The pair of NYPD cops who were suspended after it was revealed they possibly botched a job to check on a Brooklyn mom who was later found strangled to death at the bottom of her basement staircase are claiming they only thought they had to check on the outside of her home, sources told The Post.

The 77th Precinct officers, identified by sources as Wael Jaber and Wing Hong Lau, were initially dispatched to the Crown Heights home of Tonie Wells, 22, Wednesday morning — before her body was found and her husband was arrested for her death.

Jaber and Lau — who have both been on the force for about a decade — responded to the three-story Sterling Place brownstone after the victim’s sister called 911 to report that Wells was “scared” of her husband, Barry Wells, 29, because he was “acting funny,” sources have said.

Instead of entering the home, the cops remained in their patrol car and then drove off.

According to sources, the cops — who were suspended without pay — are claiming they thought they only had to check on the outside of the home.

“They believed the incident occurred outside, so they didn’t go in,” a source said.

Sometime after the initial 911 call, a neighbor called 911 again to report hearing the cries of Toni Wells’ 2-year-old daughter, who was left inside the home. When the neighbor and another resident went to investigate, they found the mom’s body at the bottom of the basement stairwell.

“We found her body. We found her. We heard the baby — there was no adult there. And we were looking for her,” said the neighbor, who declined to give her name.

The neighbor added: “Once you hear somebody’s child crying, you will go check. We’re neighbors. We live in the same house.”

When another round of cops responded to the home at 9:50 a.m. following the second 911 call, they found Wells at the bottom of the staircase with bruises on her neck.

Hours later, Barry Wells, who has been married to the woman for nearly nine months, was nabbed. He was expected to be charged Thursday.

The NYPD’s Internal Affairs Bureau has launched a probe into the suspended cops.

“The entire incident, including any potential communication and response issues are being reviewed by the Department,” a police spokesperson said in a statement.

According to sources, cops responded to two prior domestic incidents involving the couple. The details of those incidents were not immediately known.

Meanwhile, friends and strangers took to Toni Wells’ Facebook page after her death to offer their condolences.

“Rest in peace beautiful God Got an Angel,” one commenter wrote.