Taylor Frankie Paul loses custody of son after disturbing Dakota Mortensen fight video surfaces
Taylor Frankie Paul has reportedly lost temporary custody of her son, Ever, whom she shares with her ex Dakota Mortensen, after Mortensen filed for an order of protection against her on Thursday.
Mortensen was granted “temporary custody” of the couple’s son on Friday as per the conditions of the restraining order, reports People.
A court hearing, where Paul will be allowed to speak, has been scheduled for April 7. However, “no parent time is allowed” until then, according to the order.
The ruling comes amid Draper City Police Department’s investigation into an alleged domestic altercation between her and Mortensen.
DCPD confirmed to People on Monday that “allegations have been made in both directions” and “contact was made with involved parties on [Feb] 24th and 25th.”
In light of the investigation, production on a new season of “Secret Lives Of Mormon Wives” was halted.
In the clip, the “Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” star could be seen getting physical with Mortensen, putting him in a chokehold and throwing several barstool chairs at him — all while her daughter Indy, 8, was sitting in the room.
At one point, Indy can be heard crying in the background after she was “hit in the head with a metal chair,” as Mortensen claimed in the clip.
Following the 2023 altercation, Paul was arrested and charged with three felonies — one count of aggravated assault and two counts of domestic violence in the presence of a child. She was also hit with one misdemeanor count each of child abuse and criminal mischief.
Paul pleaded guilty to the aggravated assault charge, and the lesser charges were dropped.
In response to the 2023 video being released, a spokesperson for Paul slammed the “selectively edited” clip as part of Mortensen’s “never-ending, desperate, attention-seeking, destructive campaign to harm Taylor without any regard for the consequences for their child.”
“[Doing this] on their son [Ever’s] birthday is a reprehensible attempt to distract from his own behavior,” the spokesperson added, referring to their 2-year-old.
“Thankfully, the public has seen this act before and knows who he is and sadly, many will recognize this pattern of manipulation, both in his actions on the show, and from their own experiences.”
In a statement to Page Six, Mortensen denied Paul’s allegations against him on Thursday night.
“As anyone who has seen the video will understand, this is a deeply upsetting situation,” he told Page Six in a statement on Thursday.
“I am, unfortunately, used to these baseless claims about me and our relationship, which I categorically deny. I am focusing on our son and his safety, and hope that Taylor will do the same.”
Paul was scheduled to star in the upcoming Season 22 of “The Bachelorette,” which was set to premiere on Sunday. However, those plans quickly changed on Thursday when ABC decided to shelve the installment in light of the recent developments.
“Taylor is very grateful for ABC’s support as she prioritizes her family’s safety and security,” a spokesperson for the reality TV star told Page Six after the network’s decision was reported.
“After years of silently suffering extensive mental and physical abuse as well as threats of retaliation, Taylor is finally gaining the strength to face her accuser and taking steps to ensure that she and her children are protected from any further harm.”
“There are too many women who are suffering in silence as they survive aggressive, jealous ex-partners who refuse to let them move on with their lives,” the rep said.
If you or someone you know is affected by any of the issues raised in this story, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or text START to 88788.
