She recently graduated from the University of Texas at Austin, where she wrote for her college newspaper, The Daily Texan, as well as for state and local magazines. Three more are pending.[9]. In 2018, Cline surrendered his license to the Medical Licensing Board of Indiana, who also voted to prohibit him from ever applying to reinstate his license again. You really have no idea who you are anymore.. As the story unfolds and more brothers and sisters are found, the gravity of Dr. Donald Cline's scheme becomes all the more severe. At the end, it's revealed that there are at least 94 Cline siblings. This is despite the victims interviewed in the documentary saying that they never would've consented to him being the sperm donor, and that they felt violated by what he did. "I feel like he's hiding something more sinister.". A judge suspended the former doctor's sentence, though Cline did pay a $500 fine and court costs, which totaled $185. 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Dr. Donald Cline is the subject of Netflix's latest true crime documentary, Our Father, which puts him in the spotlight for fathering close to 100 children during his stint as a fertility clinic owner. Sibling Jason Hyatt also speculated about Cline's motive: "Is it to further his career? 344, This story has been shared 331 times. Ballard learned at age 10 that she was conceived via donor sperm. I [told my husband], Unfortunately, Dr. Cline didnt use your sperm, he used his own. This is a big one, and the documentary doesn't provide a definitive answer. As a result of his crimes, Cline lost his medical license (after he had already retired, in 2009), paid a measly $500 fine, and served a single year of probation. (An actor for Cline is used in other parts of the film to re-create scenes). When she isnt writing or checking Twitter, shes probably watching the latest K-drama or giving a concert performance in her car. The results confirmed a 99.9997% probability of paternity. His former church responded to the Netflix documentary in an interview with Fox59, claiming that Cline had admitted to them that he had been unethical, but that they'd had no idea the breadth of his deceit. (The documentary also features reenactments of parts of the story, with actor Keith Boyle playing Cline himself.). Imagine finding out you have more siblings than you think [3] As of May 11, 2022, Cline has been confirmed as the biological father of 94 doctor-conceived offspring. Ballard, who initially found seven DNA matches at first, launched an investigation into Cline's actions. Netflix is set to release a documentary this Wednesday, May 11. During the 1970s and 80s, a fertility specialist in Indiana named Dr. Donald Cline inseminated dozens of patients with his own sperm, without their knowledge or consent. He did this without their consent or knowledge; Cline's patients were under the impression they were receiving sperm from donors. The film explores the real-life story of the disgraced doctor, who . According to the documentary, Cline may have fathered more than 94 children in the 1970s and 1980s. Phil in December 2019 that she was finally able to accept the truth. Donald Cline: Netflix Doc Spotlights Fertility Doctor Who Used Own Sperm Crime How a Group of Siblings Uncovered a Fertility Doctor Who Was Serially Impregnating His Own Patients The sibling's. He has fathered over 90 children, with more and more half-siblings popping up on DNA testing sites every month. Doctor Donald Cline's crimes were brought to light thanks to an investigation by FOX59's Angela Ganote. But years later, owing to Ballards initial 23andMe findings, it became clear that the rule had been broken. 779, This story has been shared 541 times. The obstruction of justice charges meant that no evidence related to Clines actions toward his former patients was admissiblethough those actions constituted the injustice for which the siblings and their parents were truly seeking restitution. As the siblings waited for authorities to take action, Cline lived as a pillar of the community and an elder of his church, performing baptisms in his backyard swimming pool. The number of confirmed siblings continued to grow as more people added their DNA to 23andMes database. Unfortunately, Cline is one of several doctors who have been discovered to use their own sperm in multiple patients over the past few years. One of Clines children, Jacoba Ballard, was the first to uncover the story, and now she and her many half-siblings want to get their story out there to as many people as possibleespecially because it might be the only form of justice they may get. There is no Federal legislation specifically applicable to fertility fraud. . Shore worked with Cline for 13 years. Effect on Cline's patients and their children. The Medical Licensing Board of Indiana revoked his license in 2018. May 16, 2022 by Pallavi Bhadu. Even after taking a 23andMe DNA test and being matched as Ballards half sibling, Kramer couldnt bring