(NewsNation) — An Oregon man accused of drugging three 12-year-olds who were having a sleepover with his daughter has been indicted on nine charges.
Michael Meyden, 57, turned himself in to authorities on Feb. 28, 2024, and pleaded not guilty during arraignment and posted bail of $50,000.
The sleepover occurred in August 2023, and according to court documents, Meyden was involved in the girls’ plans, checking in on them and making mango smoothies that appeared to have white bits in them. According to an affidavit, he even remade one smoothie after a girl complained about the taste and became angry when the girls were not drinking the smoothies or were sharing drinks.
According to police, one girl reported feeling woozy before falling into a deep sleep. Another girl managed to fake drinking her smoothie and stayed awake, reportedly seeing Meyden come into the basement where the girls were sleeping and try to test if they were asleep with actions like holding a finger under their nose.
The girl feigned sleep and, according to court filings, texted her parents and a family friend, asking them to come get her. After she was picked up, the other parents were notified and came to get their children. According to the filing, Meyden resisted letting the girls go, claiming they were sleeping and asking parents to come get them the following morning.
The families insisted on picking up their daughters immediately. One girl’s parents took her to the hospital after she allegedly had trouble walking without assistance and kept asking what was going on. All three girls tested positive for benzodiazepines.
Meyden is accused of lacing the smoothies with benzodiazepines, a class of drugs that includes Valium and Xanax and that have a sedating effect.
According to court records, Meyden and his wife divorced less than two months after the sleepover.