Final answer:
The offspring inheriting a combination of two individuals homozygous for a deadly gene, resulting in two copies of a recessive allele, are typically not expected to survive.
Step-by-step explanation:
If two individuals are homozygous for a lethal gene, meaning they carry two copies of a recessive allele that would be fatal in a homozygous state, it would typically be expected that any offspring inheriting this combination would not survive. In classical Mendelian genetics, if both parents are homozygous for a lethal allele, all their offspring should inherit at least one copy of this lethal allele, resulting in a lethal phenotype.
If a child is born in such a scenario, it may suggest a genetic or biological anomaly. It could be due to errors in genetic testing, incomplete penetrance of the lethal allele, or compensatory mechanisms that allow the child to survive despite the presence of the lethal gene. Alternatively, there could be genetic mutations or variations that alter the expected outcomes.