Horror Film Director Horrified by 17 Year-Old Paternity Lie

Andrew Douglas, director of the film "Amityville Horror," awakened to a nightmare 17 years in the making when he discovered that he is not the father of ex-wife Ameena Meer's daughter, as reported in the New York Post.

Douglas, upon results of a recent paternity test, is suing Meer for the past 17 years of child support.

Meer and Douglas met in London in 1989; she was working as a journalist, while he was a professional photographer. Their relationship was based on "infrequent sexual relations" a few times a year.

In 1992, Meer, then residing in New York, phoned Douglas in London to tell him of her pregnancy. The suit claims that she said it was "his child and asked him to marry her," as she preferred not to have a child without the benefit of marriage as it would "cause great shame and disgrace to her patents, both of whom were practicing Muslims."

Douglas agreed to the union and the couple married in London on August 18, 1992.

Shortly after giving birth, Meer moved in with Douglas in the U.K. Douglas, financially providing for the pair was "very excited and nervous about becoming a father for the first time."

By June the marriage had "deteriorated" and Meer announced that she would be taking her daughter with her back to New York. The suit says that Meer coupled this with the threat that "a price tag was attached" if he wanted to try and maintain a relationship with his child now and in the future.

Douglas began paying $1500 a month for child support, schooling and insurance.

Douglas and the girl had "little physical contact during her early years because the parties resided on different continents." Douglas, due to the nature of his long-distance parenting role, experienced "emotional distress, anxiety and depression." Meer also made him feel that he "was a bad father."

Around the child's tenth birthday, and with Douglas's move to California, they father-daughter relationship blossomed.  

It was Douglas's daughter that asked the question about his blood type that first raised his suspicions. His worst fears were confirmed last September when he took a paternity test; the suit shows that "the probability of paternity is 0%."

The suit alleges that another man was also having sexual relations with Meer unbeknownst by Douglas. Meer also approached this man in a request for marriage, but he refused her. It was then that she turned to Douglas "knowingly and with malice" told him that her unborn child was his.

Meer, while demanding $27,000 for her back rent and $9,000 to remodel her kitchen, has kept Douglas from seeing the child. Going so far as to tell the child, the suit states, that he didn't want to be her dad any longer.

Douglas clearly stated that he loves the child, will continue to support her, and is only seeking justice from the courts for the hundreds of thousands of dollars in child support paid to Meer. 

Meer told The Post,  If he wants to be her father, he should provide for her. Isn't that what's fair?"

A family law attorney can be of great help with your paternity, custody rights, a divorce and more. Contact a Family Lawyer in our directory to learn more about your rights.