Police Persuade Mother to Release 7-Year-Old Twin Boys : Crime: Woman’s husband alerts authorities that she threatened to kill the children, officials said, but they were not hurt.

A woman apparently distraught over a marital dispute threatened to kill her twin sons Wednesday before releasing the 7-year-old boys unharmed, police said.

Plumbing contractor Jim Carroll called police at 10:15 a.m. to report his 43-year-old wife, Norma, had threatened to kill their sons Daniel and Michael, before he returned home from work, said Los Angeles Police Sgt. Michael Sonntag.

Police went to the family’s two-level Spanish-style home, where Norma Carroll had fired a handgun twice into the ceiling, police said. After talking for more than an hour with members of the LAPD’s SWAT Crisis Negotiations Team, Carroll released the boys about 11:30 a.m.

The woman surrendered to police about 12:15 p.m. and was arrested on suspicion of discharging a firearm in a negligent manner, Sonntag said.

Residents of the neighborhood north of the Simi Valley Freeway said Norma Carroll often played with her two boys in front of the house.

Next-door neighbor Helen Survant, who was evacuated from her home briefly by police, said Norma Carroll was by all appearances a doting mother who loved her children. She was surprised by Carroll’s behavior and frightened over the safety of the two boys.

“When I found out the kids were being held, I was really concerned,” she said.

Others were also shocked by the incident.

“That’s the last thing you’d expect to hear in this neighborhood,” said Beth Bromberg, who lives across the street from the Carrolls. “I’ve lived here for 16 years and it’s pretty scary when you drive up and see police everywhere.”

Bromberg, whose sons frequently played with the Carrolls’ boys, said they were well behaved.

“I hope that she gets all the help that she needs,” said Bromberg, “because deep down inside I think she is a beautiful woman.”