The Definitive Guide to Hazing Lawsuits in Texas: A Guide for Washington County, Brenham, Burton, Independence, and Navasota Families
Understanding Hazing Risk for Washington County College Students
Picture a fall evening in 2025. A University of Houston student, not unlike many young adults from Washington County studying in a nearby home like the one on Culmore Drive in Houston, is struggling to stand. His body has been pushed through hours of forced calisthenics—over 100 push-ups and 500 squats—threatened with expulsion from a fraternity if he fails. In the preceding weeks, he was forced to wear a humiliating “pledge fanny pack,” carry out overnight driving duties, and endure being sprayed in the face with a hose. Now, he is passing brown urine and his muscles are breaking down violently. He is rushed to the hospital and diagnosed with rhabdomyolysis and acute kidney failure, requiring a four-day hospitalization and facing a risk of permanent kidney damage.
This is not a hypothetical scenario. It is the real-life experience of Leonel Bermudez, a student whose $10 million hazing and abuse lawsuit against the University of Houston, the Pi Kappa Phi Beta Nu chapter, its national headquarters, and 13 individual members we at Attorney911 are actively litigating right now. The case, detailed in reports from Click2Houston and ABC13, alleges a pattern of extreme physical abuse, humiliation, and forced consumption that led to a medical catastrophe.
If you are a parent, grandparent, or family member in Washington County, Brenham, Burton, or any of our surrounding communities, your child may be at a Texas A&M University satellite program, Blinn College, Sam Houston State University, or a major hub like the University of Houston, Texas A&M in College Station, or UT Austin. The traditions and social pressures of Greek life and campus organizations do not stop at the county line. This guide is written specifically for you—to explain what modern hazing truly looks like, the Texas laws that protect your child, the heartbreaking national patterns we see repeated in Texas, and the legal pathways to accountability and recovery.
Immediate Help for Hazing Emergencies
If your child is in danger RIGHT NOW:
- Call 911 for any medical emergency.
- Then call us at Attorney911: 1-888-ATTY-911 (1-888-288-9911) for immediate legal guidance.
In the first 48 hours, it is critical to:
- Seek medical attention immediately, even if injuries seem minor. Conditions like rhabdomyolysis can be fatal.
- Preserve digital evidence: Take screenshots of all group chats (GroupMe, WhatsApp, texts), social media posts, and DMs BEFORE they are deleted. The importance of this step is explained in our video resource, Use Your Cellphone to Document a Legal Case.
- Document physically: Photograph injuries from multiple angles, save any clothing or items used in hazing, and write down everything your child tells you while memories are fresh.
- Do NOT:
- Confront the fraternity, sorority, or team directly.
- Allow your child to delete any digital communications.
- Sign any documents from the university or an insurance company.
- Discuss details on public social media.
Time is the enemy of justice in hazing cases. Evidence disappears rapidly. Contact our experienced hazing attorneys within 24-48 hours to protect your child’s rights and begin a strategic investigation.
Hazing in 2025: It’s Not Just “Party Pranks”
Hazing is any intentional, knowing, or reckless act—on or off campus—that endangers the mental or physical health or safety of a student for the purpose of initiation, affiliation, or membership. For Washington County families, it’s crucial to recognize that hazing has evolved far beyond stereotypes.
The Modern Hazing Toolkit
- Digital Coercion & Humiliation: Mandatory 24/7 monitoring via GroupMe or WhatsApp, where pledges must respond instantly at all hours. Forced participation in humiliating social media “challenges” or public shaming in group chats.
- Disguised “Workouts” and “Wellness”: Extreme, punitive calisthenics framed as “fitness tests” or “team bonding,” designed to cause exhaustion and injury, like the 100+ push-up and 500-squat ordeal in the UH Pi Kappa Phi case.
- Forced Consumption Rituals: Coerced eating or drinking of excessive amounts of specific items (milk, hot dogs, liquor) until vomiting, followed by immediate physical activity.
- Psychological Servitude: Enforced “study blocks,” overnight chauffeuring duties, mandatory interviews, and carrying degrading “pledge packs” with humiliating items.
- Organized Physical Abuse: “Bear crawls,” “wheelbarrow races,” “save-your-brother” drills, exposure to cold in inadequate clothing, and simulated torture like hose-spraying “similar to waterboarding.”
Where Hazing Happens
It is a fatal mistake to believe hazing is confined to fraternities. In Texas, we see severe hazing in:
- Sororities (through psychological abuse, sleep deprivation, forced exclusion).
