Texas Hazing Lawsuits: A Comprehensive Guide for Winnsboro Families

If you’re a parent in Winnsboro, the call you never want to receive starts with the words, “Something happened at the fraternity house.” Maybe your child is at a University of Houston pledge event, a Texas A&M Corps function, or a Baylor University initiation. Suddenly, you’re navigating a nightmare of injuries, secrecy, and institutional stonewalling. Your “Aggie” or “Cougar” is hurt, and the very organization they trusted has become the source of their harm.

This is not a hypothetical. Right now, in Harris County, we are actively litigating one of the most serious hazing cases in Texas. We represent Leonel Bermudez, a University of Houston student who suffered rhabdomyolysis and acute kidney failure after alleged hazing by the Pi Kappa Phi Beta Nu chapter. According to a $10 million lawsuit filed in late 2025, his pledge period involved forced humiliation, extreme physical abuse, and medical catastrophe. The allegations, covered by Click2Houston and ABC13, describe a “pledge fanny pack” with degrading items, forced consumption of food until vomiting, and workouts involving hundreds of squats and push-ups. The Pi Kappa Phi chapter was suspended and then voted to surrender its charter.

This case is proof that catastrophic hazing is happening at Texas universities right now. For families in Winnsboro and across Wood County—whether your student is at a local campus like Jarvis Christian University or a major hub like UH, Texas A&M, or UT Austin—understanding the reality of hazing, the law, and your path to accountability is critical.

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).

In the first 48 hours:

1. Get medical attention immediately.
2. Preserve evidence: Screenshot group chats, photograph injuries, save physical items.
3. Write down everything your child says (who, what, when, where).
4. Contact an experienced hazing attorney. Evidence disappears fast.
5. Do NOT: Confront the organization, sign anything from the university, or post on social media.

We are The Manginello Law Firm, PLLC (Attorney911). We serve families across Texas, including Winnsboro and Wood County, from our offices in Houston, Austin, and Beaumont. This guide provides the information you need to protect your child and understand your legal options.

The Texas Greek Ecosystem: What Winnsboro Families Are Up Against

Fraternities and sororities are not just social clubs; they are complex networks of legal entities. When hazing occurs, liability can extend far beyond the individual students in the room. Our firm maintains a Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine, built from public records, to identify every organization that may share responsibility.

Public Records: Fraternities, Sororities & Greek Organizations Across Texas

For parents in Winnsboro, it’s crucial to understand who stands behind the Greek letters on your child’s campus. Below is a snapshot of the Texas-registered Greek organizations we track. These are public IRS (B83) and organizational records—the same data we use to build cases for families like yours.

A Sample of Texas Greek Entities from Public Filings:

• KAPPA SIGMA – MU CAMMA CHAPTER INC, EIN 133048786, 3007 EARL RUDDER FWY S, COLLEGE STATION, TX 77845-6681 (IRS B83 filing)
• GAMMA PHI BETA SORORITY INC, EIN 161675890, 115 WILD WICK WAY, THE WOODLANDS, TX 77382-1822 (IRS B83 filing)
• BETA NU PI KAPPA PHI FRATERNITY HOUSING CORPORATION INC, EIN 462267515, 10601 BIG HORN TRL, FRISCO, TX 75035-6629 (IRS B83 filing)
• PI KAPPA ALPHA FRATERNITY, EIN 746064445, 1855 HIGHWAY 69 N, NEDERLAND, TX 77627-8843 (IRS B83 filing)
• SIGMA CHI FRATERNITY EPSILON XI CHAPTER, EIN 746084905, 4300 MARTIN LUTHER KING BLVD, HOUSTON, TX 77204-3067 (IRS B83 filing)
• ALPHA SIGMA PHI FRATERNITY INC, EIN 475370943, 5019 CALHOUN RD, HOUSTON, TX 77204-7005 (IRS B83 filing)
• TEXAS RHO CHAPTER OF THE SIGMA PHI EPSILON FRATERNITY, EIN 741942292, 3217 S 3RD ST, WACO, TX 76706-4115 (IRS B83 filing)
• HONOR SOCIETY OF PHI KAPPA PHI, EIN 900293166, 114 HENDERSON HALL 4233 TAMU, COLLEGE STATION, TX 77843-0001 (IRS B83 filing for Texas A&M University)

Metro-Level Scope: The Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington metro area has over 510 Greek-related organizations. The Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land metro has 188. These include undergraduate chapters, alumni associations, housing corporations, and honor societies. When an incident occurs, we investigate this entire ecosystem to identify all potentially liable parties and their insurance coverage.

