In 2018, the siblings lobbying, led by Matt White and his mother Liz White, contributed to the passing of Indianas fertility-fraud law. Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, Then DNA testing came on to the scene, and sites like 23andMe and Ancestry-dot-com revealed the unthinkable: Cline had beenwithout his patients knowledge and certainly without their consentinseminating his patients with his own sperm. A lifelong fan of memes (and writing), she's currently in her dream gig. Sibling Jason Hyatt also speculated about Cline's motive: "Is it to further his career? Nearly all of the half siblings, including Ballard, are afflicted with chorionic autoimmune diseases. There isn't currently a federal law that would make these doctors' illicit inseminations a criminal offense. He had his staff recite prayers together, advised patients to pray on their treatment choices, decorated his office with Christian sayings, and had an affinity for the verse Jeremiah 1:5 (Before I formed you in your mothers womb I knew you.), which is often featured in material extoling the Quiverfull lifestyle. There is no Federal legislation specifically applicable to fertility fraud. Several of Cline's children also live in Indianapolis, some within blocks of their biological father. [10] During her investigation, Ganote learned that Cline had lied to the attorney general's office in their investigation. and Indianapolis Infertility, Inc", "Ex-fertility doctor who used own sperm must face civil lawsuit, COA affirms", "Fertility doctor Donald Cline pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice related to claims he inseminated some patients", "Fertility Fraud: A Fertility Industry Danger", "A press for justice on reproductive fraud", "6 questions for woman who brought down fertility doctor", "Zipping into statutes: Overview of new laws for 2019", "Legislative Update: Fertility fraud and deception", "Fertility Doctors Used Their Sperm to Get Patients Pregnant. Another sibling, Heather Woock, who shared her story publicly, began receiving phone calls pointedly inquiring if she was interested in purchasing a cemetery plot. The new documentary from the streaming service giant centres around Dr. Donald Cline, a fertility doctor who secretly used his own sperm when inseminating his IVF patients. Shop your favorite products and well find the best deal with a single click. Is 'Yellowstone' On Tonight? The film explores the real-life story of the disgraced doctor, who . Its disgusting to sit there and lay in bed at night, wondering if the person that created you is some racist bigot, said Ballard of Cline, now 84. 2022-05-06 12:12:49 - Paris/France. 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. "Our Father" tells the story of Dr. Donald Cline. It. Our marriage will be over. There is still no federal law on the subject. We've received your submission. Will There Be a Season 2 of '1923' on Paramount+? Netflix's new true crime documentary "Our Father" will introduce the world to an . 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 retired in 2009, but carried out his transgressions from his Indianapolis offices during the late 1970s and early 80s without repercussions. 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 actions upended the lives of his biological children. If that. 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. Here are the facts the documentary leaves out from the story of Dr. Donald Cline and his donor children. He gave up his medical license, even though it had expired that same . [27][28] In an extended profile piece in The Atlantic, reporter Sarah Zhang wrote: The donor children have begun cataloging the ways their own paths have crossed, too. 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. 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. There is a high presence of auto-immune disorders among Cline's donor-fathered children. Donald Cline, who was once described as the "best infertility doctor in Indianapolis", was known for being a premier fertility expert in the 1970s to 1990s. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. I [told my husband], Unfortunately, Dr. Cline didnt use your sperm, he used his own. 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I know Im going to call them and Im going to ruin their life, she says in the documentary. Cline is currently alive and in his 80s. As a result, he fathered at least 50 children in the 70s and 80s. In a moment when the right to safe and informed reproductive care is under threat in the U.S., Our Father is particularly resonant given the questions it raises about how our legal system views those seeking control over their own reproductive choices, and restitution when that autonomy is violated. In 1979, Cline opened his clinic on 2020 West 86th Street in Indianapolis and specialized in reproductive endocrinology & infertility. Here's what we do know. The Netflix documentary, directed by Lucie Jourdan, heavily hinted at Cline's strong religious beliefs motivating his misdeeds. 