Netflix is popular for making documentaries on issues that people know very little about. And the new documentary Our Father, which informs the world of the heinous crimes of Donald Cline, takes it to a whole new level. The documentary reveals how doctor Donald Cline, an Indiana fertility specialist, had been using his sperm to conceive female patients without their knowledge or consent.

However, all crimes eventually come to an end. And that is what happened with Donald with the help of sites like 23andMe and Ancestry. But how did two sites that trace your family history help a woman expose a long-running criminal? Let us try to find out.

How did 23andMe and Ancestry help catch Donald Cline?

Jacoba Ballard’s 23andMe test in 2014 finally revealed the terrible story she shared with her estimated 90 half-siblings. Donald Cline, an Indiana fertility specialist, had been using his sperm to conceive female patients without their knowledge or consent.

Ballard’s DNA test prompted her to begin her investigation, and the names in her online family tree that she was compiling from the findings all pointed to the same person: Cline. When Ballard contacted some of the siblings she had discovered, some of them claimed that Cline had treated their parents. Because of the DNA confirmation, it became clear that Cline had not been utilizing donor samples.

So what are 23andMe and Ancestry? Let us take a look at them one by one.

23andMe

23andMe is a simple organization that helps you discover your dynasty. It’s merely saliva that takes three to four weeks to turn into a health and characteristics report on your app with pie charts.

The saliva collection kit will be mailed to you within three to five business days of placing your order. You may choose express delivery if you’re eager to learn about your family tree.

All you have to do is spit into the tube supplied after following the instructions. You must then register your saliva collecting tube. Simply return the kit to 23andMe. Expect an email stating that your reports are available in three to four weeks, after which you may log in, examine your news, and connect with family.

Ancestry

Ancestry is quite similar to 23andME. An AncestryDNA kit ($99) would be mailed to you, and the directions on the package are quite straightforward. Create an account by entering the unique code found on the inside of the package, and then answer several questions and sign consent forms.

To avoid contamination, you must wait 30 minutes after eating before collecting your spit sample.  After spitting in the tube, all you had to do was seal it and mail it off at my local post office in the provided and pre-paid UPS envelope.

After around four weeks, you should receive an email stating that your results have arrived.

The Sibling Season

The documentary has been on Netflix for just a day now. But it has been seen by millions. While talking about the film and its release Jacob said that they started getting calls just after the trailer release.

She said, “So many of them don’t even know they were donor-conceived, and some believed they came from their dad’s sperm.”

So naturally, when you have to give such huge news to someone probably the biggest news of their life it takes a toll on you. This is why now Jacob dreads Christmas. She explains that every holiday season, there is an inflow of new siblings when everyone receives their Christmas DNA test.

 She says “In the donor-conceived groups I’m in, it’s referred to as ‘sibling season.’”

What are your thoughts on the documentary on Netflix? Let us know in the comments.