'I was told my baby was healthy during scans - now he's blind with half a brain'

EXCLUSIVE: 'I was told my baby was healthy during scans - now he's blind with half a brain'Charlotte Tolley, a mother of three, has told of her heartbreak after her son was born severely disabled after a sonographer failed to pick up on her son's brain abnormalityCommentsNewsEmma Mackenzie Features Writer15:07, 03 Apr 2026Updated 14:09, 04 Apr 2026View 8 ImagesMum Charlotte, with son Lucas(Image: Supplied)A mum-of-three was left devastated after discovering her son was born with half his brain missing - despite all of his scans showing he was healthy.‌Charlotte Tolley, 36, attended a private maternity clinic for her scans, where staff reassured her everything was normal.‌However, Lucas was born with half of his brain missing after the private clinic failed to spot the abnormality. The youngster suffers from cerebral palsy, epilepsy, septo optic dysplasia, open lip schizencephaly, and bilateral polymicrogyria - all conditions that should have been detected during scans.‌He is also blind and needs round-the-clock, lifelong care - which Charlotte provides alone as a single mother.She has now started a petition urging Parliament to address the lack of regulation for private maternity clinics.READ MORE: Private maternity scandal exposed as Brit mum discovers baby's brain is half missing8View 8 ImagesCharlotte fears if she hadn't been an experienced parent, she might not have spotted something was wrong with baby Lucas(Image: Supplied)8View 8 ImagesA scan of Lucas's brain(Image: Supplied)‌At present, anyone with an ultrasound machine can call themselves a sonographer, leading Charlotte to campaign for stricter controls. She is warning other families against relying solely on private scans, and calling for sonography to become a regulated profession, so no other families endure the heartbreak she has experienced.She chose to have private scans after finding herself in the same room where she'd previously lost a baby during her first...