He was fined $500, sentenced to a year of probation, and lost his medical license, although hed already been retired for nearly a decade. Many of them live within a tight radius of one another in Indiana, and unfortunately close to Cline. The story of the Indianapolis doctor, Donald L. Cline, who inseminated his patients with his own sperm, is coming to Netflix on May 11. Cline's daughter Jacoba Ballard is the central figure in Netflix's Our Father. The database unmasked, with detached clarity, a dark secret hidden in plain sight for decades: the physician once named Nevada's doctor of the year, who died in 2006 at age 94, had impregnated . Below, catch up on where a few of the 94 half-siblings are now: During her investigation, Jacoba met Cline and his family in person. Doctor Donald Cline's crimes were brought to light thanks to an investigation by FOX59's Angela Ganote. As of the time the Netflix doc ceased production, the number was nearly 100. So, how many children does Donald Cline really have? used his own sperm at least 50 times instead of donated sperm that his patients That we wouldnt have kids who might date? were expecting, impregnating at least eight women decades ago, court documents of Cline, it said. Jacoba Ballard in "Our Father." But when Jacoba Ballard, who knew shed been conceived via donor sperm, set out in 2014 to look into her own ancestry, she accidentally stumbled into his dark, deep secretand 94 and counting of her own half-siblings, also fathered by their mothers fertility doctor. "There was a period of time, I didn't know if I was going to make it. According to a feature in The Atlantic from 2019, the half-siblings have annual picnics on Fathers Day. Dr. Cline was legally married to Audrey Cline. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. He did, however, lie to the attorney generals office when they inquired about his activities, and for that, he was charged with two counts of felony obstruction of justice in 2016. After she contacts her brothers and sisters, they join forces to investigate their family tree, which eventually leads them to Cline, who admits to being their biological father. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. In December, Dr. Cline pleaded guilty to two felony obstruction of justice charges, acknowledging that he lied to state investigators when denying the accusations that he used his own sperm. "What kind of scam is this? How many kids does Dr Cline have? Press Esc to cancel. Cline opened his fertility clinic in 1979. All rights reserved. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. By then in his eighties, Cline was fined $500 and given a year of probation. But Cline is now an octogenarian, and he had already retired before his license was taken away. Because Cline's patients were from the same area in Indiana, most of his children also live relatively close to one another. Dr. Cline did not return a phone call requesting comment. As another of Cline's children, Jason Hyatt, recalls, he had over 3,000 potential relatives on Ancestry, a DNA-matching website (via Daily Mail). Donald Lee Cline (born December 10, 1938) is a convicted felon and an American former medical doctor of obstetrics and gynaecology. "She was like, 'I don't know what you're talking about. Cline has so far fathered 94 half-siblings, Netflix confirmed, and the number is likely to increase once further DNA tests are concluded. Cline suddenly had no excuse for the many children that looked like him (via The Atlantic). In 2017, Cline was convicted on two felony counts for obstructing the state attorney general's investigation into the matter. His practice was located in Indianapolis, where several patients would consult him regarding pregnancy matters. MYTH: Sperm from tall, attractive men is the most desirable. From the 1970s through the 1990s, Donald Cline was a renowned fertility . The Sun website is regulated by the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO), Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. Act. He had an estimated 94 children. Thats the thing, hes still out and about. As far as peace of mind? Dr. Donald Cline's Wife, Girlfriend & Relationships. The authorities who are investigating Dr. Cline have confirmed through DNA testing that two women were biological children of his. While not a retelling of his tale, much of the story in "Almost Family" mirrors the life of Dr. Donald L. Cline, a well-known Indianapolis fertility doctor who pleaded guilty in December 2017 . When Indiana fertility doctor Dr. Donald Cline was charged with obstruction of justice in the fall of 2016, . Under California Penal Code section 632, it is a crime to record a telephone call , In California, any business created during the marriage will be considered community property. Lastly, this user believes the 94 children did not get the justice they deserved as Clines patients: I just watched Our Father in Netflix and my blood boils knowing the victims who happen to be, unfortunately, his 94 children (and counting), and plenty innocent women, didn't get the justice they so well deserve. How do I get a copy of my Nebraska birth certificate? After she had made contact with her brothers and sisters, they delved deeper into their unusual family tree, unearthing a chilling connection between them and trusted fertility doctor and church elder Donald Cline. In the 1970s and 80s, when fertility doctor Donald Cline of Indianapolis was swapping out donor sperm without the consent of his patients and instead implanting his own fresh personal supply into them, he likely could not have anticipated the above statistic. Jacoba who felt she didnt belong in her family took a DNA test at the age of 33 in 2014. revamp thrums with sexual tension, trusted fertility doctor and church elder Donald Cline, If PopMaster will continue on BBC Radio 2 after Ken Bruce leaves, Sophie