The individual from Oregon accused of providing drug-laced mango smoothies to his daughter’s friends exhibited a concerning interest in the children of his co-workers, as revealed by sources familiar with the matter.
During his tenure as an HR director at the renewable energy company Avangrid, Michael Meyden was perceived as friendly and cheerful by colleagues. However, one former co-worker now questions his underlying intentions.
“He always wanted to know about our families,” shared a colleague who worked alongside him until 2021. “He’d inquire about my kids, their ages, and their interests. Then he’d share details about his own children. At the time, it seemed harmless.”
However, this colleague suggests that Meyden’s interest extended beyond typical office interactions. “He was the only co-worker who would engage with my daughter’s cheerleading photos on Facebook,” she remembered. “He would ask about her, remembering my kids’ names and ages. He paid attention to those details. I just assumed he was being friendly.”
Meyden, aged 57, faces multiple charges following an incident during a sleepover at his $1.2 million home in Lake Oswego, Oregon, on August 26 last year. According to a probable cause affidavit, Meyden allegedly provided three of his daughter’s 12-year-old friends with mango smoothies containing benzodiazepine, a nervous system depressant.
Two of the girls reportedly fell into a deep sleep, while a third frantically reached out to her parents and friends for help. Subsequently, all the girls’ parents arrived at Meyden’s home at 3 a.m. The next day, the girls were taken to the hospital after experiencing difficulty walking and having no recollection of the previous night.
One girl claimed she “blacked out” after consuming two smoothies, as per the affidavit. In a statement from the Lake Oswego Police Department, it was disclosed that Meyden was identified as responsible for the drugs found in the girls’ bloodstreams. Meyden is facing felony charges, including causing another person to ingest a controlled substance and applying a controlled substance to another person’s body.
He has pleaded not guilty and is currently out on $50,000 bond. Following the incident, Meyden and his wife divorced in October, with Meyden reportedly having no contact with his children and currently residing in hiding in Vancouver, Washington.
“The violation of trust is the worst betrayal any of us in the family have ever experienced,” a relative of his wife, Yukiko Ishida, told The Post. “He’s not fit to be around children, and I don’t think his own kids will ever talk to him again.”
