Mother detained, children safe, after she barricades self in Norfolk home

NORFOLK

A mother who has supervised visitation privileges with her four children locked herself and three of those children into her home today, sparking an hours-long confrontation with police.

The incident began about  11 a.m. in the 5600 block of Chesapeake Blvd., said Officer Chris Amos, a police spokesman.

A social services worker had brought the children to the house for a weekly, four-hour visit with their mother, Amos said. Once three of the four children were inside the home, the mother shut and locked the door.

A 16- or 17-year-old daughter was left outside with the social services worker, Amos said. The daughter told police that she didn't believe the children, are all younger than 10, were in danger.

Police could see the children through various windows and believed they were fine, Amos said. But subsequent police efforts to get the woman to unlock the door and release the children failed.

After about four hours, a special operations team made entry, detained the woman and released the children.

"The children are safe and sound," Amos said. They were turned over to Child Protective Services.

The woman was being questioned and no decision had been made by late this afternoon as to whether she would face charges but she was to receive a mental health evaluation.