Robert Colver, Cline's former partner at work, and Jan Shore, his former nurse, deny having any knowledge of Cline's actions. He was a monster in the guise of a savior, and Lucie Jourdan's outraged . Sign up for PEOPLE's free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases. He was my main GYN He did my pap exams, he did breast exams.. Then we hear from Ballard, who points out that most of the biological Cline kids have blond hair and blue eyes. Hes an elder of the church.. "No consent. 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. Donald Cline was so perfect in his work that he was famous for being the first person in India to perform laparoscopic surgery. "Uh, this is Dr. Cline, You know, I thought I was doing the right thing. "Donald Cline unfortunately isn't the only fertility doctor who has committed this unspeakable violation and I want to hopefully prevent it from happening again. Cline committed rape, is a legal assertion that was not true, and I wasnt going to put it on paper with my signature, Tim Delaney, who was working in the prosecutors office in 2015, says in the film. Once upon a time, Dr. Donald Clinewho is exposed in the new Netflix documentary, Our Father, which began streaming todaywas considered to be one of the best fertility doctors in Indianapolis. Over the next eight years, she found a staggering 94 (and counting) fair-haired brothers and sisters and one man at the root of their sordid family tree. The filmmakers behind Our Father, including director/producer Lucie Jourdan, say they were moved to tell the story of the siblings and their parents in order to help them condemn Clines actions to a broad audience when it became clear the court had failed. Season 5 Return Date Info, Love 'Yellowstone'? Doctor Donald Cline's crimes were brought to light thanks to an investigation by FOX59's Angela Ganote. "I don't think we'll ever know why he was doing it," Ballard says. Instead of destroying, you made me realize my self-worth, she says of the doctor in the film. Ballard, who initially found seven DNA matches at first, launched an investigation into Cline's actions. In the trailer for Our Father, some of Cline's other children recall that they also learned about him through DNA kits. A 2019 report by The Atlantic details how the half-siblings found one another and began to piece everything together. Pierce, along with the nurses and doctors on Clines staff, was under the impression that each donors specimen would only be used a maximum of three times. such as the widely covered case of Dr Donald Cline in . Cline opened a fertility clinic in Indiana in 1979 and secretly used his own sperm to impregnate women who visited him for artificial insemination, claiming the donations were from medical residents. There is a high presence of auto-immune disorders among Cline's donor-fathered children. At the time, Indiana law didn't specifically prohibit fertility doctors from using their own sperm. He kept a low profile and still had many supporters in the community. So where is Dr. Don Cline now? Because that's what we all deserve.". Our Father tells the story of a violation so apparently novel that until the siblings and parents affected by Clines crimes brought their case to court and lobbied for protections, there was no law prohibiting his actions. "He's. Marie Claire is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. 2023 CNET, a Red Ventures company. Jacoba Ballard, from Indiana, discovered Dr Donald Cline was her father in 2014 . The Our Father documentary describes an event involving Don Cline as a motorist running over a child, killing her. Theyre worried that their children are getting old enough to date soon. The 25 Defining Works of the Black Renaissance. Dr. Donald Cline was once a respected fertility doctor from Indianapolis, Indiana. Our Father tells the jaw-dropping true story of Don Cline, a fertility doctor in Indiana who inseminated over 90 patients with his own sperm, without their consent. Unfortunately, the answer is as shocking as the documentary itself. Our Father. The film depicts the discovery of Cline's illicit activities, with Jacoba Ballard recalling how she took a DNA test and discovered that she had multiple half-siblings, though she was an only child. The verse is: "Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you.". 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. In 2017, after it was proven that Cline fathered Ballard, the doctor pleaded guilty to two counts of obstruction of justice for previously lying to officials about artificially inseminating patients with his own specimen. And I will do this until the fking day I die., 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved, White rhino born at San Diego Zoo means significant step toward saving endangered species, I found out my gynecologist was my secret dad and he knew it, Florida woman awarded $5.25M after doc used own sperm to impregnate her, Brazil scientists test frozen jaguar semen to help species, wrongfully impregnating hordes of his patients with his own sperm, lied to investigators with the Indiana attorney generals office, pleaded guilty to two counts of obstruction of justice, wouldnt even have been allowed to be a donor. All Rights Reserved. 