do not wait. Call us to understand your specific deadline.
• Will our name be public? Most cases settle confidentially before trial. We prioritize your family’s privacy and can seek protective orders for sensitive information.
• What if the hazing was “just” bullying or humiliation without physical injury? Emotional distress and psychological harm are real injuries under Texas law. If the conduct was severe and reckless, you may have a case.
• How do we pay for a lawyer? We work on a contingency fee basis for personal injury cases. This means you pay no attorney fees unless we win your case. Learn more here: How Do Contingency Fees Work?

Why Attorney911 for Texas Hazing Cases

When your family is facing a hazing crisis, you need more than a lawyer; you need advocates who understand the institutions you’re up against and have the proven skill to fight them.

Our Unique Qualifications:

• Insurance Insider Knowledge: Mr. Lupe Peña spent years as an insurance defense attorney at a national firm. He knows exactly how fraternity and university insurers value claims, deploy delay tactics, and fight coverage. We know their playbook because we used to run it.
• Complex Institutional Litigation Experience: Ralph Manginello is one of the few Texas attorneys involved in the BP Texas City explosion litigation. We have faced billion-dollar defendants with limitless legal budgets. We are not intimidated by national fraternities or university regents.
• Active, High-Stakes Hazing Litigation: We are not theorists. We are currently leading the Leonel Bermudez v. UH & Pi Kappa Phi $10 million lawsuit. This is your proof that we are on the front lines of Texas hazing litigation right now.
• Dual Civil & Criminal Expertise: Ralph’s membership in the Harris County Criminal Lawyers Association (HCCLA) means we understand the criminal side of hazing investigations. We can expertly advise clients navigating both criminal and civil exposure.
• Data-Driven Investigation: We maintain the Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine—a proprietary database of over 1,400 Greek organizations in Texas. We don’t start from zero; we start with intelligence.
• Spanish-Language Services: Se habla Español. Mr. Peña is fluent and can serve Spanish-speaking families with compassion and understanding.

We combine the investigative rigor of a major firm with the personalized attention your family deserves. We treat you like family because, in your most difficult moment, that’s what you need.

Your Next Step: A Confidential Consultation

If hazing has impacted your child and your family, you are not alone. From our offices in Houston, Austin, and Beaumont, we serve families across Texas, including those in Warren City, Longview, and every community in East Texas.

We invite you to contact us for a free, confidential, no-obligation consultation.

In your consultation, we will:

1. Listen carefully and compassionately to your story.
2. Review any evidence you have gathered.
3. Explain your legal rights and all available options.
4. Outline a potential strategy for investigation and advocacy.
5. Answer your questions about process, timing, and costs.

We know this is one of the most painful experiences a family can endure. Our mission is to guide you through this crisis with competence and care, to fight for the accountability your child deserves, and to help prevent this from happening to another family.

Contact The Manginello Law Firm, PLLC / Attorney911 Today

Call: 1-888-ATTY-911 (1-888-288-9911) – 24/7 Free Consultation Line
Direct: (713) 528-9070
Cell: (713) 443-4781
Website: https://attorney911.com
Email: ralph@atty911.com or lupe@atty911.com (Se habla Español)

Warren City, we are here for you. Call us.

Plain Text Links to Key Resources

News Coverage of the Leonel Bermudez / UH Pi Kappa Phi Hazing Lawsuit:

• Click2Houston Report: 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: https://abc13.com/post/waterboarding-forced-eating-physical-punishment-lawsuit-alleges-abuse-faced-injured-pledge-uhs-pi-kappa-phi-fraternity/18186418/
• Hoodline Summary: https://hoodline.com/2025/11/university-of-houston-and-pi-kappa-phi-fraternity-face-10m-lawsuit-over-alleged-hazing-and-abuse/

Attorney911 Educational Videos:

• Using Your Phone to Document Evidence: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLbpzrmogTs
• Texas Statutes of Limitations: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRHwg8tV02c
• Client Mistakes to Avoid: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3IYsoxOSxY
• How Contingency Fees Work: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=upcI_j6F7Nc

Firm Website:

• Main Contact: 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. Every case is fact-specific. For legal advice regarding your specific situation, please contact The Manginello Law Firm, PLLC at 1-888-ATTY-911 for a consultation.