Taylor Frankie Paul Shared What Led to 2023 Domestic Violence Arrest

Taylor Frankie Paul hasn’t shied away from her past.

As someone who follows these stories, it’s been fascinating – and sometimes difficult – to watch the fallout from Taylor’s 2023 arrest play out on Secret Lives of Mormon Wives. The show actually opened with a look at the incident, and recently, footage of the physical altercation with her then-boyfriend, Dakota Mortensen, surfaced online thanks to TMZ. It really shed light on what led up to that night.

She explained to Nick Viall and Natalie Joy on the Viall Files podcast that her emotional state wasn’t just due to what happened on the show. She’d recently experienced an ectopic pregnancy and a chemical pregnancy, and while she didn’t want to attribute everything to hormonal changes, she believed they definitely played a role in how she was feeling. She described herself as being very emotionally unstable at the time.

Taylor explained that the events made her feel confused and upset. She admitted to drinking afterwards because she was feeling down, and Dakota was upset with her for doing so.

The 31-year-old woman said she cried during the drive home after a night out with friends, believing the alcohol had made her more vulnerable and open with her feelings. She described feeling deeply sad and a strong need for comfort, which led her to become angry with Dakota.

Taylor recalled a chaotic moment, saying she vaguely remembers throwing things and not recognizing her daughters, who were on the couch. She shares one son with Dakota and two children with her ex, Tate Paul. She believes the children are upstairs sleeping with the babysitters.

Taylor recalled throwing a chair, and said Dakota attempted to warn her that her five-year-old daughter was nearby. However, Taylor stated she was so upset at the time that she didn’t react and threw another chair.

The reality star, whose season of The Bachelorette was cancelled after the video surfaced, initially wasn’t sure if a chair had struck her. However, the police report stated that it did. According to the report, obtained by TMZ, officers noted the then-5-year-old had a bump on her head.

On the Viall Files podcast, Taylor revealed her mother brought her daughter home that night and they didn’t see any obvious injuries.

Through her own tears, the reality star believed her daughter was upset because she had seen her mother crying. While being arrested, she recalled telling her daughter, Dakota, that she was deeply hurting and felt unable to cope. Seeing Dakota watching from the window didn’t change how she felt; she was simply overwhelmed by her own pain.

I still can’t believe it, but after everything happened, Taylor actually faced charges! It was so scary to read – a felony aggravated assault, and even worse, two felony counts of domestic violence with a child getting hurt! They also added misdemeanor child abuse and criminal mischief. I was a wreck! Thankfully, she pleaded guilty to the aggravated assault in August, and the other charges were dropped. She got three years probation, and honestly, that’s all I could hope for – I just want her to be okay and get the help she needs. It’s been so hard being a fan through all of this, but I’m still here for her.

Looking back, Taylor says what bothers her most is how thoughtless she was that night. “I just didn’t care,” she explained, “and that’s what’s hard – I didn’t consider her feelings at all.”

After TMZ published a video (though it’s unclear where they got it), ABC announced that Taylor’s season of The Bachelorette, originally scheduled to premiere on March 22nd, has been canceled. This news came just days after TopMob reported that filming for season five of Secret Lives of Mormon Wives was paused due to a police investigation into a possible fight between Taylor and Dakota in late February.

Following the decision to pause The Bachelorette, Taylor’s representative told TopMob News on March 19th that she appreciates ABC’s support while she focuses on keeping her family safe and secure.

Taylor has endured years of severe mental and physical abuse and threats, but is now finding the courage to confront her abuser and protect herself and her children from future harm. In response, Dakota denied the accusations in a statement to TopMob, stating his priority is their two-year-old child.

To meet the men who were cast on The Bachelorette with Taylor, read on.