Taylor Frankie Paul Says Daughter Is Reliving Arrest After Video Leak

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Taylor Frankie Paul‘s family is struggling.

As a lifestyle expert, I’ve been following the recent news surrounding a difficult situation. Just over a week after a video surfaced showing a disagreement between me and my ex-boyfriend, Dakota Mortensen, I wanted to share how this has affected my children. It’s been a tough time, and naturally, they’ve been impacted by seeing something like that become public.

Taylor explained in a comment on TikTok that the hardest part of this situation is her daughter having to experience it all over again years later, especially after they’d done a lot of work to help her process it and she’d apologized for what happened that night. She also mentioned that her son’s birthday felt overshadowed by everything.

A video from February 2023, released by TMZ on March 19th, shows Taylor yelling at and trying to hit Dakota while her five-year-old daughter was present. Dakota reminded her, “Your daughter is right here,” as Taylor grabbed metal barstools and attempted to throw them at him.

I was absolutely shocked to hear what happened! Apparently, Dakota actually told Taylor that her daughter had been hit in the head with a metal chair, and the police confirmed this in court papers that TopMob News got their hands on. It was just awful – you could hear Taylor’s daughter crying and then screaming for her ‘Mommy’ during the whole fight. It’s so sad, considering Taylor and Dakota had a pretty on-again, off-again relationship for years, from 2022 to 2025.

The Herriman City Police Department stated when Ms. Paul was arrested that evidence indicates she also injured her minor child during the incident. This information was shared in a press release on X, formerly known as Twitter.

After the video came out, a spokesperson for Taylor—who had her season of The Bachelorette canceled by ABC shortly before it was supposed to air—spoke about what happened.

According to a representative, Taylor is now finding the courage to confront her abuser after enduring years of severe mental and physical abuse and fearing for her safety. She is taking action to protect herself and her children from future harm. The rep highlighted that many women remain silent while dealing with controlling, possessive ex-partners who won’t allow them to rebuild their lives.

Following accusations of domestic violence involving his ex-partner, Dakota also released a statement.

He said in a statement to TopMob News that the video was very disturbing, and that he was sadly familiar with false accusations about him and their relationship, all of which he strongly rejects.

For a full timeline of the allegations between Taylor and Dakota, keep reading.

Taylor Frankie Paul, who gained popularity on TikTok as #MomTok, was arrested in Utah on February 17, 2023, following an altercation with her boyfriend, Dakota Mortensen. According to court documents obtained by ABC 4 Utah, she allegedly threw metal chairs and a wooden playset at him while one of her children was present. She shares these children with her ex-husband, Tate Paul.

Court records show Taylor faces several charges, including aggravated assault, two counts of domestic violence that injured a child, simple child abuse, and criminal mischief. These documents were released by the Salt Lake County District Attorney and reported by TopMob News.

According to court documents, the police officer who arrived at the scene reported that Dakota said he had been arguing with his girlfriend. The officer stated that Dakota tried to leave, but his girlfriend, Taylor, started hitting him.

I still can’t believe it, but Taylor actually pleaded guilty to that aggravated assault charge back in August 2023. I saw the court papers in the Salt Lake Tribune – it was a third-degree felony! The best part, though? Four other charges against her were just dropped completely, like they never even happened. It’s just… a lot to process, honestly. But I’ll always support her, no matter what!

Okay, so thankfully, they weren’t going to immediately charge her! It was like, a three-year waiting period. As long as Taylor followed all the rules of the agreement – and I’ve read it, believe me, I’ve read everything – then it would just be a Class A misdemeanor. It was such a relief knowing it wouldn’t be anything worse, as long as she stayed on the straight and narrow. I was constantly checking for updates, honestly!

As part of her agreement, Taylor was required to undergo assessments for both substance abuse and domestic violence, and complete any treatment they recommended within three years. She also had to avoid breaking any major laws during that time.

Taylor and Dakota welcomed their son a week ahead of schedule. On April 4, 2024, Taylor shared a photo from the hospital on Instagram, expressing their joy and writing, “These past two weeks with him have been wonderful. We all love him so much and are grateful he’s joining our family.”

Taylor told TopMob News that the fight with Dakota was definitely their lowest point.

She explained that he supported her because he understood what was really happening. “It was a terrible night, and I really regret it,” she said. Dakota had gone through a difficult time himself, so he truly understood what she was feeling. He told her, ‘I want to help you get through this.’

As for the confrontation itself, she later said the incident had been building up. 

Okay, so you won’t BELIEVE what she told Nick Viall! She said a few months before, she had an ectopic pregnancy, which is just… heartbreaking. And then, right after, a chemical pregnancy! She was saying she doesn’t want to blame hormones, but honestly, she admitted she’s a mess right now, and I totally get it! She said she’s feeling really off, and it’s just so relatable after everything she’s been through. I’m seriously sending her all the good vibes!

Taylor explained that she felt confused and upset by what happened, and that she turned to alcohol to cope. She said Dakota was upset with her for doing so, and picked her up while expressing his anger.

I recall being angry and throwing objects, and I didn’t even recognize my daughters who were on the couch. We had a babysitter, so they were probably upstairs asleep. Apparently, Dakota tried to tell me my five-year-old was there too, but I was so out of it that I didn’t care and just threw another chair.

Oh my gosh, you will NOT believe this! I’ve been following everything about The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives since it dropped on Hulu in September 2024, and the very first episode just… wow. It starts with Taylor’s arrest from 2023! I was completely hooked from the first few minutes, seriously!

