Dr. Donald Cline inseminated dozens of women with his own sperm without their knowledge or consent during the 1970s and 1980s. Every time we get a new match I give them this news, and its like Im ruining their life.. . Together, alongside their mothers and other advocates, they successfully campaigned to have laws passed criminalizing Clines' deeds. 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. To couples at the end of their ropes who wanted children but could not conceive them for medical reasons, Dr. Donald Cline was a savior of sorts, offering to match the women with sperm from anonymous men resembling their partners. According to Fox59, Cline has paid over $1.3 million in settlements to his victims and their families. When he was inseminating his patients, there was no way to use DNA testing to determine that the children were his. No obituary has been found of Dr. Cline and no family member has shared details of funeral arrangements for him. The story of donor children searching for answers, of the siblings they never knew they . 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. First, Cline has two children with his wife, Audrey. When Jacoba Ballard took a DNA test, she had no idea the results would come back with seven matches. And in 2009, Dr. Ben. They grew frustrated when they learned there weren . In Virginia in 1992, an infertility specialist was convicted on 52 counts of fraud and perjury for artificially inseminating patients with his own sperm, among other charges. Cline suddenly had no excuse for the many children that looked like him (via The Atlantic). "I'm doing better than last year. Continue reading this article which delivers interesting information about Donald Cline. By clicking Accept, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. Now, she's focusing on local advocacy work. Advocate Name. Image from Netflix. She would later find out that Cline had secretly fathered dozens of his patients' children without their knowledge or consent for years. On May 11, 2022, the documentary Our Father dropped on Netflix, effectively horrifying viewers with the story of a fertility doctor who crossed roughly a million lines and ended up biologically fathering nearly 100 babies. According to the documentary, Cline may have fathered more than 94 children in the 1970s and 1980s. Coolio funeral, burial service, pictures, date, time, venue. They then contacted Doug and Donna, Cline's children, with his wife, Audrey. They said in the complaint that, in researching their origins, they had discovered through a genetic testing website that they were half siblings, and had all been conceived using sperm from Dr. Clines office. But as Ballard says, she believes there are more of Cline's kids out there. 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. We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. (Since the documentary, Indiana and a few other states have finally passed laws making fertility fraud a crime. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. But he ran into a problem: The total count of his half-siblings seemed to climb constantly. at least eight other people in its database, the affidavit said. How many kids does Dr Cline have? AN INVESTIGATION into the practices of fertility doctor, Donald Cline, led to a number of bombshell revelations. Do you have to be attractive to donate sperm? After receiving his law degree from the University of Maine School of Law, John started his career at a large law firm in Portland. The film is a documentary that centers on Jacoba Ballard, one of Clines children. Press Esc to cancel. 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. . Donors with contact are open to having their partners and children know their donor-conceived offspring. The new Netflix doc sheds a light on fertility doctor Donald Cline's implanting of his own sperm in his patients without their consent for over a decade, and fathering more than 94 children. And how Dr Donald Cline illegally stimulated more than 90 children. Jacoba Ballard is Our Father's protagonist, as the documentary traces her initial discovery, at 35-years-old, that . Dr. Donald Cline is not the only fertility doctor to commit fertility fraud, as The Sun reported that Michigan doctor, Phillip Peven, has fathered hundreds of children using the same practice, in . You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. As Indiana lawmakers first prepared to hold a hearing to discuss a proposed fertility fraud bill, Matt drafted letters to send to individual members. To see all content on The Sun, please use the Site Map. The most notorious fertility doctor to secretly use . But there might be more out there. When asked why he used his own sperm in his patients, Cline said he was only trying to help desperate mothers and families. It was a 23andMe test taken by Jacoba Ballard in 2014 that eventually revealed the horror story she shared with a now estimated 90 half-siblings: an Indiana fertility doctor named Donald Cline had . Everyone Practices Cancel Culture | Opinion, Deplatforming Free Speech is Dangerous | Opinion. Where will be Ricou Browning buried? The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". Party Name. "While we would love for there to be something at a national level, it is nice to see it kind of trickling across the nation," she says. than three times. His actions [] The man who is thought to have fathered the most children of all time is Moroccan Sultan Ismail Ibn Sharif (1645 to 1727) with a total of more than 1,000, according to Guinness World Records. Cline has remained silent about why he committed fertility fraud. Dr. Cline initially denied using his own sperm for insemination, prosecutors said, misleading the attorney generals office. The most notorious fertility doctor to secretly use his own 2022-05-15 08:37:38 - Paris/France. 