- Corps of Cadets and ROTC Programs (using tradition to justify physical punishment and humiliation).
- Athletic Teams (from football and basketball to swimming and cheerleading).
- Marching Bands and Spirit Organizations (like Texas A&M’s Corps or UT’s spirit groups).
- Academic and Cultural Clubs.
The common thread is an imbalance of power, a culture of secrecy, and the misuse of tradition to justify abuse.
Texas Hazing Law & Legal Liability: A Washington County Primer
Texas has specific statutes to combat hazing, primarily found in the Texas Education Code, Chapter 37, Subchapter F. Understanding this framework is the first step toward accountability.
Texas Criminal Hazing Law (Education Code §37.151-§37.156)
- Definition: Any intentional, knowing, or reckless act that endangers physical or mental health for the purpose of initiation into or affiliation with an organization.
- Critical Provision – Consent is NOT a Defense (§37.155): Even if a student “agreed” to participate, it is not a legal defense. The law recognizes the coercive power of peer pressure and the desire to belong.
- Penalties: Hazing is a Class B misdemeanor. It becomes a Class A misdemeanor if it causes bodily injury and a State Jail Felony if it causes serious bodily injury or death. Organizations can be fined up to $10,000 per violation.
- Immunity for Reporters (§37.154): Individuals who in good faith report hazing to authorities are immune from civil or criminal liability. Many universities also have medical amnesty policies to encourage calling 911.
Civil Liability: The Path to Accountability and Recovery
A criminal case, brought by the state, seeks punishment. A civil lawsuit, which we file on behalf of victims and families, seeks compensation for damages and forces institutional change. In a civil hazing case, we can pursue multiple liable parties:
- Individual Perpetrators: The members who planned, carried out, or directed the hazing.
- Chapter Officers & Leadership: The pledge educator, president, risk manager, and others who had a duty to prevent or stop the abuse.
- The Local Chapter: As an organization that authorized or enabled the conduct.
- The National Fraternity/Sorority: Headquarters can be liable for negligent supervision, failure to enforce their own policies, and having “constructive notice” due to a pattern of similar incidents at other chapters.
- The University: Schools like UH, Texas A&M, or UT can be sued for negligent supervision, premises liability (if it occurred in a university-owned facility), or violations of federal statutes like Title IX if the hazing involves sexual harassment or gender-based discrimination.
- Housing Corporations & Property Owners: Entities that own fraternity houses or off-campus venues where hazing occurred.
The Federal Overlay: Title IX, Clery, and the Stop Campus Hazing Act
- Title IX: Requires universities to address hazing that creates a hostile environment based on sex, including sexualized hazing.
- Clery Act: Mandates reporting of certain crimes, including assaults that occur during hazing incidents.
- Stop Campus Hazing Act (2024): Requires colleges receiving federal aid to publish more transparent hazing data and strengthen prevention programs, with full implementation by 2026.
National Hazing Case Patterns: The Blueprint for Texas Litigation
The tragedies that have unfolded on campuses across America are not isolated. They form a predictable, repeated pattern that informs every case we handle in Texas. For Washington County families, these cases prove that what happened to Leonel Bermudez at UH is part of a national crisis.
The Alcohol Poisoning Pattern
- Timothy Piazza (Penn State, Beta Theta Pi, 2017): Died after a bid-acceptance night of forced drinking; brothers delayed calling 911. Resulted in the Timothy J. Piazza Anti-Hazing Law in Pennsylvania.
- Max Gruver (LSU, Phi Delta Theta, 2017): Died during a “Bible study” drinking game. Led to Louisiana’s Max Gruver Act, a felony hazing statute.
- Stone Foltz (Bowling Green State, Pi Kappa Alpha, 2021): Died after being forced to drink a bottle of alcohol. The family secured a $10 million settlement ($7M from the national fraternity, ~$3M from the university).
The Physical Torture & Ritual Pattern
- Chun “Michael” Deng (Baruch College, Pi Delta Psi, 2013): Died from traumatic brain injury after a blindfolded, violent “glass ceiling” ritual at a retreat. The national fraternity was criminally convicted and banned from Pennsylvania for 10 years.
- Danny Santulli (Univ. of Missouri, Phi Gamma Delta, 2021): Suffered permanent, catastrophic brain damage from forced alcohol consumption. His family reached multi-million dollar settlements with 22 defendants.
The Athletic Hazing Pattern
- Northwestern University Football (2023-2025): Widespread allegations of sexualized and racist hazing led to multiple lawsuits, the firing of the head coach, and confidential settlements, proving hazing permeates multi-million dollar athletic programs.