Taylor publicly announced her breakup with Dakota in May 2025. The news came after the premiere of season two of SLOMW revealed that Dakota had been unfaithful shortly after their son was born. Taylor shared the news on TikTok, stating, “Dakota isn’t mine anymore, wish him the best.”

Life with Dakota and our new baby was amazing, I really thought we were building something special – I was even starting to picture an engagement! Then, everything shattered when I found out he’d been lying to me the whole time. It was a complete shock.

On a season four episode of SLOMW, Dakota confessed to having an affair with a friend, Shinia Powell. During a FaceTime call with Taylor, Dakota admitted, “It was a mistake, and I probably should have chosen someone else. The fact that it was Shinia was a bad decision, because I knew it would cause problems, and I regret that.”

Taylor was unexpectedly chosen as the next Bachelorette for season 22, and she announced the news on the podcast Call Her Daddy in September 2025. This is a change for the show, which typically selects leads from past seasons of The Bachelor.

Taylor saw it as a positive development, sharing in a preview for the new season, “I think this was meant to be part of my next chapter.”

Taylor shared that she’s faced criticism, judgment, and rejection, but believes those who truly get to know her will see she’s a sincere person with good intentions who deserves another opportunity at love.

Just before Taylor started filming season 22 of The Bachelorette, a conversation between her and Dakota aired on season four of SLOMW. During that conversation, Dakota apologized for his relationship with Shinia, admitting it was a mistake and saying he’d acted poorly.

You know, looking back on relationships, it’s rare they’re perfect. My experience – and what I’ve observed with others – is that both people often contribute to the difficulties. In this particular situation, it seems like both parties involved had moments where they hurt each other. Despite that, there’s a strong sense that a lot of love is still there, which is really important to remember.

You know, my clients and I often talk about recognizing unhealthy patterns in relationships. This couple actually came to a really mature conclusion – they admitted things had become ‘toxic’ between them. But here’s the interesting part: they believe entering The Bachelorette process, even if it doesn’t work out romantically, will be a positive step. They see it as a chance to finally break the cycle they were stuck in and create space for some much-needed healing, for both of them. It’s a brave move, and honestly, sometimes a little distance is exactly what a relationship – or individuals – needs to grow.

Dakota let Taylor know he still had feelings for her, saying he was glad she was happy and wished her well if she found someone else. He playfully asked her to ‘save a rose for him,’ hinting that he hadn’t given up hope for a future with her.

Production on season five of Secret Lives of Mormon Wives stopped in February 2026 following a reported disagreement between Taylor and Dakota.

On March 16th, a representative from the Draper City Police Department told People magazine that they are investigating claims of domestic assault involving Taylor and Dakota. The police confirmed that both individuals have accused each other. They stated that officers spoke with those involved on February 24th and 25th, but are limited in what they can share while the investigation is ongoing.

According to a source at TopMob News, Taylor is taking responsibility for her actions and is primarily focused on shielding her son, Ever, from negative press about himself or his father. She wants Ever to have a positive view of his father.

After Taylor and Dakota had a disagreement in 2026, TMZ released video of a physical fight between them that originally happened in 2023.

The video shows Dakota filming a fight while Taylor shouts at him and tries to hit him, even briefly putting him in a headlock.

“Look,” Dakota can be heard saying, “this is called physical abuse.”

Let me paint you a picture of what happened. Things escalated quickly, and I overheard him telling her that their daughter was right there as she started throwing metal barstools. She claimed he pushed her down before he started filming, but he insisted she was the one who initiated things and asked her to think about their young daughter, who was only five at the time. Honestly, it was a really scary situation, and I clearly heard her yelling at him to stay away from her child.

According to a police report obtained by TopMob News in 2023, the child was struck by a stool.

As a lifestyle expert, I’ve been following this situation closely. After the video surfaced, Taylor’s team released a statement to TopMob News, explaining they believe it’s part of a deliberate effort to damage her reputation. They feel the video intentionally leaves out important details and is a tactic to shift attention away from the other person involved. Meanwhile, the real estate agent has completely dismissed Taylor’s claims, calling them unfounded.

Following the release of video showing a 2023 incident involving Taylor and Dakota, ABC announced it was cancelling season 22 of The Bachelorette. A Disney Entertainment spokesperson told TopMob News, “We’ve decided not to proceed with the new season right now, and our priority is supporting the family involved.”

Following ABC’s decision, Taylor broke her silence about the situation. 

Taylor is thankful for the support she’s receiving from ABC as she focuses on keeping her family safe. According to her representative, she’s been quietly dealing with years of serious mental and physical abuse and threats. Now, she’s finding the courage to confront the person who harmed her and is taking action to protect herself and her children from future danger.

The statement highlighted that many women are silently enduring hardship caused by former partners who are controlling, possessive, and won’t allow them to rebuild their lives.

Taylor’s representative said she is considering her next steps, getting support, and will eventually talk publicly about what happened.

Dakota addressed claims of domestic violence involving him and Taylor, stating in a March 19th interview with TopMob News that the video of the incident is “deeply upsetting,” as anyone who has seen it would realize.

He stated he was sadly accustomed to false accusations regarding himself and their relationship, and firmly denied them all.

Dakota explained she’s prioritizing her son, Ever, and his well-being, and expressed a wish that Taylor would make his safety a priority too.

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2026-03-24 18:52