A mum whose baby was born “looking like a doll” has opened up about the reality of her daughter’s incredibly rare condition.
Victoria LaBrie noticed something unusual about her daughter before she’d even entered the world. During her pregnancy, Victoria had a 3D ultrasound scan which showed baby Hazel’s eyes were wide open. At the time, Victoria found this distinct feature to be “very cute” and the ultrasound technicians agreed.
However, reality struck when Hazel was born in December 2024, as her “doll like” eyes signalled to Victoria and partner Bobby, 37, that something wasn’t quite right. The mum said that they were “wide open like a little owl”.
Two weeks post-birth, the newborn underwent MRI brain scans and was diagnosed with Moebius syndrome, an extremely rare neurological disorder. According to health charity Facial Palsy UK, the condition weakens or paralyses the facial muscles that control expressions and lateral eye movements.
Those born with the condition are unable to smile, frown, blink their eyes, or suck – in some cases only one side of the face can be affected. According to Facial Palsy UK, the condition affects around 200 people in the UK with the cause unknown.
For Hazel, only the lower left side of her lip is mobile, while the rest of her face remains unable to move. She can’t blink but can move her eyes up and down, and a sideways glance is impossible.
To help Hazel, Victoria has to manually close her eyes for rest and apply eye ointment every one to two hours each day to improve lubrication and prevent corneal damage. “If I try to close her eyes for her when she’s sleeping they’ll open by themselves after a few seconds,” Victoria shared.
She admits that it can be challenging as babies typically connect with others through their smiles and facial expressions, but she has learnt to read Hazel’s emotions. “I can read her emotions looking at her eyes and the way she moves – I can sense her happiness, “Victoria shared. “She should be able to talk in the future, and she’s making some noises now.”
The mum added: “She is a really pleasant baby to have around and she screams, just without moving her mouth. When she locks eyes with someone, she will just sit and stare at you.
“It seems like she might be starting to giggle a little bit, and it’s hard to tell, obviously, because she can’t show that on her face. You can just tell that she is comfortable and she’s happy. Some of my other children are autistic so they struggle with communicating their emotions so I’m kind of used to it.”
Victoria’s family includes children from her previous relationship with ex-husband Tony – twins Harley and Harper, six, Colton, four, and adopted Veronica, 14, who also live with disabilities.
Victoria said that despite Hazel’s condition, her daughter’s face is ‘perfect’. “Hazel has the most perfect facial features, and it’s crazy because she was diagnosed with some asymmetry in her face, but you would not be able to tell,” she said.
“She’s just got this beautiful fair skin and these great big eyeballs, and she just looks like a little doll. No one has mistaken her for a doll yet, but people always say she looks like one.”
Reflecting on the initial shock, Victoria said: “Getting the diagnosis was devastating at first, thinking she won’t really be able to smile. I hadn’t heard of it before so I felt kind of lost but once I processed it I knew I had to do everything I can to make Hazel’s life the best it can be.”
The mum has not set any expectations for the future in terms of Hazel’s ability to express emotions. “With disabled kids you plan to keep them happy right now and so I don’t want to say that I’m worried about her future – I know that if anything gets thrown towards us, we’re just going to take one day at a time,” she added.
To help spread the word about Hazel’s rare condition, mum Victoria took to TikTok, @torlab, and uploaded photos alongside a brief account of their journey. Her post has since gone viral, racking up more than 24 million views. “I didn’t think I was sharing with millions of people, I thought I was sharing with a very small facial paralysis community,” Victoria said.
“So for it to blow up like that, I was like, holy smokes – I didn’t think I would go viral off of my baby not being able to blink but I’m glad I can raise awareness.”
In addition to Hazel, Victoria is raising three other children with neurodiversity; her twin girls and son have autism, and another daughter, Veronica, has ADHD. She shares custody of the children with her supportive ex-husband Tony, who is also the biological dad of the twins and their brother Colton.
Explaining the impact of her family’s challenges, she said: “When I got the first autism diagnosis, it hit me extremely hard. I had my moment of sadness, and then I picked right up and said, ‘What can I do for my kids?’ And then immediately started looking for therapies and things that would get them on the right track.”
Victoria currently lives in the home she bought with her ex but is searching for a new place better suited to her children’s unique needs. She explained: “The market is crazy at the moment and my kids have a lot more needs than just finding a house – we have to stay away from water, have to be fenced in, watch out for busy streets. We’d love a sensory room too with lights and bubbles and crash pads all in one room – they don’t all take interest in toys or traditional learning materials.”
In an effort to secure a suitable home and make necessary modifications, the family has started a fundraising campaign. For further details, visit: www.gofundme.com/f/help-tori-and-her-five-special-needs-children-find-a-home..
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