What This Means for You: These national precedents establish that hazing deaths and catastrophic injuries are foreseeable. When a national fraternity with a history of alcohol-related deaths fails to prevent the same “Big/Little” drinking ritual at a Texas chapter, that failure is negligence. We use these patterns to hold nationals accountable.
The Texas University Landscape: Where Washington County Students Are at Risk
Washington County families often send students to a mix of local institutions, regional campuses, and major state universities. Each has its own Greek ecosystem and hazing history.
University of Houston (UH) – A Current Crisis
The Leonel Bermudez v. UH & Pi Kappa Phi case is a stark, present-day example of severe hazing at a major Texas institution.
- The Incident: As detailed in media reports, Bermudez’s pledging involved a “fanny pack” of humiliating items, forced labor, sleep deprivation, and extreme physical hazing at the chapter house, a Culmore Drive residence, and Yellowstone Boulevard Park.
- The Harm: He developed rhabdomyolysis and acute kidney failure, passing brown urine and requiring multi-day hospitalization with critically high creatine kinase levels.
- Defendants: The lawsuit names UH, the UH System Board of Regents, Pi Kappa Phi national HQ, the Beta Nu housing corporation, and 13 individual fraternity leaders.
- Institutional Response: Pi Kappa Phi HQ suspended the chapter on Nov. 6, 2025. Members voted to surrender their charter on Nov. 14, shutting it down. UH called the conduct “deeply disturbing.”
- For UH Families: This case demonstrates that even as a commuter-friendly school, UH’s Greek life carries extreme risks. Hazing occurs both on and off-campus, and the university’s oversight is a central question in ongoing litigation.
Texas A&M University – Corps and Greek Life Crossroads
With its unique Corps of Cadets culture and massive Greek system, Texas A&M presents distinct hazing risks relevant to families across the region.
- Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE) Chemical Burns Case (2021): Pledges alleged they were doused with substances including industrial-strength cleaner, causing severe chemical burns requiring skin graft surgeries. The chapter was suspended, and a lawsuit was filed.
- Corps of Cadets “Roasted Pig” Lawsuit (2023): A cadet alleged degrading hazing including being bound between beds in a simulated sexual position with an apple in his mouth. The lawsuit sought over $1 million in damages.
- For Texas A&M Families: Vigilance is required for both Greek and Corps participation. The institution’s emphasis on tradition can sometimes be exploited to justify abusive behavior.
University of Texas at Austin – Transparency and Repeated Violations
UT Austin maintains a public Hazing Violations Log, offering a window into ongoing issues.
- Documented Cases: The log shows repeated sanctions against chapters for forced calisthenics, alcohol hazing, and psychological abuse. For example, Pi Kappa Alpha was sanctioned for forcing new members to consume milk and perform strenuous exercises.
- Sigma Alpha Epsilon Assault Case (2024): An Australian exchange student sued the UT SAE chapter, alleging an assault that caused a dislocated leg, broken nose, and fractured tibia.
- For UT Austin Families: The public log is a tool, but it also shows that even with transparency, violations continue. A documented prior violation can be powerful evidence in a civil lawsuit to show the university or national org had notice of dangerous patterns.
Southern Methodist University (SMU) & Baylor University
- SMU: As a private university with a prominent Greek system, SMU has faced hazing scandals, including a Kappa Alpha Order chapter suspension in 2017 for paddling and forced drinking.
- Baylor: Beyond its Greek life, Baylor’s athletic programs have faced scrutiny, including a 2020 baseball team hazing incident that resulted in 14 player suspensions.
For Families at All Texas Schools: The common denominator is that hazing persists despite policies. When prevention fails, litigation becomes the tool for accountability, safety reform, and compensating victims.
Fraternities & Sororities in Texas: The Organizations Behind the Letters
When a student is hazed at a Texas university, they are often encountering a local chapter of a national organization with a deep, and sometimes damaging, history. Our Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine—built from IRS public filings, university data, and metro organizational records—helps us trace liability from the local chapter all the way to the national headquarters and its insurance policies.
The Texas Greek Ecosystem: A Data-Driven View
Statewide, our data tracks over 1,423 Greek-related organizations across 25 Texas metros. For the Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land metro area, which is closely connected to Washington County, there are 188 such organizations. This includes undergraduate chapters, alumni associations, housing corporations, and honor societies—all potential entities involved in a hazing claim.
