In the cusp of Lake Oswego, a suburban enclave nestled within the confounds of verdant Portland, Oregon, a deeply unsettling incident occurred that has left the community reeling. A 57 year old man, Michael Meyden, who committed an act of gross irresponsibility by serving a lethal cocktail of fruit smoothies laced with sedatives to his daughter and her friends during a sleepover, was meted out a custodial sentence of two years.
Meyden appeared contrite during Monday’s sentencing and pleaded guilty to the weighty charges – three felony counts of administering a controlled substance to another individual without their knowledge or consent. Overwhelmed with despair, he lamented to the court, “My whole life is destroyed,” before adding, “Everything that was important to me up until that point is gone.”
Meyden sought to explain his actions, which transpired during a fun-filled sleepover that he staged for his 12-year-old daughter and her friends last summer. Despite having been warned, the spirited group failed to heed his demand and retire for the night by 11 p.m. His motives, as he explained, were dual in nature – he desired a good night’s sleep for himself and wanted to ensure the girls were well-rested for the ensuing day.
However, Meyden’s attempt at disciplining the lively preteens took a dreadful turn when he decided to mix a sleeping medication into the fruit smoothies he had prepared for the girls. The authorities reported that two of the unsuspecting girls consumed the fateful drink and eventually succumbed to its effects. A third girl, however, refused to partake in the smoothie and swiftly raised an alarm with a family friend through a text message after witnessing a suspicious Meyden check on the slumbering girls.
The police report further stated that Meyden went beyond merely checking. He adjusted the arm of one girl and the body of another, and even went so far as to put his finger under one’s nose to check if she was deeply asleep.
Following the prompt intervention by the alerted family friend, the girl was safely picked up, and her parents were roused. They in turn contacted the families of the other girls involved in the unnerving incident.
An examination at a local hospital confirmed the worst – the girls had ingested benzodiazepine, a potent drug primarily used for managing insomnia and anxiety. According to prosecutors, Meyden’s daughter was among those who tested positive for the drug.
During the sentencing, a mother of one of the victims expressed her profound indignation to Meyden, stating, “No decent parent feels the need to drug their own child and her friends,” she added, “No decent parent feels the need to go down and confirm children are unconscious. No decent parent puts their hands on drugged and unconscious young girls without nefarious intent.”
The chilling tale stands as a stark reminder to parents and guardians on the need to practice vigilant discretion when entrusting their children’s safeties into the hands of others.
