From the 1970s through the 1990s, Donald Cline was a renowned fertility specialist in Indiana. 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. 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. [10] During her investigation, Ganote learned that Cline had lied to the attorney general's office in their investigation. Long Waits, Short Appointments, Huge Bills. May 16, 2022 by Pallavi Bhadu. Dr. Donald Cline's Wife . 384, This story has been shared 344 times. "I was still the same person, but my understanding of my history had flipped upside down.". He had placed the call to ask Ballard for help with damage control. To revisit this article, visit My Profile, thenView saved stories. The new Netflix documentary Our Father tells the unsettling story of Dr. Donald Cline, a fertility doctor who was found to have inseminated dozens of women with his own sperm without their knowledge. "Our Father" tells the story of Dr. Donald Cline. Ballard says that by participating in the documentary, she hopes to spotlight fertility fraud and push for laws to protect patients. For years, he had been inseminating his female patients. Shore worked with Cline for 13 years. 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. What happened after the events on Netflix's chilling documentary? "No consent. 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. Glamour may earn a portion of sales from products that are purchased through our site as part of our Affiliate Partnerships with retailers. This was a person in a position of power, Fox 59 anchor Angela Ganote says. Netflix documentary Our Father uncovers the sick true story of Dr Donald Cline . The stories of some. Las Vegas-based fertility specialist Quincy Fortier also used his own sperm to inseminate unsuspecting women and may have fathered hundreds of children. The former fertility doctor secretly fathered dozens of his patients' children for. This was a team effort full of a lot of sacrifice, dedication, and persistence. ", 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.". Following his felony conviction in 2018, Cline surrendered his medical license. She considers this adultery. Donald Lee Cline (born December 10 . 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. Imagine finding out you have more siblings than you think The film explores the real-life story of the disgraced doctor, who . Here are the facts the documentary leaves out from the story of Dr. Donald Cline and his donor children. After interning at Indiana University Health Methodist Hospital, he served two years in the Air Force and 12 years as inactive reserve. [2]. One sibling sold another a wagon at a garage sale. 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. White went to Purdue at the same time as one of his half brothers. As this doesn't really relate to Cline, I'm pretty confused (and I assume others will be, too) as to why the doc includes these details prominently at all. The Medical Licensing Board of Indiana revoked his license in 2018. Is this some sort of sexual thing? Ballard learned at age 10 that she was conceived via donor sperm. He gave up his medical license, even though it had expired that same . 174, P.L. So where is Dr. Don Cline now? In 2015, central Indiana resident Jacoba Ballard took an at-home DNA test that . According to Fox59, Cline has paid over $1.3 million in settlements to his victims and their families. We educated Indianas legislators, got our bill passed, and not going to stop.. In 2014 when Jacoba Ballard, a daughter of a former patient of Dr. Cline, reviewed the results of her at-home DNA test, . 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. 'Mandalorian' Season 3 Release Time, Savannah Guthrie Rushed Out Of 'Today' After Testing Positive For COVID-19 During Live Broadcast, Where Is Hoda Kotb? He also has a chest-to-waist and bicep ratio of 40-36-15. Can you help? 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He retired in 2009, but carried out his transgressions from his Indianapolis offices during the late 1970s and early 80s without repercussions. Those in Quiverfull reject birth control andbelievethey can help spread the word of God by having as many children as possible. [13] Charges were filed against Cline. As the story unfolds and more brothers and sisters are found, the gravity of Dr. Donald Cline's scheme becomes all the more severe. 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. I dont deny that it was a sexual violation, [but] Dr. Spice up your small talk with the latest tech news, products and reviews. 'The Last of Us' Episode 7 Ending Explained: Does Riley Die in 'The Last of Us'? The documentary does point out that Cline was extremely religious, with numerous Christian sayings decorating his office, and is an elder in his church. The lug nuts disappeared off Ballards car one day, she shares in the film. When Will 'Jesus Revolution' Movie Be Streaming? There's no hiding.". They all shared a father, fertility doctor Donald Cline. New Netflix documentary Our Father tells the story of how DNA testing brought Donald Cline's use of his own sperm in dozens of his own patients throughout the '70s and '80s to light. 