herself to believe that she was not the biological daughter of the man she grew up believing was her father, Clines pal Farber. "The reason I decided to tell my story in Our Father is because it's incredibly important to me to spread awareness about fertility fraud and hopefully create some meaningful change for patients across the world," Ballard tells PEOPLE. Because that's what we all deserve.". If that. "It's okay to raise any flags or questions throughout your treatment to try to ensure that you are receiving ethical and proper care. Experts joined them in pointing out that Cline would have had to masturbate somewhere nearby while the women were waiting insemination, and he could have still been experiencing the after-effects of arousal during the appointment. A 2019 report by The Atlantic details how the half-siblings found one another and began to piece everything together. Ballard, 41, and her half siblings' quest to find answers and justice is the focus of the new Netflix documentary, Our Father, produced by Blumhouse Television, which is streaming now. The verse is: "Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you.". Designed to make shopping easier. In 2017, Dr. Cline pleaded guilty to two felony obstruction of justice charges after falsely denying to state investigators that he had been using his own sperm to inseminate patients. But, thanks to a sympathetic judge and a lack of criminal history, he ended up not serving any jail time and simply paying a $500 fine. Then we hear from Ballard, who points out that most of the biological Cline kids have blond hair and blue eyes. Directed by Lucie Jourdan, Our Father zooms in on Zionsville, Indiana, where 35-year-old Jacoba Ballards DNA test reveals the existence of seven half-siblings. 854, This story has been shared 779 times. But, later that same year, a paternity test which was administered by a law enforcement agent with a warrant to collect his DNA sample confirmed a 99.99% chance that hes Ballards biological father. Paris Hilton Explains Why She Chose to Welcome Her Baby Boy Via Surrogacy, R. Kelly Has Been Sentenced to 20 Years for Sex Crimes Against Minors. Ballard's half sibling Heather Woock, 36, learned that Cline was her father at the same time she learned she was donor-conceived in 2017. "He's. The 25 Defining Works of the Black Renaissance. In 2014, Jacoba Ballard decided to take an at-home DNA test. Jourdan disputed the claims that Cline is dead now. Quiverfull is anultra-conservativeChristian movement mentioned in the film. It was a violation of him into me, said Diana Kiesler, whose daughter Julie is Clines biological child. There's no hiding.". As the group set out to learn more about their curious family tree, they soon discovered the sickening truth: Their parents fertility doctor had been inseminating his patients with his own spermwithout their knowledge or consent. After confirming that she and Harmon were half sisters, the pair connected with their half brother Matt White through the online biology database. But Clines wrongdoings, tragically, felt even more personal for Kramer. Discover the Louisiana Filming Locations, Tig Notaro Is In Every Netflix Movie Now, As She Should Be, How To Watch 'Magic Mike's Last Dance,' Now Available From On-Demand Retailers, Stream It Or Skip It: EO on the Criterion Channel, a Donkey's Life Interpreted as Art. "I was still the same person, but my understanding of my history had flipped upside down.". Hes known in our community as a philanthropist. Many of Cline's biological "children" including Jacoba Ballard reached out to their half-siblings and put pressure on the local media and authorities for accountability in the case. At the time, Indiana law didn't specifically prohibit fertility doctors from using their own sperm. An at-home DNA test led her to the discovery of not one but seven half-siblingsa number that defied best practices in fertility medicine. 384, This story has been shared 344 times. Dr. Donald Cline fathered at least 50 of his patients children. ", "Indiana's Medical Licensing Board says Donald Cline may not reapply", "When you find out your mother's fertility doctor is likely your biological father", "Fertility Doctor Arrested for Allegedly Using His Own Sperm 'Around 50 Times' to Impregnate Patients", "Donald Cline paid more than $1.3M in civil suits", "Our Father: Angela Ganote talks about her role", "Tim DeLaney on The Prosecution of Dr. Donald Cline - Bose McKinney & Evans", "Baby God: how DNA testing uncovered a shocking web of fertility fraud", "Elizabeth Smart Confronts Alleged Fertility Fraud Doctor (Part 2)", "Fertility doctor who lied about using his own sperm avoids jail time", "Elizabeth White, Matthew White v. Donald Cline, M.D. She allowed the physician to select what she thought would be a suitable donors sample for the insemination procedure. When six of the half-siblings confronted Cline, according to the documentary, he admitted to using his own sperm and said their parents' records were destroyed. Woock says she hopes the documentary will "prompt Cline's former patients to have an open conversation with their children, so they can take DNA tests to confirm their genetic identities. Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, Don Cline was also my fertility doctor, she tearfully confesses on camera. The stories of some. In 2016, Cline was charged with two charges of felony obstruction of justice: for lying to the attorney general's office about using his sperm with two victims; and for threatening Ballard with lawsuits for "slander and libel". Shop your favorite products and well find the best deal with a single click. '1923' Episode 7 Recap: "The Rule of Five Hundred". Dr. Donald Cline As shown in the " Our Father " documentary released in May, Cline was proven to have secretly used his sperm to impregnate dozens of patients at his fertility clinic . INDIANAPOLIS Netflix's new documentary "Our Father" tells the story of a Zionsville fertility doctor who secretly used his own sperm to inseminate dozens of patients.. Dr. Donald L. Cline pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice in 2017 and admitted that he inseminated patients using his semen without their knowledge in the 1970's and 1980's. "They tell us if they knew back then what they know nowCline would have been removed from his position of authority within the church," reported Fox59. Then DNA testing came along", "Biological children of fertility doctor and their mothers bond to fight", "Watch The Exclusive Trailer For 'Our Father,' Netflix's Latest True Crime Doc", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Donald_Cline&oldid=1141633962, People convicted of obstruction of justice, Pages using infobox criminal with known for parameter, Pages containing links to subscription-only content, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Inseminating his own sperm into unwitting patients and fathering 94 doctor-conceived children, Decided; plea guilty, one-year suspended sentence, fine $500; petition for AMS filed and denied. Cline pled guilty, and received two suspended sentences (meaning he served no jail time), and a $500 fine. For Allison Kramer, 47, who also has health issues, it took a long time to accept that she and her twin sister were Clines children. Ballards mother, Debbie Pierce, sought Clines help with getting pregnant in 1979, after it was determined that her husband couldnt have children naturally. The proposed complaint cites negligence, constructive fraud, battery, breach of contract, breach of express warranty, and negligent hiring or retention as to defendant and reproductive endocrinology associates. Cline sibling Julie Harmon makes another wild connection, saying Quiverfull, at the time of the siblings' conception, focused on producing more members of the white race. 2 Marion County women are suing the makers of the Netflix documentary "Our Father" for revealing they were secret children of Dr. Donald Cline without their . In State of Indiana v. Donald Cline, Cline pleaded guilty to two Level 6 felony counts of obstruction of justice and received a one-year suspended sentence. Dr. Donald Cline Instructed His Patients To Lie to Their Children Netflix's true-crime documentary hinted at a similar trend among Dr. Donald Cline's donor children - their parents had never told them they were conceived through insemination. [29], Donald Cline's fertility fraud is the subject of a Netflix documentary titled Our Father which premiered in May 2022. That we wouldnt maybe date? Did you never consider that?' 174, P.L. Still, for three decades, Cline helped hundreds of parents who had problems conceiving get pregnant. In 2015, central Indiana resident Jacoba Ballard took an at-home DNA test that . Though hes played by an actor, Keith Boyle, in the movie, he refused to participate in the film. When the county prosecutors finally investigated Cline, the results were disappointing to the siblings, the women he inseminated, and their families. There is still no federal law on the subject. With the help of her newfound family members and their moms, Ballard worked to successfully pass legislation in Indiana making illicit donor insemination illegal. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your device and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. He's going to grandchildren's swim meets and things like that. "Um, my wife and I, uh, after 57 years of marriage, um, we have had a great deal of problems over this. If you can stomach another tale about a rogue fertility doctor, the 2020 film is streaming on HBO Max. Netflix's brand new documentary Our Father has arrived, exposing the horrors of the twisted fertility doctor, Dr Donald Cline. Our marriage will be over. Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? In fertility medicine playing Cline himself. ) she was finally able to accept the truth documentary titled Our which... 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