Where Winnsboro Families Send Their Kids: Campus Connections

Students from Winnsboro and Wood County attend universities across Texas. Understanding the hazing landscape at these schools is the first step in prevention and response.

Local & Regional Campuses:

• Jarvis Christian University (Hawkins, Wood County)
• Texas A&M University-Commerce (Commerce, Hunt County)
• University of Texas at Tyler (Tyler, Smith County)

Major Statewide University Hubs (Common Destinations for Winnsboro Students):

• University of Houston (UH) – Houston, Harris County
• Texas A&M University – College Station, Brazos County
• University of Texas at Austin (UT) – Austin, Travis County
• Baylor University – Waco, McLennan County
• Southern Methodist University (SMU) – Dallas, Dallas County
• Texas State University – San Marcos, Hays County
• Texas Tech University – Lubbock, Lubbock County

Each of these campuses has active Greek life, spirit groups, athletic teams, and Corps programs where hazing can—and does—occur. The patterns are often shockingly similar, regardless of the school’s size or reputation.

The Leonel Bermudez Case: A Texas Hazing Catastrophe

The ongoing case against the University of Houston and Pi Kappa Phi is a sobering example of what modern hazing entails. It is not “boys will be boys”; it is organized, degrading, and medically dangerous abuse.

The Alleged Hasing Conduct:

• Humiliation & Control: Pledges were required to carry a “pledge fanny pack” 24/7 containing condoms, a sex toy, nicotine devices, and other humiliating items. They faced enforced dress codes, hours-long “study blocks,” and overnight chauffeuring duties.
• Physical Torture: Activities included sprints, bear crawls, and “save-your-brother” drills at locations like Yellowstone Boulevard Park. Pledges were sprayed in the face with a hose “similar to waterboarding,” forced to lie in vomit-soaked grass, and subjected to cold-weather exposure in their underwear.
• Forced Consumption: Pledges were made to consume excessive amounts of milk, hot dogs, and peppercorns until they vomited, then were immediately forced to sprint.
• The “Breaking Point”: On November 3, 2025, Leonel Bermudez was forced through a workout of over 100 push-ups and 500 squats while reciting the fraternity creed under threat of expulsion.

The Medical Outcome:
After the November 3 workout, Bermudez’s health rapidly declined. He could not stand without help and began passing brown urine—a classic sign of muscle breakdown. Rushed to the hospital, he was diagnosed with rhabdomyolysis (severe skeletal muscle breakdown) and acute kidney failure. His creatine kinase (CK) levels were critically high. He was hospitalized for four days and faces an ongoing risk of permanent kidney damage.

The Institutional Response & Our Fight:
The lawsuit names 17 defendants: the University of Houston, the UH System Board of Regents, Pi Kappa Phi’s national headquarters, the Beta Nu housing corporation, and 13 individual fraternity leaders. After reports surfaced, Pi Kappa Phi HQ suspended the chapter on November 6, 2025. On November 14, chapter members voted to surrender their charter. UH called the conduct “deeply disturbing” and promised cooperation with law enforcement.

We are pursuing this case to secure justice for Leonel and to force the systemic changes needed to protect other students. As reported by Hoodline, this is a fight for accountability at the highest levels.

Texas Hazing Law: Your Legal Rights Explained

Texas has specific laws against hazing, but they are often misunderstood. For Winnsboro families, knowing these statutes is power.

Texas Education Code, Chapter 37 (Hazing):

• Definition: Hazing is any intentional, knowing, or reckless act that endangers the mental or physical health of a student for the purpose of initiation into, affiliation with, or maintaining membership in an organization.
• Key Point: Consent is NOT a defense. Even if your child “agreed” to participate, it is still legally hazing if the activity was coercive or dangerous.
• Criminal 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.
• Organizational Liability: The organization itself can be fined up to $10,000 and lose its university recognition.

Civil Liability vs. Criminal Charges:

• Criminal Case: Brought by the state (DA) to punish wrongdoing with jail time or fines. This does not compensate your family.
• Civil Lawsuit: Brought by your family to recover damages for medical bills, pain and suffering, and other losses. A criminal conviction is not required to file a civil case. Our focus is building the strongest civil case to hold every responsible party accountable and secure your child’s future.

Federal Overlays: Title IX & The Clery Act
If hazing involves sexual harassment, discrimination, or occurs alongside certain crimes, federal laws like Title IX and the Clery Act may apply, creating additional avenues for accountability against the university.

