Benzodiazepine is a depressant that slows the nervous system.
A 57-year-old man in the United States has been accused of creeping over his daughter's friends after he drugged them with smoothies laced with sedatives. According to a report by the New York Post, Michael Meyden was caught after one of the three 12-year-old girls alerted her mother in the middle of the night through a text.
The report revealed that the girl texted her mom with a desperate plea for help at 01:45 A.M. and begged to be rescued from the home in Lake Oswego, south of Portland.
The report quoted the 12-year-old's text as reading, “Mom please pick me up and say I had a family emergency. I don't feel safe. I might not respond but please come get me (crying emoji), Please. Please pick up. Please. PLEASE!!.”
As per the Lake Oswego police, on Wednesday, Mr Michael turned himself in at the Clackamas County Jail. This was after a grand jury issued an indictment, accusing Mr Michael of multiple felonies and misdemeanours stemming from last year's sleepover on August 26.
The report stated that the officials didn't speculate on any motive.
However, a probable cause affidavit obtained by Oregon Live confirmed that Mr Michael mixed mango smoothies with benzodiazepine, and served it to his daughter's friends.
It added that benzodiazepine is a depressant that slows the nervous system.
The Oregon Live report also claimed that the charges being faced by Mr Michael include causing another person to ingest a controlled substance and application of a controlled substance to the body of another person.
Mr Michael's lawyer, Mark Cogan has reportedly stated that he hadn't seen any evidence in the case. Mr Cogan said, “Mr Meyden is presumed innocent and we hope that people will reserve judgment until all of the facts and circumstances are known.”
However, in the emergency room at Randall Children's Hospital at Legacy Emanuel in Portland, three girls tested positive for benzodiazepine.
The NY Post report stated that the girls told cops that during their sleepover they watched movies and “did facials” before Mr Michael prepared the smoothies and “insisted they drink them.”
The affidavit noted that their drinks include “tiny white chunks throughout and sprinkled on top,” and Mr Michael continued to demand that they drink it, even when one said she didn't like hers.
After this, Mr Michael made repeated trips down to the basement where the girls were sleeping.
As per the affidavit, he also moved one girl's arm and moved her body on the bed. She “remained awake in fear that Mr. Meyden was going to do something” to her friend.
Another girl talked about feeling “woozy, hot and clumsy” after drinking the smoothie. She mentioned subsequently blacking out, falling into a “‘thick, deep sleep' that she had never experienced before,” stated the affidavit.
After one of the girls was rescued from the sleepover, her parents immediately called the families of the other girls to take them home.
When other parents arrived around 3 A.M., Mr Michael resisted letting the girls go home, as per the authorities.
On Wednesday, Mr Michael pleaded not guilty during his arraignment in Clackamas County Circuit Court and his bail was set at $50,000.