I just felt bad for my mother, said White. Their concern with consanguinity and its potential genetic disorders increases as their own children grow up and develop intimate relationships. Ballard, who performed a home DNA test in 2014, said she was shocked to discover that her biological father was Dr. Donald Cline, the prominent fertility specialist who treated her mom in 1979. It. But theres eight of us, whats going on here?. I wasnt., I was raped 15 times and didnt even know it, former Cline patient Liz White says during her interview, a wrenching counterpoint. "Thanks to accessible DNA testing, these perpetrators are finally being caught and exposed, and forced into a spotlight they never imagined.". In 2015, central Indiana resident Jacoba Ballard took an at-home DNA test that . Ballards mother, Debbie Pierce, sought Clines help with getting pregnant in 1979, after it was determined that her husband couldnt have children naturally. As for why he did what he did, no one knows for sure. Phil in December 2019 that she was finally able to accept the truth. However, it turned out he had a sickening secret. "It's almost like we're this perfect Aryan clan," she says. The siblings acknowledge that without hearing the truth from Cline, they only have theories. Donald Lee Cline (born December 10, 1938) is a convicted felon and an American former medical doctor of obstetrics and gynaecology. Photo: Netflix. 'Mandalorian' Season 3 Release Time, Savannah Guthrie Rushed Out Of 'Today' After Testing Positive For COVID-19 During Live Broadcast, Where Is Hoda Kotb? That we wouldnt maybe date? It was only through DNA testing records that his biological children found out that Cline had been using his own sperm. She handled the potentially awkward moment with grace. Shore worked with Cline for 13 years. Ballard says patients need to be vigilant. While the story Our Father depicts is relatively unique, the violation of a persons ability to choose the circumstances under which they become pregnant, and the lack of legal protection of that ability, are not. Jacoba Ballard, Deborah Pierce v. Anonymous Health Care Provider, John Doe, M.D. "This led to an identity crisis," Woock tells PEOPLE. 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. A judge suspended the former doctor's sentence, though Cline did pay a $500 fine and court costs, which totaled $185. 2022-09-19 17:04:00 - Paris/France. According to the Netflix documentary, "Our Father," that isn't always the case. Meara is an associate editor on CNET's Culture team, where she covers movies, TV shows and viral online happenings. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our, Digital The Medical Licensing Board of Indiana revoked his license in 2018. 'The Skinny Shot' on Hulu Is An Ozempic "Documentary" That Plays More Like A Commercial, Where Is Estonia Located? Quiverfull is anultra-conservativeChristian movement mentioned in the film. I dont deny that it was a sexual violation, [but] Dr. 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". "[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. 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? [a] Her genetic genealogy research ultimately revealed Cline, her mother's fertility doctor, as her biological father. No one in the office? Meet Storm Reid. In 2009,NPR reportedthat Quiverfull was "a small group, probably 10,000 fast-growing families, mainly in the Midwest and South.". 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. The caption on the tweet pretty much nailed it. "He's. 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. To revisit this article, select My Account, thenView saved stories. Is there a quality source to confirm this story? To revisit this article, visit My Profile, thenView saved stories. As a result, it saw the former doctor fathering at least 50 children throughout the 1970s and '80s. Jacoba Ballards life changed after she took an at-home DNA test and learned she had seven half-siblings. In a statement, Our Father director Lucie Jourdan wrote that there are at least 44 additional male doctors from around the world who did the same thing as Cline. Cline is believed to have used his own sperm on patients between 1979 and 1986 By the time the flood of DNA matches started to dry up, it was clear that Dr Donald Cline had fathered more than 50 . All Rights reserved. 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. This was a person in a position of power, Fox 59 anchor Angela Ganote says. 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. The stories of some. As more and more people learn the former Zionsville doctor is their biological father, outraged victims search for answers, legal and existential", "Doctor's victims seek fertility fraud law", "Our Father: Who is Dr Donald Cline and where is he now? An Update on Where Dr. Donald Cline From "Our Father" Is Now. He also has connections to Quiverfull, a Christian movement that encourages having as many children as possible. One he also represented himself as a keynote speaker at the International Symposium for Infertility in Bologna, Italy. Jacoba Ballard discovered her mother's fertility doctor in Indianapolis used his own sperm during insemination. Our Father drops on Netflix on May 11. The film interviews several of Cline's genetically linked children, including Jacoba Ballard, who took an at-home DNA test as an adult and discovered she had seven half-siblings. 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. 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 only donated my own sample nine or 10 times," he said. Fans Fuming Over Mayim Bialik and Ken Jennings' Hosting Schedules: "I Want Ken Full-Time", 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All rights reserved, Stream It Or Skip It: 'National Geographic Investigates: Legal Marijuana In America' on Hulu, Where The Verdict Is Inconclusive, ABC Staff Go "Zero Contact" With Amy Robach and T.J. Holmes, Encouraged to "Never Mention Their Names Again", 'Below Deck's Captain Sandy Hasn't Spoken to Captain Lee Since Public Feud: "I Tried To Call Him", What Time Does 'The Mandalorian' Come Out on Disney+? This was a team effort full of a lot of sacrifice, dedication, and persistence. Robert Colver, Cline's former partner at work, and Jan Shore, his former nurse, deny having any knowledge of Cline's actions. [b][19] Ballard lobbied the state of Indiana for change. We educated Indianas legislators, got our bill passed, and not going to stop.. Our Father, produced by Blumhouse Television, is streaming now on Netflix. [2]. In 2017, Cline pleaded guilty to two counts of obstruction of justice, admitting he'd inseminated his patients without their consent or knowledge, Newsweek reports. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. His mom Liz was unknowingly injected with Clines semen 15 times before she finally became pregnant. You can find out more and change our default settings with Cookies Settings. 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!' 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. 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. The doctor's actions were revealed by one of his children, Jacoba Ballard. Cline's case did not go to trial, and in December 2017, he pleaded guilty. In Our Father, Ballard draws a link between Cline and Quiverfull, but it's not a strong one. 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. Dr. Donald Cline fathered at least 50 of his patients children. Little is known about Donald Cline's wife Susie, but according to the film the couple had two children - Donna and . She also knew Cline was her mother's fertility doctor. Fertility doctor Donald Cline is believed to have fathered at least 94 children by using his own sperm, and is now the subject of a new Netflix documentary. Netflix documentary Our Father uncovers the sick true story of Dr Donald Cline . Cline did not respond to The Posts request for a comment. Nearly all of the half siblings, including Ballard, are afflicted with chorionic autoimmune diseases. He has fathered over 90 children, with more and more half-siblings popping up on DNA testing sites every month. Our Father includes interviews with eight of the 94 siblings. [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. Dr Donald stands at 5 feet 11 inches tall. Spice up your small talk with the latest tech news, products and reviews. 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. ] Dr strong one jacoba Ballards life changed after she took an at-home DNA test that feet... 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