Building a Winnsboro Family’s Case: The Attorney911 Approach

When you choose our firm, you are choosing a team with a proven strategy for taking on powerful institutions. Our approach is data-driven, relentless, and informed by insider knowledge.

1. The Evidence Engine:
Hazing cases are won with digital evidence. We immediately work to preserve and recover:

• Group Chats (GroupMe, WhatsApp, iMessage): We secure screenshots and use forensics to recover deleted messages that show planning, coercion, and cover-ups.
• Social Media (Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok): Posts, stories, and DMs that document events or injuries.
• Internal Records: Through legal discovery, we obtain the fraternity’s/sorority’s risk management files, pledge education materials, and correspondence with its national headquarters.
• University Files: We subpoena prior conduct reports, Clery Act logs, and internal emails that may show the school had prior knowledge of problems.

Watch our video on using your phone to document key evidence: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLbpzrmogTs

2. Identifying All Liable Parties:
Using our Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine, we look beyond the local chapter. We investigate:

• The National Headquarters: Did they ignore red flags? Did their policies fail?
• The Housing Corporation: Who owns the house where the hazing occurred?
• Alumni Advisors & Boards: Who was providing oversight?
• The University: What did campus police, Greek life offices, or the Dean of Students know? When did they know it?

3. Damages: What Your Family Can Recover
The goal of a civil lawsuit is to make your family whole and punish reckless behavior. Recoverable damages include:

• All Medical Expenses: Past, present, and future care, including therapy for PTSD.
• Lost Wages & Future Earning Capacity: If injuries affect your child’s ability to work or finish their degree.
• Pain and Suffering: Physical pain and severe emotional distress.
• Punitive Damages: In cases of extreme recklessness (like the UH Pi Kappa Phi allegations), courts can award extra damages to punish the defendants and deter future conduct.

4. Our Unique Litigation Advantages:

• Insurance Insider Knowledge: Our attorney, Mr. Lupe Peña, spent years as an insurance defense lawyer for a national firm. He knows exactly how fraternity and university insurers try to deny, delay, and devalue claims. Learn about Mr. Peña’s background.
• Experience Against Giants: Founding attorney Ralph Manginello was one of the few plaintiff lawyers involved in the BP Texas City explosion litigation. We are not intimidated by billion-dollar institutions or their legal teams. Learn about Ralph’s experience.
• Dual Civil & Criminal Insight: Ralph’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 better advise families and witnesses.

Critical Mistakes That Can Harm a Hazing Case

In the chaotic aftermath of a hazing incident, well-meaning actions can accidentally destroy a case.

1. Deleting Evidence: Telling your child to “clear their phone” of embarrassing group chats or photos is the single worst step. This is obstruction. PRESERVE EVERYTHING.
2. Confronting the Fraternity/Sorority: This gives them a head start to lawyer up, destroy evidence, and coach members on a unified story.
3. Signing University Paperwork: Schools may offer a quick “internal resolution.” Signing often means waiving your right to sue. Do not sign anything without an attorney.
4. Posting on Social Media: Defense investigators monitor everything. Public posts can create inconsistencies used against you.
5. Waiting Too Long: Texas has a statute of limitations. Evidence vanishes, witnesses graduate, and memories fade.

We explain more common pitfalls in this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3IYsoxOSxY For deadlines, see our statute of limitations video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRHwg8tV02c

A Call to Action for Winnsboro Parents

If you suspect your child has been hazed—whether at a university in our region or anywhere in Texas—you are not alone, and you do not have to face this crisis without guidance.

We offer free, confidential consultations to Winnsboro families. In this meeting, we will:

• Listen carefully to your story.
• Review any evidence you have gathered.
• Explain your family’s legal rights and options under Texas law.
• Outline our investigative strategy for your potential case.
• Answer your questions about the process, including our contingency fee structure: you pay nothing unless we win.

How contingency fees work: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=upcI_j6F7Nc

We are The Manginello Law Firm, PLLC. We protect the injured and fight for accountability.

Call the Legal Emergency Lawyers™ today: 1-888-ATTY-911 (1-888-288-9911)
Direct: (713) 528-9070 | Website: https://attorney911.com

Se habla Español. Contact Mr. Lupe Peña at lupe@atty911.com for consultation in Spanish.

Legal Disclaimer
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Reading this does not create an attorney-client relationship. Every case is unique, and outcomes depend on specific facts and evidence. We encourage you to seek legal counsel for advice on your particular situation. The information is current as of late 2025.