spyretto, of course, the expression of a genetic trait (like the lack of face bone) may depend on environmental conditions the embryo develops in - but there must be such a trait in the genetic material of the embryo to begin with. I doubt that in a severe case like this environment played a big role, though. Unless the mother was subjected to a lot of harmful radiation or chemical influence (which would have been mentioned in the news). Usually microenvironemts in the womb effect insignificant traits like finger prints (for example, twins always have different finger prints despite identical DNA).
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