To revisit this article, visit My Profile, thenView saved stories. The film, which premieres on Netflix on May 11, follows the biological children of the disgraced fertility doctor who covertly inseminated dozens of patients with his own sperm during his 40-year career. And that was it. The stories of some of these women and the (at least) 94 biological children of Cline are told in a new documentary, Our Father, which premiered on Netflix in May. 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Netflix has served another gripping documentary, this time exploring the controversial case involving Dr. Donald Cline and the high number of children he fathered during his time as a fertility doctor. I wasnt., I was raped 15 times and didnt even know it, former Cline patient Liz White says during her interview, a wrenching counterpoint. explained in the documentary. In 2014 when Jacoba Ballard, a daughter of a former patient of Dr. Cline, reviewed the results of her at-home DNA test, . 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. We want to hear it. 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. As one man states in the trailer, there was no legal. "To get away with it for decades and no one knew anything. (There's even another documentary about a similar case in Nevada, HBO's Baby God (opens in new tab).) 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. Cline worked as a fertility doctor in Indianapolis for 38 years before retiring in 2009. At last count, DNA test results have linked Dr. Cline to 57 children of former patients. 'The Skinny Shot' on Hulu Is An Ozempic "Documentary" That Plays More Like A Commercial, Where Is Estonia Located? 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. ", Ballard, a former paramedic, says, "We need donor conception laws and laws defining clear definitions of consent in every state in regard to sexual assault and rape.". Cline's case did not go to trial, and in December 2017, he pleaded guilty. Directed by Lucie Jordan, 'Our Father' is a compelling true-crime documentary on Netflix. What happened after the events on Netflix's chilling documentary? 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. The results confirmed a 99.9997% probability of paternity. New York, We confirm if Donald Cline is still alive, reveal how many children he has fathered, and discuss other doctors who have committed the same act. ", "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. Instead of destroying, you made me realize my self-worth, she says of the doctor in the film. "He's. So, were just now finding out that Julie is not yours, Kiesler recalled. We've received your submission. [20] On May 17, 2019, Indiana became the first state to designate fertility fraud as a Level 6 felony. He had an estimated 94 children. He gave up his medical license, even though it had expired that same . 331, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), 'Jeopardy!' One sibling sold another a wagon at a garage sale. But Ballards lifelong dream of having a big family quickly warped as her half-sibling matches ballooned. 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. [15] They then filed a multi-count complaint in Marion Superior Court. Julie Manes, Dianna Kiesler v. Anonymous Health Care Provider d/b/a Anonymous, John Doe, CR - Direct Appeals (Non Capital, Non-LWOP), Elizabeth White, Matthew White v. Anonymous Physician 1, Indianapolis Infertility, Inc. and dba Reproductive Endocrinology Assoc. As unspooled in a new documentary, he had a dark secret: dozens of children fraudulently fathered through his fertility clinic . 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. "[13], After a story aired on Fox59, Cline left a voicemail for Ballard contradicting what he had told investigators. This was a person in a position of power, Fox 59 anchor Angela Ganote says. When the county prosecutors finally investigated Cline, the results were disappointing to the siblings, the women he inseminated, and their families. 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. In the first official trailer for the forthcoming documentary Our Father, a routine Ancestry.com DNA test uncovers the misdeeds of Dr. Donald Cline. Lucie Jourdan makes her directorial documentary debut with the film, which comes from Netflix and Blumhouse Pictures. Its just too fked up. 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. [14], On November 30, 2016, Elizabeth White and son Matthew White filed a proposed complaint for damages and demand for jury trial with the State of Indiana Department of Insurance. There is no federal law against it. Ballard learned at age 10 that she was conceived via donor sperm. Due to this fact, it preaches procreation and abstention from sterilization and contraception. For years, he had been inseminating his female patients. After reaching out to her newfound family members and researching the mystery of their shared relation, Ballard and her siblings soon discovered with horror what their parents trusted doctor had done. 470, This story has been shared 436 times. Specifies the statute of limitations for civil fertility fraud. Despite. Cline's current whereabouts, as far as we can tell, are unknown. The streaming platform Netflix premieres on May 11 documentary film "Our Father", Long Waits, Short Appointments, Huge Bills. The documentary arrives to Netflix on May 11. In 1979, Cline opened his clinic on 2020 West 86th Street in Indianapolis and specialized in reproductive endocrinology & infertility. Fertility Doctor Allegedly Used His Own Sperm 50 Times to Impregnate Patients, Cold Cases Heat Up: How Advances in DNA Technology Are Helping to Bring Justice for Victims, Our Favorite (Underrated!) The documentary follows her journey to find as many of her half-siblings as she can and bring Dr. Cline to justice. 