Rundle: Motherhood has made me too tired to people-please', Date of Ken Bruce's final day on Radio 2 and why he's leaving for Greatest Hits early, BBC bids to smooth over Ken Bruce exit row ahead of DJ's thorny last week at Radio 2, When presenter Steve Allen left LBC and his statement following immediate exit, Phew! They are also responsible for championing a bill in Indiana that makes misrepresentation in a medical procedure a felony, which was signed into law in May of 2019, making Indiana the first state to criminalize fertility doctors using their own sperm without patient consent. At the same time, donors are respectful of the integrity of the family in which their offspring were raised. A new law makes such . I couldnt type a letter at night and then print it out in the morning and send it without it changing, he told the outlet. Former fertility specialist, Donald Cline, is the biological father of an estimated 50 plus children Who is Donald Cline? ", Jacoba says that finding new relatives always gives her a "sick feeling.". Do NOT follow this link or you will be banned from the site! But it was not illegal then for a doctor to inseminate a patient with his own sperm, and the records needed to prove criminal deception had been destroyed. However, it turned out he had a sickening secret. Cline's former nurse at his clinic, Jan Shore, and his former business partner, Dr. Robert Colver, who are also interviewed, admit that the ideal number of practical uses of a sperm donor is limited to three, as a large number of children from the same donor brings in the risk of too many people related to each other living close to a single . As one person says in Our Father's trailer, "Dr. Cline was the best infertility doctor in Indianapolis." But this image of Cline was destroyed after an investigation found he had used his own sperm to inseminate his patients without their knowledge or consent dozens of times, resulting in his paternity of at least 50 children . Dr. Donald Cline. 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. He was a monster in the guise of a savior, and Lucie Jourdan's outraged . Laugh? Im currently working with Ghanafuo.com as a writer. Heres What To Know, TikTok Loves These Tech Accessories From Amazon, Elizabeth Holmes' Kids: Her New Baby & Prison Time. Many couples sought Dr. Cline out at his Indianapolis-area fertility clinic during the 1970s and 80s. Many of Cline's biological "children" including Jacoba Ballard reached out to . But as Ballard says, she believes there are more of Cline's kids out there. Peaky Blinders's Cillian Murphy and his wife Yvonne McGuinness keep love life discreet, {{#media.media_details}} {{#media.focal_point}}. However, California allows an illegally recorded conversation to be admitted as evidence in criminal cases, provided it falls within a , Case Status. Your Privacy Choices: Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads. 23andMe, the most well-known company that offers at-home DNA testing kits for individuals, launched in the United States in 2007. It was an unexpected family reunion of the worst kind. "We just had Mother's Day last weekend, so I'm sure that even just as a result of that, we'll find another sibling or two.". As for Dr. Donald Cline, his punishment was a $500 fine, one year's probation, and his medical license was permanently revoked (via Daily Mail). They have even organised an annual picnic, held over Fathers Day weekend. Every time we get a new match I give them this news, and its like Im ruining their life.. It reads: "As of this production, there are currently 94 Cline siblings and counting". She expects the number to grow. 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. Email us atexclusive@the-sun.comor call212 416 4552. However, The Atlantic reports that Cline was charged with neither rape nor battery with bodily waste, and in most of America, there is no specific law against the actions Cline did to his patients. How can I check my court case status in Maharashtra? have a donor sample available, the affidavit said he told them. There are 94 of them counted as of now. He was given a 365-day jail sentence that was suspended. Cline was ultimately charged with two counts of obstruction of justice. Lawsuits claim it wrecked their teeth. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Cline actually confessed to using his own sperm in his patients. By Quinci LeGardye. had told his patients they were receiving sperm from medical or dental Join half a million readers enjoying Newsweek's free newsletters. (Alyssa Schukar) By the 1970s, hundreds of doctors were performing . September 12, 2016 / 3:05 PM At that meeting, Cline admitted to being their biological father. Cause Lists. What autoimmune disease did Dr Cline have? The doctors actions were revealed by one of his children, Jacoba Ballard. The film-makers also tracked down Cline, who had disappeared from public view, seeking an explanation for his actions. Two other half-siblings had children on the same sports team. Cline made contact with Ballard when she first realised he was her biological father. As detailed in the new Netflix documentary "Our Father," when Cline opened his clinic in 1979, there weren't as many rules around surrounding the fertility specialty (via The Atlantic). This means that when assets are divided during the divorce process, the other spouse is legally entitled to half of the value , Admissibility of Recorded Conversations in California Typically, recorded conversations are inadmissible in court as hearsay. Cline have confirmed through DNA testing kits for individuals, launched in the from! An American former medical doctor of obstetrics and gynaecology, court documents of Cline & x27! Link or you will be banned from the 1970s through the 1990s, Donald Cline charged... 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