A Snapshot of Texas-Registered Greek Entities (From Public IRS B83 Filings):
- Beta Upsilon Chi Fraternity, EIN 74-2911848, Fort Worth, TX 76244
- Kappa Sigma – Mu Camma Chapter Inc, EIN 13-3048786, College Station, TX 77845
- Sigma Phi Lambda Inc, EIN 20-1237505, Corinth, TX 76210
- Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity, EIN 74-6064445, Nederland, TX 77627 (Epsilon Kappa Chapter)
- Alpha Sigma Phi Fraternity Inc, EIN 47-5370943, Houston, TX 77204 (Theta Delta Chapter)
- Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, EIN 26-3170920, Denton, TX 76204 (Texas Woman’s University Chapter)
These entities are not merely social clubs; they are structured organizations with Employer Identification Numbers (EINs), mailing addresses, and often, insurance policies. Identifying them is the first step in building a comprehensive lawsuit.
National Histories Matter: Pattern Evidence
A national fraternity’s history of hazing incidents elsewhere is not just background noise—it is evidence of foreseeability. When we represent a client hazed by a particular organization in Texas, we investigate that organization’s national record:
- Pi Kappa Alpha (ΠΚΑ): National pattern of fatal alcohol hazing (Stone Foltz at BGSU, David Bogenberger at NIU).
- Sigma Alpha Epsilon (ΣΑΕ): Multiple deaths and severe injury lawsuits nationwide, including cases at Texas A&M and UT Austin.
- Phi Delta Theta (ΦΔΘ): Max Gruver’s death at LSU.
- Pi Kappa Phi (ΠΚΦ): Andrew Coffey’s death at Florida State.
This pattern evidence helps prove that the national organization knew or should have known of the risks inherent in its chapters’ activities, strengthening claims for negligent supervision and supporting arguments for punitive damages.
Building a Hazing Case: Evidence, Strategy, and Damages
Pursuing a hazing case requires a methodical, evidence-first approach. At Attorney911, we combine investigative rigor with strategic legal insight honed over decades of complex litigation.
The Evidence Timeline: What to Preserve
- Digital Communications: The #1 source of evidence. This includes GroupMe, WhatsApp, iMessage, Discord, Instagram DMs, and Snapchat messages. We use digital forensics to recover deleted threads.
- Media Files: Photos and videos of the hazing, injuries, or parties, often shared within group chats or on social media.
- Medical Records: ER reports, hospitalization records, lab results (like CK levels for rhabdomyolysis), and follow-up care documenting the physical and psychological impact.
- Organizational Documents: Pledge manuals, chapter bylaws, meeting minutes, and communications with national headquarters.
- University Records: Prior conduct violations for the same chapter, obtained through discovery or public records requests.
- Witness Testimony: Accounts from other pledges, former members, roommates, and bystanders.
Our Strategic Advantages for Washington County Families
- Insurance Insider Knowledge: Our attorney, Mr. Lupe Peña (he/him), spent years as an insurance defense attorney for a national firm. He knows how fraternity and university insurers fight claims, deny coverage, and lowball settlements. We know their playbook because we used to run it.
- Complex Institutional Litigation: Managing partner Ralph Manginello was one of the few Texas attorneys involved in the BP Texas City explosion litigation. We are not intimidated by billion-dollar institutions, whether they are oil giants or national fraternities with deep pockets.
- Dual Civil & Criminal Expertise: Mr. Manginello’s membership in the Harris County Criminal Lawyers Association (HCCLA) means we understand the interplay between criminal hazing charges and civil lawsuits, allowing us to effectively advise clients navigating both systems.
- Comprehensive Damages Analysis: We work with economists, life-care planners, and medical experts to fully value a case—accounting for past and future medical costs, lost earning capacity, pain and suffering, and, in wrongful death cases, the profound loss to a family.
Understanding Damages in a Hazing Case
A civil lawsuit seeks to make the victim “whole” through financial compensation for:
- Economic Damages: Medical bills (emergency care, hospitalization, therapy), lost wages, future medical care, and diminished earning potential.
- Non-Economic Damages: Physical pain, emotional distress, psychological trauma (PTSD, anxiety, depression), humiliation, and loss of enjoyment of life.
- Wrongful Death Damages: Funeral expenses, loss of financial support, and the irreplaceable loss of love, companionship, and guidance for surviving family members.
- Punitive Damages: In cases of especially reckless or malicious conduct, courts may award damages to punish the defendant and deter future behavior.
We explain the full scope of these damages in our educational video, What Is Fair Compensation for Pain and Suffering?.