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. We want to hear it. From the late 70s to the mid-80s, Dr. Cline misrepresented the source of the sperm used to inseminate his patients. A test confirmed they were half-sisters, and revealed yet more matches. Cline was charged with two counts of obstruction of justice in 2017 after he lied to investigators with the Indiana Attorney General's office (the Netflix documentary reveals he denied ever using his own sperm in legal paperwork), but he didn't get jail time. By the time the children of Clines former patients began to uncover the extent of his crimes in 2015, he was well into retirement, living in Indianapolis, Indiana. "It's okay to raise any flags or questions throughout your treatment to try to ensure that you are receiving ethical and proper care. Meet Storm Reid. 470, This story has been shared 436 times. You have reached your limit of 4 free articles. I just felt bad for my mother, said White. His sperm wouldnt even have been allowed to be a donor because of that, Hyatt said, noting the intense health screening most sperm donors undergo for any inheritable diseases or deficiencies. If you can stomach another tale about a rogue fertility doctor, the 2020 film is streaming on HBO Max. Todays biggest stories, from pop culture to politicsdelivered straight to your inbox. Its just too fked up. 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. Long Waits, Short Appointments, Huge Bills. In a written directors statement for the Our Father press notes, director Lucie Jourdan said that Cline did everything in his power to silence [the siblings] and the making of this film. He reportedly told Jourdan, The world doesnt need to know., This story has been shared 1,794 times. 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. 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. 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. . 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. Catherine, Princess of Wales, Had a Hilarious Reaction to Being Called Prince Williams Assistant, Catherine, Princess of Wales, Majorly Channeled Princess Diana in Her Look from This Weekend, Camilla Will Officially Be Known as Queen CamillaNot Queen Consort CamillaAfter May 6. "Uh, this is Dr. Cline, You know, I thought I was doing the right thing. ", Woock believes that Cline's actions remained secret for so long because "most of our parents didn't openly talk about their infertility struggles with loved ones. Cline's current whereabouts, as far as we can tell, are unknown. Those in Quiverfull reject birth control andbelievethey can help spread the word of God by having as many children as possible. As Ballard and her newfound siblings realized theyve barely begun to untangle his dark web of deceit, their pursuit of justice lies at the heart of this profoundly unsettling story about an unimaginable breach of trust.. A 2019 report by The Atlantic details how the half-siblings found one another and began to piece everything together. However, it turned out he had a sickening secret. In Our Father, Ballard draws a link between Cline and Quiverfull, but it's not a strong one. 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. Donald Cline Career, Our Father Documentary Netflix & TV Shows. 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. The Medical Licensing Board of Indiana revoked his license in 2018. The Quiverfull motion is a Christian-based philosophy held by some {couples} who take into account massive households blessings from God. 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). The more we destigmatize infertility, combined with technological advances, the less likely it is for a doctor to do this again today.". The documentary genre on Netflix is characterized by the presentation of incredible stories, sometimes difficult to Photo: Netflix. This was a person in a position of power, Fox 59 anchor Angela Ganote says. When you visit this site, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. "[11] Ballard then pursued media coverage. Here are answers to the major questions I had after watching Our Father. An ancestry DNA horror story Dr. Donald Cline was a respected man in his community, elder of his church and a fertility doctor with his own medical practice. 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The new Netflix documentary 'Our Father' details how Dr. Donald Cline, a fertility specialist in Indianapolis, Indiana, used his own sperm to inseminate patients without their consent Jacoba Ballards life changed after she took an at-home DNA test and learned she had seven half-siblings. 'Mandalorian' Season 3 Release Time, Savannah Guthrie Rushed Out Of 'Today' After Testing Positive For COVID-19 During Live Broadcast, Where Is Hoda Kotb? New York, But Ballards lifelong dream of having a big family quickly warped as her half-sibling matches ballooned. One he also represented himself as a keynote speaker at the International Symposium for Infertility in Bologna, Italy. Cline, now in his 80s, served no time for his actions. 'The Last of Us' Episode 7 Ending Explained: Does Riley Die in 'The Last of Us'? In the first official trailer for the forthcoming documentary Our Father, a routine Ancestry.com DNA test uncovers the misdeeds of Dr. Donald Cline. Many viewers finished the film wondering what happened to the doctor who violated his patients for over a decade (at least, that's the confirmed span thus far). May 16, 2022 by Pallavi Bhadu. I mean, here she was, this young woman just wanting to have a family like anyone else., In the film, Liz says when she learned that her son shared Clines DNA she felt like I was raped 15 times and I didnt even know it.. It just completely washes away your identity, Julie Harmon, another sibling, says. The results confirmed a 99.9997% probability of paternity. He didnt give me a choice.. In the film, directed by Lucie Jourdan of "Taken at Birth" fame, Ballard and a handful of her siblings theorize that breeding an all-white brood in an effort to preserve the Caucasian race may have. All rights reserved. Our Father drops on Netflix on May 11. This page was last edited on 26 February 2023, at 01:14. Netflix documentary Our Father uncovers the sick true story of Dr Donald Cline . 