1,222, This story has been shared 1,076 times. As for why he did what he did, no one knows for sure. Send us a tip using our anonymous form. He has brown eyes, white skin, grey hair, and a grey beard. He is prohibited from reinstatement by the Medical Licensing Board of Indiana. A test confirmed they were half-sisters, and revealed yet more matches. Our Father drops on Netflix on May 11. Its disgusting, said Ballard, now 43, in new Netflix documentary, Our Father, out May 11. Unfortunately for White, Ballard and the rest of the clinicians descendants, sickness, they claim, runs through Clines blood. 436, This story has been shared 402 times. He did this without their consent or knowledge; Cline's patients were under the impression they were receiving sperm from donors. 'Did you not consider we all live in a relatively close area?' The former fertility doctor secretly fathered dozens of his patients' children for. Controversy and jail time This seems relevant to this article about the life of Don Cline. 00:00 00:00 An unknown error has occurred Author: WTHR.com staff Netflix documentary Our Father uncovers the sick true story of Dr Donald Cline . Donald Cline was so perfect in his work that he was famous for being the first person in India to perform laparoscopic surgery. 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. 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. Cline now looms over their kids every innocent crush, their every prom date. Jacoba Ballard in Our Father. Netflix is set to release a documentary this Wednesday, May 11. Should this issue arise again in the future, the patients and children are protected, White told WRTV Indianapolis. She considers this adultery. 541, This story has been shared 470 times. Two had kids on the same softball team. 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. "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. Phil in December 2019 that she was finally able to accept the truth. They all shared a father, fertility doctor Donald Cline. You can find out more and change our default settings with Cookies Settings. [7][8] Cline is now known to have covertly fathered at least 94 offspring. Hes known in our community as a philanthropist. 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). '1923' Episode 7 Recap: "The Rule of Five Hundred". 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. He told us that he would match us with a donor that looked like my husband, said Pierce. Fox59 anchor Angela Ganote investigated her story. 215 became effective July 1, 2019. 'Did you really think that we wouldnt meet? Dr. Donald Cline fathered at least 50 of his patients children. Cline, now in his 80s, served no time for his actions. Harmon says she found her hard drive suddenly wiped clean of all mention of Cline, and all of her research vanished overnight. I don't know," he says in the film. Ballards mother, Debbie Pierce, sought Clines help with getting pregnant in 1979, after it was determined that her husband couldnt have children naturally. A Monkey Peed in Chase Stokes's Eye While Filming 'Outer Banks', 'Outer Banks' Season 3: That Kiss Between Jonathan Daviss and Carlacia Grant Wasn't in the Original Script, 'Outer Banks' Stars Rudy Pankow and Madison Bailey Break Down JJ and Kiaras "Overdue" Kiss: "I Love That Moment", 'Outer Banks' Stars Chase Stokes and Madelyn Cline Break Down That Cheating Plot: "I Was Really, Really Nervous", '1923' Season 1 Finale Recap: "Nothing Left To Lose". With the help of her newfound family members and their moms, Ballard worked to successfully pass legislation in Indiana making illicit donor insemination illegal. 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. In the film, a former friend and colleague of Clines, Mark Farber, recalls overhearing that hed suffered from rheumatoid arthritis in his hands since the 70s. According to Fox59, Cline has paid over $1.3 million in settlements to his victims and their families. He lives within just a few blocks of some of the children he fathered without their mothers consent. As a result, he fathered at least 50 children in the 70s and 80s. [2] He practiced there until retiring in 2009. Nearly all of the half siblings, including Ballard, are afflicted with chorionic autoimmune diseases. Jourdan disputed the claims that Cline is dead now. Cline was a successful fertility doctor who practiced medicine in Indiana, providing treatments such as IVF for hundreds if not thousands of patients, according to IndyStar. Here's everything you need to know about the chilling true story that has the whole world shockedand what happened to Dr. Donald Cline. 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". In 1982, she had no clue that her infertility specialist then lauded as one of the best in the field had somehow discarded her husbands sperm sample and used his own to impregnate her. (An actor for Cline is used in other parts of the film to re-create scenes). (Still, I watched intently during its entire 97-minute run time.). White went to Purdue at the same time as one of his half brothers. Jacoba Ballard, from Indiana, discovered Dr Donald Cline was her father in 2014 . It sounds almost too twisted to be real, but unfortunately, Our Father is an investigative documentary, and Dr. Donald Cline is a real man. I donated my sample. Cline was handed a one-year suspended sentence for the two counts of obstruction of justice, and because state law hadn't specifically prohibited fertility doctors from using their own sperm, no other charges were brought against him. It examines and unravels the shocking actions of Dr. Donald Cline, a fertility specialist from Indianapolis who inseminated numerous patients with his own sperm, unbeknownst to them. But Clines wrongdoings, tragically, felt even more personal for Kramer. It. "Because someone is in a position of power or authority, [it] doesn't always make them completely trustworthy," she says. "It's almost like we're this perfect Aryan clan," she says. 1,672, This story has been shared 1,413 times. Many of the donor-children live within a 25-mile radius of each other. There's no hiding.". 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