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 . Indiana became the first state in the U.S. to make it illegal for fertility doctors to use their own sperm without a patient's consent. Im a young writer who is passionate about blogging. Did you not consider we all live in a relatively close area? one daughter said. 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. 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). The streaming platform Netflix premieres on May 11 documentary film "Our Father", were expecting, impregnating at least eight women decades ago, court documents I want laws changed, I want medical professionals to be held accountable, Ms. Ballard said. Many of them live within a tight radius of one another in Indiana, and unfortunately close to Cline. 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. My heart breaks for all the mothers who were violated by this narcissist. Burial site and Find a Grave details, Ricou Browning funeral, burial service, pictures, date, time, venue. Stop reading here if you don't want to know what happens in Our Father. How Many Kids Does Donald Cline Have? There are 94 of them counted as of now. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". Jacoba Ballard, who is featured in Netflix's "Our Father," is one of the many biological children of Dr. Donald Cline, a former fertility doctor who used his own semen to impregnate patients without their knowledge. Donald Cline, an Indiana fertility doctor who used his own sperm to artificially inseminate dozens of patients without their consent, has been confirmed to be the father to at least 48 children . At the time of Cline's trial in December 2017, there were only 22 siblings. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Jacoba Ballard's earnest quest to find her half-siblings turned into . And in 2019, a new law was finally created to make fertility fraud illegal (via Legiscan). They had children, who grew up and had children of their own. It is currently unknown if Donald and Susie are still married. Why Trust Us? director Lucie Jourdan interviews many of Cline's biological children, . Some patients would also use their husband's sperm. He had an estimated 94 children. A Fertility Doctor Used His Sperm on Unwitting Women. She was matched with seven half-siblings, instantly raising a red flag as the use of the same donor on more than three occasions went against best medical practices. Party Name. Cline opened his fertility clinic in 1979. Due to her knowledge of how she was conceived through artificial insemination, she sought after Donald Cline. By then in his eighties, Cline was fined $500 and given a year of probation. Order Date. He had an estimated 94 children. The documentary is an account by Jacoba Ballard and her 50+ half-siblings supposedly fathered by the disgraced and retired medical specialist. A disgraced fertility doctor has fathered 94 children and counting by impregnating his patients with his own sperm. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. All rights reserved. Per The Atlantic, the Cline half-siblings now have to face the troubling realities of the situation: What if they accidentally dated their own half-sibling? In some instances, state prosecutors said, Dr. Cline even told women that he was using their husbands sperm but provided his own. Dr. Clines children are uncountable, considering that some of the women he inseminated are still unaware of what happened. That number is now almost 100. Cline actually confessed to using his own sperm in his patients. She survives him, along with five daughters, Dr. Beth Klein, Geri Armine-Klein, Dr. As of the Our Father production, there are currently 94 Cline siblings however, its thought that there could be more. However, it turned out he had a sickening secret. Sperm banks are always looking for a variety of donors because everyones got different criteria theyre looking at.. Although this new law won't apply to Cline's actions in the 1970s and 1980s, it will at least give his more than 50 children the legal standing to sue their "father," reports The Atlantic. So far, Cline's identified children were born between 1972 and 1988, but Cline practiced until 2009, so there is the unfortunate likelihood that there could be many more children out there. Between 1972 and 1988, fertility doctor Donald Cline inseminated his patients with his own sperm without their knowledge or consent, leading to the births of many children. She found the first seven half-siblings after she used a DNA kit, but she suspected there was more to the story; not everyone has tested their genetic ancestry. 2021 Associated Newspapers Limited. Despite Susie, Donald Clines wife, not being a major part of the Netflix documentary, it is revealed that she also received treatment from her husband at the fertility clinic. As further DNA tests are concluded, the number is expected to increase a worrying concern for each of the siblings, many of whom happen to live within close proximity to one another. In the '70s and '80s, Donald Cline fathered more than 50 children by using his own sperm in his patients. Through 23andMe and other similar genetic testing websites, three dozen half siblings of those women have been found, said Jacoba Ballard, 38, one of the biological daughters. Not a lot is known about Susie, nor her marriage to Cline, but the doc does confirm that they had two children together, Donna and Doug. Dr. Clines death has been rumored since Netflix documentary Our Father was released. Did you really thinkthat we wouldnt meet? The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. In Our Father, Jacoba and several of her half-siblings recount their experience of shock, anger, their ultimate disbelief in finding out the truth, and the search for justice. Cline was not criminally charged with his actions but was charged with obstructing justice by denying the allegations and received a $500 fine. 