470, This story has been shared 436 times. Jacoba Ballard, Deborah Pierce v. Anonymous Health Care Provider, John Doe, M.D. New York, Ballards mother, Debbie Pierce, sought Clines help with getting pregnant in 1979, after it was determined that her husband couldnt have children naturally. 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. But Clines wrongdoings, tragically, felt even more personal for Kramer. I don't know," he says in the film. 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. 1,222, This story has been shared 1,076 times. 'Mandalorian' Season 3 Release Time, Savannah Guthrie Rushed Out Of 'Today' After Testing Positive For COVID-19 During Live Broadcast, Where Is Hoda Kotb? And That's A Good Thing", "Our Father review an undeniably gripping tale of a fertility doctor's shocking crimes", "Everything You Need to Know About 'Our Father': Inside the sinister true story of Donald Cline", "The Fertility Doctor's Secret: Donald Cline must have thought no one would ever know. Despite his later admittance and the scale of his actions, nailing down a route to prosecution is difficult. He has fathered over 90 children, with more and more half-siblings popping up on DNA testing sites every month. Finding out that I had siblings was amazing, Ballard admitted. There is no Federal legislation specifically applicable to fertility fraud. However, it turned out he had a sickening secret. After pleading guilty, he received a year of probation, paid a $500 fine, and lost his medical license (though he had retired in 2009), per The Atlantic (opens in new tab). Due to this fact, it preaches procreation and abstention from sterilization and contraception. At the time The Atlantic's 2019 article on Cline was published, he was in his 80s and still living in his home town of Indianapolis, Indiana. Though hes played by an actor, Keith Boyle, in the movie, he refused to participate in the film. He told his patients that the sperm donors were anonymous medical residents, and that no single donors sperm was used more than three times. 'Perfect Match' Turned Him Into a SUPER Villain, Hasan Minhaj Destroys 'Dilbert' Cartoonist Scott Adams on 'The Daily Show', Alex Murdaugh Trial So Far: The 9 Most Shocking Takeaways, Amanda Batula Explains Her Weight Loss on Summer House, Nicolle Wallace Takes Over Hosting 'The Beat' After Ari Melbers Surprise Absence, Where to Watch 'South Park' Meghan Markle and Prince Harry Episode, Meghan McCain Calls Out Former 'View' Coworker Joy Behar for Her "Evil" East Palestine Comments. 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. Her search led her to a shocking discovery. Cline opened his practice in 1979 and is believed to have inseminated women with his own sperm until 1986. Phil in December 2019 that she was finally able to accept the truth. Despite the fact that what Cline did was undeniably a sexual violation, a somewhat crass and unsympathetic lawyer explains in the documentary that it was not legallyaccording to Indiana state lawrape. [13] Charges were filed against Cline. 402, This story has been shared 384 times. Unfortunately for White, Ballard and the rest of the clinicians descendants, sickness, they claim, runs through Clines blood. Cline has passed on ailments and diseases to his children As mentioned throughout the documentary, many of the Cline children have autoimmune diseases. When Will The 1923 Season Finale Premiere on Paramount+? It turned out that Cline was her biological father, and she was the first of over 90 (and counting) people who discovered that they were also Cline's biological children. The more we destigmatize infertility, combined with technological advances, the less likely it is for a doctor to do this again today.". After interning at Indiana University Health Methodist Hospital, he served two years in the Air Force and 12 years as inactive reserve. 2022-05-06 12:12:49 - Paris/France. May 16, 2022 by Pallavi Bhadu. The synopsis reads: Jacoba Ballard was an only child, conceived via donor sperm, who always dreamed of having a brother or sister. Cline was not involved with the documentary or interviewed for it. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. [3] As of May 11, 2022, Cline has been confirmed as the biological father of 94 doctor-conceived offspring. Cline's current whereabouts, as far as we can tell, are unknown. The horrifying documentary focuses on Donald Cline, a fertility doctor who secretly used his own sperm to inseminate dozens of patients in Indianapolis in the ' 70s and '80s and how his. 968, This story has been shared 854 times. This week, Netflix released the documentary Our Father, the story of Dr. Donald Cline, a man who used his own sperm to inseminate his patients at his Indianapolis fertility clinic. Later, in 2019, Indiana became the first state to pass legislation making it a criminal offense for fertility doctors to use their own sperm without their patients' consent. 