INDIANAPOLIS (WTHR) - 13 Investigates has talked directly with another family who believes they are likely the very first victims of Indianapolis fertility expert Dr. Donald Cline. The local OB/GYN physician admitted he used his own sperm on dozens of his patients while in practice for years.
Alison Farber Kramer's father and Dr. Cline had known each other for years and they considered Cline close to the family. When Alison’s mother could not get pregnant, Cline reportedly offered her husband his expertise and became her OB/GYN and fertility doctor.
Eventually, Allison and her twin sister were born and never suspected anything because Cline reportedly told them he used sperm from one of his medical students working in the office at the time.
Years later, Alison started gathering information about her genetic background for the sake of her future children, especially after she started having issues while trying to give birth a second time.
She told 13 Investigates her family, naturally, recommended her seeing Cline. When she became pregnant again, she said Cline insisted she continue to see him at least for the first trimester of the new pregnancy.
Out of concern, Alison started collecting information about her family medical history and eventually completed a DNA kit through "23 & Me."
"I opened up the 23 & Me," Alison said. “It said something like 22 or 23 half-siblings. I just thought it was a mistake."
When Cline started making national news for his practices as a fertility doctor Alison and her family followed the case closely. They never gave thought that Cline did anything suspicious while treating her mother.
But the DNA results Alison chalked up as a mistake turned out to be anything but. It all became too real when she watched the "Dr. Phil" show about Cline, which featured some of his secret children.
“That’s when my parents revealed that they used Dr. Cline for fertility,” said Alison.
Now Alison is joining Liz White to get House Bill 1160 on the front burner at the Statehouse. White is a former patient of Cline's who says DNA shows he secretly fathered her son years ago. In all, there are at more than 50 women, according to White, that Cline allegedly deceived by secretly using his own sperm to get them pregnant.
Right now, part of House Bill 1160 says a person commits rape during a sexual activity where another person has not given consent. The bill also criminalizes it when a person is intentionally induced under pretense or a concealed practice by another person.
State Rep. Sue Errington authored the bill. In a telephone conversation with 13 Investigates Thursday afternoon, her media representative explained Errington has no intention of presenting the bill in committee this session, but has not ruled out next session as a possibility.
That’s why Liz White is asking people to help her and others put in phone calls to House Speaker Brian Bosma. White believes he has the power to assign the bill to the judiciary committee and eventually the House floor this session.
Cline has since surrendered this medical license after a conviction of obstruction of justice. Indiana has no law on the books right now that would make it a crime for a fertility doctor to secretly use his own sperm to impregnate patients. That is something Liz White and now Cline’s latest secret child and twin sibling are vowing to make happen, no matter how long it takes.