Practical Guides for Parents, Students, and Witnesses
For Washington County Parents: A Step-by-Step Guide
- Recognize the Signs: Unexplained injuries, extreme fatigue, sudden secrecy, personality changes, withdrawal from family, constant anxious phone use for group chats.
- Talk with Care: Ask open-ended questions. “How are the social aspects of the group? Is there anything that makes you uncomfortable?” Listen without immediate judgment.
- In a Crisis, ACT: If your child is injured or intoxicated, call 911 first. Prioritize medical care above all else.
- Preserve, Don’t Confront: Screenshot everything. Photograph injuries. Write down what you’re told. Do not confront the organization, as this triggers evidence destruction.
- Seek Specialized Counsel Early: Contact a law firm with specific hazing experience. The university’s internal process is not designed for victim compensation or full accountability. Understand your legal options by watching our video on Client Mistakes That Can Ruin Your Injury Case.
For Students: Your Rights and Safety
- You CANNOT “consent” to hazing under Texas law. Your agreement is not a legal defense for those who harmed you.
- You have a right to be safe. If you feel pressured, coerced, or endangered, you are likely being hazed.
- Exit Safely: If you need to leave, tell a trusted person outside the group first. You can resign via email/text; you do not owe an in-person explanation.
- Report Anonymously: You can report to the National Anti-Hazing Hotline at 1-888-NOT-HAZE or through many university anonymous reporting portals.
- Texas is a “one-party consent” state for recordings. You may legally record conversations you are a part of, which can be critical evidence.
Common Critical Mistakes to Avoid
- Deleting digital evidence.
- Discussing the case on public social media.
- Giving a recorded statement to a university or insurance adjuster without an attorney.
- Signing a university “resolution agreement” without having it reviewed by a lawyer.
- Waiting too long. Texas has a two-year statute of limitations for personal injury, but the clock starts ticking the day of the injury. Learn more in our video, Is There a Statute of Limitations on My Case?.
Why Attorney911 is the Right Choice for Texas Hazing Cases
When your family is facing the aftermath of hazing, you need advocates who combine relentless investigation with deep legal strategy. We are not a high-volume personal injury firm; we are complex litigation specialists who choose to take on the hardest cases against the most powerful opponents.
We are currently fighting one of the most serious hazing cases in the country—the Leonel Bermudez v. UH & Pi Kappa Phi lawsuit. We are not speaking in abstracts; we are in the trenches right now, facing a major university and a national fraternity. This gives us immediate, relevant insight into the defenses you will face and the strategies that work.
Our promise to Washington County families is this: We will investigate your case with the same depth and determination we apply to our multi-million dollar wrongful death and catastrophic injury practices. We will identify every potentially liable party, from the individual member who poured the drink to the national insurance policy that must provide coverage. We will fight for accountability that not only compensates your family but also forces the institutional changes that might prevent the next tragedy.
Your Next Step: A Confidential, No-Obligation Consultation
If hazing has impacted your child and your family, you do not have to navigate this alone. The path forward begins with a conversation.
Contact The Manginello Law Firm, PLLC (Attorney911) today for a free, confidential case evaluation.
- Call our 24/7 line: 1-888-ATTY-911 (1-888-288-9911)
- Direct Line: (713) 528-9070
- Email: ralph@atty911.com or lupe@atty911.com
- Website: https://attorney911.com
Hablamos Español. Mr. Lupe Peña provides fluent Spanish-language legal services.
In your consultation, we will:
- Listen carefully to your story.
- Explain the legal concepts and processes in plain English.
- Assess the immediate needs for evidence preservation.
- Outline the potential legal strategies specific to your situation.
- Explain our contingency fee structure: You pay nothing unless we recover compensation for you.
We serve families across Texas from our offices in Houston, Austin, and Beaumont. Whether your student attends school in Houston, College Station, Austin, or beyond, we have the experience and resources to help.
Legal Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Reading this article does not create an attorney-client relationship. Each case is unique, and outcomes depend on specific facts and applicable law. If you believe you or your child has been a victim of hazing, we strongly advise you to consult promptly with a qualified attorney to understand and protect your legal rights. The information is current as of late 2025/early 2026.
Plain Text Links to Key Resources:
- Attorney911 Main Website:
https://attorney911.com - Click2Houston Coverage of 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 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/ - Video: Using Your Cellphone to Document Evidence:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLbpzrmogTs - Video: Understanding Statutes of Limitation:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRHwg8tV02c - Video: Client Mistakes to Avoid:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3IYsoxOSxY - Video: How Contingency Fees Work:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=upcI_j6F7Nc