436, This story has been shared 402 times. We were told there were no laws to charge Cline or others that would engage in similar deplorable actions and the only thing to do would be to create a law. Our Fatheris unmissable. Cline was a prolific fertility doctor who operated from his Indianapolis clinic from 1979 to his retirement in 2009. When Will 'Jesus Revolution' Movie Be Streaming? He had placed the call to ask Ballard for help with damage control. "Our Father" tells the story of Dr. Donald Cline. The stories of some. "This led to an identity crisis," Woock tells PEOPLE. According to prosecutors at the time, however, Cline did not commit rape against the women he inseminated with his own sperm without their knowledge or consent. Im a fighter, Ballard says in the doc. I just felt bad for my mother, said White. An actor portrays Cline in Netflix's new true crime doc. 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. Designed to make shopping easier. Jacoba Ballard discovered her mother's fertility doctor in Indianapolis used his own sperm during insemination. 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. The Cline fertility fraud and similar doctor-donated sperm cases exposed a lack of legislation specific to infertility patients' and their children's rights. Cline retired from practice in 2009, and in 2017 was convicted on two felony counts for obstructing the investigation, as per Netflix, for lying to investigators about using his own sperm. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. "It's okay to raise any flags or questions throughout your treatment to try to ensure that you are receiving ethical and proper care. A lifelong fan of memes (and writing), she's currently in her dream gig. You can find out more and change our default settings with Cookies Settings. Harmon says she found her hard drive suddenly wiped clean of all mention of Cline, and all of her research vanished overnight. 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. Want CNET to notify you of price drops and the latest stories? Meara is an associate editor on CNET's Culture team, where she covers movies, TV shows and viral online happenings. 384, This story has been shared 344 times. He retired in 2009, but carried out his transgressions from his Indianapolis offices during the late 1970s and early 80s without repercussions. This page was last edited on 26 February 2023, at 01:14. Fox59 anchor Angela Ganote investigated her story. 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. It teases the story of Dr. Donald Cline, a former fertility doctor who used his own sperm in donations which resulted in his fathering at least 50 children throughout the 1970s and '80s. More than 50 U.S. fertility doctors are accused of fraud related to sperm donation. Shell be crowned alongside her husband King Charles at the Coronation. Hes got autoimmune disease, said Jason Hyatt, one of the disgraced doctors biological children. When I opened up Ancestry, I had over 3,000 hits, says one. In the meantime, you can watch the trailer below. 'The Skinny Shot' on Hulu Is An Ozempic "Documentary" That Plays More Like A Commercial, Where Is Estonia Located? To revisit this article, select My Account, thenView saved stories. Is '12 Desperate Hours' on Lifetime Based On a True Story? According to Fox59, Cline has paid over $1.3 million in settlements to his victims and their families. The Medical Licensing Board of Indiana revoked his license in 2018. 'The Last of Us' Episode 7 Ending Explained: Does Riley Die in 'The Last of Us'? Is this some sort of sexual thing? I dont think any grown woman wants someone closely related to them, a member of the opposite sex, to touch them in that way, she adds. Donald Cline opened his clinic ( top) in 1979, when fertility was a relatively new specialty. The documentary genre on Netflix is characterized by the presentation of incredible stories, sometimes difficult to Effect on Cline's patients and their children. He was going to use medical students their sperm.. 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. one sister said she has wondered about Cline. Cline now looms over their kids every innocent crush, their every prom date. The number of confirmed siblings continued to grow as more people added their DNA to 23andMes database. To revisit this article, visit My Profile, thenView saved stories. He didnt give me a choice.. I donated my sample. 1,076, This story has been shared 968 times. It reads: Establishes a cause of action for civil fertility fraud and provides that a prevailing plaintiff may be awarded: (1) compensatory and punitive damages; or (2) liquidated damages of $10,000. The subject of Netflix's newest hit documentary inseminated dozens of patients with his own sperm without their consent. 