An Oregon man, Michael Meyden, was sentenced to two years in prison for drugging his daughter and her friends with fruit smoothies laced with a sleeping medication during a sleepover. Meyden, 57, from the Portland suburb of Lake Oswego, pleaded guilty to three felony counts of causing another person to ingest a controlled substance. He expressed remorse during his sentencing, stating that his “whole life is destroyed” and everything important to him is now gone.
Last summer, Meyden planned a fun sleepover for his daughter and her three friends, all age 12 at the time. When the girls did not go to bed by 11pm as he wanted, he decided to spike their fruit smoothies with a sleeping medication. Two of the friends consumed the drugged drinks and passed out, while a third girl refused and alerted a family friend. The unsettling incident came to light when the family friend discovered Meyden checking on the girls to ensure they were asleep.
The girls tested positive for benzodiazepine at a local hospital, a medication used to treat insomnia and anxiety. One of the mothers of the affected girls made a powerful statement during Meyden’s sentencing, condemning his actions as those of a parent with nefarious intent. The shocking incident serves as a harsh reminder of the consequences of reckless and dangerous behavior toward children.
