A federal jury in Indiana ordered Netflix to pay thousands to a woman whose identity as one of fertility doctor's "secret children" was revealed in a true crime documentary.
In the 1970s and 1980s, Dr. Donald Cline, a fertility specialist, secretly inseminated dozens of patients with his own sperm, ultimately fathering nearly 100 children without their consent.
The case gained widespread attention after DNA testing through platforms like 23andMe began exposing the connections, Variety reported.
Cline pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice in 2017 but avoided prison, and his story was later chronicled in Netflix's "Our Father."
Netflix and RealHouse Productions on Thursday to pay $385,000 to Lori Kennard
The documentary revealed the names and photos of some of his children without their explicit permission, leading three women, including Lori Kennard, to sue for invasion of privacy in May 2022.
After a four-day trial, the jury found that Netflix and RealHouse Productions were liable for disclosing Kennard's identity.
The court ruled that producers failed to adequately protect Kennard's privacy, despite promising anonymity for those who wanted it.
Judge Tanya Walton Pratt determined the disclosure was an honest mistake, limiting the payout to compensatory damages, amounting to $385,000.
Netflix has maintained its stance that the outcome was relatively favorable, given that the plaintiffs initially sought millions in punitive damages.
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