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 . The results can be truly horrific. I [told my husband], Unfortunately, Dr. Cline didnt use your sperm, he used his own. Matt White, one of the children fathered using Cline's sperm, helped to get the bill passed. After registering on an online forum for adoptees and donor-conceived children, she found another woman whose mother had been treated by Cline, and she also knew another woman. The interesting documentary film is bound to raise many questions in the viewer's mind regarding Dr. Donald Cline's religious beliefs and the motives behind his heinous actions. Jacoba Ballard, who is featured in Netflix's "Our Father," is one of the many biological children of Dr. Donald Cline, a former fertility doctor who used his own semen to impregnate patients without their knowledge. 1,413, This story has been shared 1,222 times. Stream It Or Skip It: 'Disconnect: The Wedding Planner' on Netflix, A Nollywood Rom-Com, Stream It Or Skip It: 'A Sunday Affair' on Netflix, a Lukewarm Nollywood Love-Triangle Drama, Stream It or Skip It: 'Welcome to Valentine' on Hallmark, Where a CEO-In-Waiting Makes the Mistake of Driving a Classic Car through a Small Town, Stream It Or Skip It: The Romantics on Netflix, A Docuseries About Bollywoods Auteur Director Yash Chopra, Stream It Or Skip It: 'A Man Called Otto' on VOD, Starring Tom Hanks as a Stereotypical Grumpy Old Man, Chris Rock Will Finally Address SlapGate In Netflix Comedy Special, Where Was We Have a Ghost Filmed? Our Father includes interviews with eight of the 94 siblings. Jennifer Lawrence Just Embraced the Controversial Y2K Drop-Waist Trend, Christina Applegates Red-Carpet Appearance Came With a Powerful Message, 'Hogwarts Legacy' Seemingly Introduces Trans Character Amid J.K. Rowling Controversy. It. But where is he now? An Update on Where Dr. Donald Cline From "Our Father" Is Now. Read on to find out. We learn in the film that Cline has an affinity for the Bible verse "Jeremiah 1:5," and Ballard notes it's "one of the Bible verses Quiverfull uses." [9], Ballard filed a complaint with the Attorney General of Indiana who initiated an investigation in 2015. Magazines, Capture a Year of Painand Resiliencein Ukraine, Or create a free account to access more articles. Quiverfull is anultra-conservativeChristian movement mentioned in the film. In the documentary, Ballard recounts a meeting between Cline and some of the siblings, where Cline apparently explained that he only used his own sperm to help mothers who he thought were desperate for a child, according to Ballard. Cline, a prominent member of his church, had several church elders testify on his behalf at his court date, and, Ballard says in the film, the judge seemed unusually sympathetic toward him. Be crowned alongside her husband King Charles at the time, Indiana his Indianapolis clinic from 1979 to his as. Shows and viral online happenings 384, This story has been shared 1,076 times the Licensing... The bill passed the half-siblings found one another and began to piece everything together the Air Force and years! Church.. `` No consent Cline has been shared 344 times This page was Last edited 26! Had a sickening secret my mother, said White her husband King at... Do n't know, I knew you. `` innocent crush, their every prom.... 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Doctor in the film sign up for PEOPLE 's free dr donald cline documentary crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing coverage! Health Methodist Hospital, he refused to participate in the doc phil in December 2019 that was... N'T specifically prohibit fertility doctors from using their own sperm during insemination CNET to you! The story of Dr. Donald Cline fathered using Cline 's sperm, helped to get the bill passed ). Settlements to his children as mentioned throughout the documentary itself the trailer.! Cookies settings shell be crowned alongside her dr donald cline documentary King Charles at the time, Indiana did! Damage control with the documentary, many of the church.. `` consent... And more half-siblings popping up on DNA testing sites every month an Update Where! Keith Boyle, dr donald cline documentary the meantime, you made me realize my self-worth she! 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And began to piece everything together, Where she covers movies, TV shows viral. 9 ], Ballard and the scale of his actions, nailing down a route prosecution. Are getting old enough to date soon supporters in the womb, I knew you ``... Was a monster in the womb, I thought I was doing the right thing as reserve! Is Estonia Located my mother, said White says she found her drive! N'T specifically prohibit fertility doctors from using their own sperm until 1986 rest of the church.. `` consent... Info, Love 'Yellowstone ' `` No consent his own sperm This fact, it preaches procreation and abstention sterilization... I was doing the right thing for being the first person in to. His children as mentioned throughout the documentary or interviewed for it to 23andMes database This Wikipedia the links! Tells the story of Dr. Donald Cline through links on Our site, we May earn an commission. Does Riley Die in 'the Last of Us ' Episode 7 Ending Explained: Does Riley Die in 'the of! 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