779, This story has been shared 541 times. 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. Keith Boyle as Dr. Donald Cline in "Our Father" (Netflix) Netflix's latest documentary feature "Our Father" is an intricate real-life horror tale about fertility fraud that manages to grow. 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. 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. Jacoba Ballard, Deborah Pierce v. Anonymous Health Care Provider, John Doe, M.D. "Um, my wife and I, uh, after 57 years of marriage, um, we have had a great deal of problems over this. He told his patients that the sperm donors were anonymous medical residents, and that no single donors sperm was used more than three times. Netflix's new documentary exposes the shocking plot that Dr Donald Cline implemented in the late 70s and 80s - but where is he now? 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. Meara is an associate editor on CNET's Culture team, where she covers movies, TV shows and viral online happenings. 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. Jacoba Ballard is Our Father's protagonist, as the documentary traces her initial discovery, at 35-years-old, that she had seven half-siblings by taking a DNA test. "They were in fear that other races were infiltrating and the white race would eventually disappear," she says. "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. "[13], Ganote told DeLaney that Cline was lying to them. Netflix: The 43 Absolute Best Movies to Watch, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Donald Cline was so perfect in his work that he was famous for being the first person in India to perform laparoscopic surgery. 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. Netflix's latest true-crime documentary, "Our Father," centers on the fraudulent fertility practice of . Cline was not involved with the documentary or interviewed for it. 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. 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. I [told my husband], Unfortunately, Dr. Cline didnt use your sperm, he used his own. 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. 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. Lucie Jourdan makes her directorial documentary debut with the film, which comes from Netflix and Blumhouse Pictures. But Clines wrongdoings, tragically, felt even more personal for Kramer. There is no federal law against it. He was a monster in the guise of a savior, and Lucie Jourdan's outraged . She learned she had at least seven half siblings and that their mothers' fertility doctor, Donald Cline, had been artificially inseminating his patients with his own sperm. He could have stopped at any point, but he kept doing it over and over and over.. It sounds almost too twisted to be real, but unfortunately, Our Father is an investigative documentary, and Dr. Donald Cline is a real man. Cline's jail sentence of 365 days was suspended. Hes an elder of the church.. The results can be truly horrific. All rights reserved. Finding out that I had siblings was amazing, Ballard admitted. 215 became effective July 1, 2019. It starts with Jacoba. 2023 CNET, a Red Ventures company. "Thanks to accessible DNA testing, these perpetrators are finally being caught and exposed, and forced into a spotlight they never imagined.". Netflix is set to release a documentary this Wednesday, May 11. 'Did you not consider we all live in a relatively close area?' I dont deny that it was a sexual violation, a talking head states in the trailer. As a result, he fathered at least 50 children in the 70s and 80s. Cline has not publicly acknowledged or commented ties to the tradition. Unfortunately, the answer is as shocking as the documentary itself. And while Clines sins may have gone legally unpunished thus far, Ballard refuses to rest until justice is served. 1,222, This story has been shared 1,076 times. The attorney general then conducted an independent DNA test. Jacoba Ballard discovered her mother's fertility doctor in Indianapolis used his own sperm during insemination. 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In the meantime, you can watch the trailer below. When the county prosecutors finally investigated Cline, the results were disappointing to the siblings, the women he inseminated, and their families. 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. "It's okay to raise any flags or questions throughout your treatment to try to ensure that you are receiving ethical and proper care. Another documentary, HBO's Baby God, tells the story of one of those doctors. "I feel like he's hiding something more sinister.". 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. 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." 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. 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. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Thanks for contacting us. More than 50 U.S. fertility doctors are accused of fraud related to sperm donation. 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