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. 23andMe, the most well-known company that offers at-home DNA testing kits for individuals, launched in the United States in 2007. I really thought I was going to die." Despite the seriousness of his actions, Donald Cline was not sentenced to prison. Then, in 2018, he surrendered his medical license to the Medical Licensing Board of Indiana, according to IndyStar. Jourdan adds: Hes going to grandchildrens swim meets and things like that. Editor at Ghanafuo.com! The film-makers also tracked down Cline, who had disappeared from public view, seeking an explanation for his actions. For further details of our complaints policy and to make a complaint please click this link: thesun.co.uk/editorial-complaints/, Former fertility specialist, Donald Cline, is the biological father of an estimated 50 plus children, Donald Cline's former patients speak out about his biological duplicity in the Netflix documentary Our Father, Greece train crash: Inside 10 seconds of terror after worst ever head-on smash sparks derailment blaze leaving 38 dead, Man, 43, died after being held down by security guards at Sainsbury's, Woman, 37, found dead in posh flat near racecourse as man charged with murder, Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO). Pic: Kelly Wilkinson,/The Indianapolis Star via AP. Ballard found out she was the daughter of Cline after taking a DNA test to find her half-siblings. And since 2019, the number has climbed higher and higher. Many live in the same town, go to the same places, and have children that attend school together. Donald Cline was never charged for implanting his own sperm into his patients without their knowledge as, at the time, there was no law in Indiana against such a practice. How many biological children did Dr. Donald Cline have? He also does not acknowledge the paternity of his 94 children, exclaiming in one recording: "I don't look at these people and consider them to be my children.". The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. He said he had given his own sperm to several patients, according to court papers. Dr. Donald Cline. It's also possible that there are more half-siblings out there. "I called my mom and I was like, 'Mom, is it possible I have random siblings out there somewhere?'" Its safe to say that Cline was far from being in the best shape and its a chilling fact that stays with you after watching. eight people, the youngest of which would be about 30. How can I check my divorce . The charges stemmed from two confirmed cases of paternity, but children of women treated by Cline said DNA tests show he is likely the biological father of as many as 20 of them. is not accused of hiding documents, influencing witnesses or otherwise not The term is also used in cases where donor eggs are used without consent and more broadly, in instances where doctors and other . 1894 shipwreck found in Lake Huron, confirming "powerful, tragic story", Garland to face Congress amid ongoing special counsel investigations, FBI chief says agency feels pandemic likely started with Chinese lab leak. Flying bug found at Walmart turns out to be rare Jurassic-era insect. Do NOT follow this link or you will be banned from the site! He also lost his medical licence, although he had already retired in 2009. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. FIR Number. Sulley Muntari, Agyeman Badu, Asamoah Gyan, others visit Christian Atsus family home, VIDEO: Government will be fully involved in providing Christian Atsu a befitting burial Dr. Bawumia, Christian Atsus mortal remains arrive in Ghana via Turkish Airlines, Maybe I created enemies along the line Kofi Amoabeng on UT Banks collapse, Christian Atsu was one of Ghanas finest personnel Akufo-Addo, This is some food chain story Archipalago shamed for chasing clout with Christian Atsus death. Doctors often just chose other doctors they were friends with to be the sperm donors (via The Atlantic). "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.". Instead, in 2017 Cline was charged with obstructing justice. They encouraged parents never to tell their children that they were conceived by a sperm donor. Blame the Federal Reserve. Upon finding out, she said she felt as if she had been raped 15 times by Cline. In some instances, state prosecutors said, Dr Cline even told women that he was using their husbands' sperm but provided his own. Dr. Cline later acknowledged that he did use his sperm. 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. It was common for doctors to pick the sperm donors they thought would be best for each patient. Many hopeful . He lost his medical license and did not serve jail time, Indiana did not have laws specific to fertility fraud. The investigation into Dr. Cline began in 2014 and 2015, when a group of women including Ms. Ballard filed a complaint against Dr. Cline with Indiana's attorney general, whose office . We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. Clive Jones claims to have fathered 129 children with nine more on the way. Where Is Dr. Donald Cline From 'Our Father' Now? An actor portrays Cline in Netflix's new true crime doc. On May 11, 2022, Netflix released a documentary titled Our Father that retells Donald's misdeeds. Said he had given his own sperm to several patients, Cline was charged with justice. An actor portrays Cline in Netflix & # x27 ; s children, with wife! Do not follow this link or you will dr donald cline how many kids banned from the site '... Im a young writer who is passionate about blogging Free Speech is Dangerous | Opinion, Deplatforming Speech. Donor children searching for answers, of the women he inseminated are still married she would find... By denying the allegations and received a $ 500 fine from links on this page, but we recommend! 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