LAKE OSWEGO, Ore. (KATU) — An Oregon man pleaded guilty to drugging his daughter and her friends with smoothies tainted by sleeping pills during a sleepover last year.
Michael Jay Meyden pled guilty at the Clackamas County Circuit Court to 3 counts of causing another person to ingest a controlled substance on June 10.
Police reported that on August 25, 2023, three of Meyden's daughter’s friends attended a sleepover at Meyden’s home. All four girls were 12 years old.
In court documents, the girls said that Meyden had been “very involved” in their activities during the sleepover, and “was constantly checking in on them and interjecting himself into their conversations.”
The girls told police that between 9 p.m. and 11 p.m., Meyden prepared the three visiting girls and his daughter smoothies that he “insisted” they drank.
Each smoothie had colored straws to distinguish the cup, and Meyden allegedly “was adamant that the girls drink out of their own cup.”
The girls described the smoothies as having “tiny white chunks throughout and sprinkled on top.” One of the girls did not like the smoothie and didn’t try it, but told police that Meyden then made her another smoothie and encouraged her to drink it.
Meyden also reportedly became upset when he thought one of the girls and his daughter had switched straws between smoothies.
The documents state the girls then retired to the basement to sleep. During the night, one of the girls said she became aware of Meyden entering the basement. The girl pretended to be asleep, and reported that Meyden took the sleeping friend next to her and “moved [her] body further toward the opposite side of the bed."
The conscious girl was alarmed and moved closer to her friend again. She said Meyden left the basement but then returned a little while later.
The girl said she pretended to be asleep again, and that this time Meyden again approached the friend he moved before and placed his finger under her nose and waved his hand in front of her face “as if to see if she was soundly asleep.”
Meyden then left the room again, the documents state. The conscious girl, scared, began to text and call her parents repeatedly. One of the messages is reported to say:
She also called and texted several family friends asking for a ride.
The court doc then alleges that Meyden re-entered the basement and stood near the headboard while “watching” the girl as she continued to pretend to be asleep, before going over to where the two other girls were sleeping.
A family friend received the conscious girl’s text and arrived at Meyden’s home to pick her up. Meyden let the girl leave. The girl told police she slammed the door very loudly while leaving, and was concerned when her friends didn’t wake up.
Upon arriving home, the girl woke her parents, who then tried to contact the parents of the other sleepover attendees.
The girl’s parents decided to go back to the Meyden home and retrieve the remaining two friends. Police report that the parents said upon their arrival around 3 a.m., Meyden was evasive and told them to come back and get the girls in the morning.
The parents insisted on taking the girls, and eventually, Meyden let them inside. The girls were awakened by the first girl’s parents, retrieved their things, and left the house. Meyden’s daughter remained in the home.
Police reported that during an interview with the girl Meyden had moved and waved his hand in front of she was moving and speaking slowly. The girl told them after drinking the smoothie, she felt “woozy, hot, and clumsy,” and “tipping over” before falling into a “thick, deep sleep.” Her parents told police the girl had been scared and dizzy after returning home and kept asking “what happened.”
The documents show the three friends at the sleepover tested positive for benzodiazepines at the hospital, which none of them were prescribed or would normally have access to.
Police explain that benzodiazepines are a depressant that can be used to cause sleepiness, confusion, impaired reflexes, and amnesia.
At the sentencing, the children and families provided victim impact statements during sentencing.
Michael Meyden was sentenced to two years in prison with three years of parole upon release.
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