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. He couldnt be criminally charged with rape or battery, explains former Marion County, Ind., prosecutor Tim Delaney in the doc, because, At the end of the day, theres just no crime that touches this particular act [in the eyes of the law], he said. However, in 2016, Cline lied to investigators with the Indiana attorney generals office, claiming he never used his own sperm to inseminate a patient. The healthy baby justified the lie. "[16], As of May 2022, Cline had paid out more than $1.35 million to settle three civil lawsuits filed by donor children and families. Dr. Donald Cline has been famous in the media as the fertility doctor who inseminated his sperm into several women without consent. The results can be truly horrific. Hes got autoimmune disease, said Jason Hyatt, one of the disgraced doctors biological children. "[13], After a story aired on Fox59, Cline left a voicemail for Ballard contradicting what he had told investigators. He's going to grandchildren's swim meets and things like that. Glamour may earn a portion of sales from products that are purchased through our site as part of our Affiliate Partnerships with retailers. Dr Donald stands at 5 feet 11 inches tall. Hes known in our community as a philanthropist. He was going to use medical students their sperm.. He has fathered over 90 children, with more and more half-siblings popping up on DNA testing sites every month. 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Clines decision, seemingly motivated by extremist religious beliefs, was made by a person with power, on behalf of many without. 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 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. The Cline fertility fraud and similar doctor-donated sperm cases exposed a lack of legislation specific to infertility patients' and their children's rights. He has brown eyes, white skin, grey hair, and a grey beard. She says the Indiana Attorney General's Office sent her emails, she looked up the people who replied and everyone copied on the emails, and through that, she found that "one of the people with the state" had a "Quiverfull" email address. The idea's name originates from Psalm 127, "Children are a heritage of the Lord, and fruit of the womb is his . "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. explained in the documentary. Donald Lee Cline (born December 10, 1938) is a convicted felon and an American former medical doctor of obstetrics and gynaecology. . As one man states in the trailer, there was no legal. 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. Cline was a prolific fertility doctor who operated from his Indianapolis clinic from 1979 to his retirement in 2009. Cline was not involved with the documentary or interviewed for it. Cline's motion to dismiss was denied. 'Did you really think that we wouldnt meet? He was given a one-year suspended sentence and served no jail time, the Associated Press reports. The Children Want Justice", "Fertility fraud: Iowa law criminalizes reproductive material deceit", "The U.S. Is Experiencing An Explosion Of Fertility Fraud Legislation. 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. During this time, hopeful. He told us that he would match us with a donor that looked like my husband, said Pierce. 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. 779, This story has been shared 541 times. 541, This story has been shared 470 times. The film also shows Ballard explaining how she learned about the Quiverfull movement. [13] Charges were filed against Cline. As a result, it saw the former doctor fathering at least 50 children throughout the 1970s and '80s. Through further investigation, it is revealed that they and many more are all connected at the root of their family tree by Dr. Cline. Many of the donor-children live within a 25-mile radius of each other. The documentary does point out that Cline was extremely religious, with numerous Christian sayings decorating his office, and is an elder in his church. Cline's case is the subject of Our Father, a new documentary about what happened when one of Cline's biological children took an at-home DNA test, discovered the shocking truth and attempted to get justice through the legal system. 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. And you made me realize what my purpose is, too.. Ballard learned at age 10 that she was conceived via donor sperm. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our, Digital Cline has not publicly acknowledged or commented ties to the tradition. 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. "I feel like he's hiding something more sinister.". Ballard was one of the first. "I don't think we'll ever know why he was doing it," Ballard says. [5], In 2014 when Jacoba Ballard, a daughter of a former patient of Dr. Cline, reviewed the results of her at-home DNA test, she discovered a biological connection to eight previously unknown half-siblings. Still, for three decades, Cline helped hundreds of parents who had problems conceiving get pregnant. Did Dr. Cline face consequences, and where is he now? The Netflix documentary follows the investigation into Dr. Donald Cline after it's uncovered that he inseminated patients with his sperm without her knowledge. With the growing popularity of at-home DNA test kits, an additional 44 fertility doctors nationwide have also been exposed for committing similar misdeeds. Our Fatheris unmissable. [2]. Surveying the blonde hair and blue eyes of many of Clines offspring, the film briefly meditates on whether Clines crusade may have had white supremacist underpinnings (Quiverfull ideology, which promotes patriarchal gender ideology and other conservative ideals and bemoans European population decline, certainly seems to).