Taylor Frankie Paul, Dakota Mortensen: Police Update on 2024 Incident

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Taylor Frankie Paul’s legal woes continue to mount.

Police in Utah are looking into a third reported case of domestic violence involving a star from the show Secret Lives of Mormon Wives and her former partner, Dakota Mortensen, according to a West Jordan Police Department representative who spoke with NBC News on March 24.

This issue began with an incident that reportedly happened in 2024. Thirty-three-year-old Mortensen reported it to the police in February. Officials haven’t released further information because the investigation is ongoing.

Viggo Mortensen, father to two-year-old Ever with Paul, shared his version of what happened with investigators. They are currently looking at several videos to understand the situation and figure out exactly what occurred, according to a department spokesperson.

Investigators have contacted the attorney for Paul, age 31. They’ve asked her to provide a written statement or participate in an interview to confirm information in Mortensen’s report.

TopMob News has contacted representatives for Paul and Mortensen, and the West Jordan Police Department, requesting a statement, but has not yet received a response.

The Draper Police Department told People magazine they are looking into another domestic dispute between the former couple, stating that both individuals have made accusations against each other. They didn’t provide any further details. Following this, production on season five of SLOMW has been temporarily halted.

Earlier this month, a video from 2023 showing a physical fight between the former couple became public. This led to Paul admitting guilt to aggravated assault, with the condition that the charges could be dropped if he met certain requirements. Soon after the video spread online, ABC cancelled the premiere of her season of The Bachelorette, which had been scheduled for March 22nd.

After the show was cancelled, a representative for Paul released a statement to TopMob News saying the reality star – who has two children with her former husband, Tate Paul – appreciated the network’s understanding as she focuses on keeping her family safe.

According to a statement released on March 19th, Taylor has been quietly enduring significant mental and physical abuse, along with threats, for years. She is now finding the courage to confront her abuser and is taking action to keep herself and her children safe from future harm.

Mortensen subsequently spoke out about the matter, calling it “a deeply upsetting situation.”

In a statement released on March 19th, he said he’s become accustomed to false accusations regarding him and their relationship, and he firmly denies them. His priority is their son and ensuring his well-being, and he hopes Taylor will focus on the same thing.

For more on Paul and Mortensen’s complex history, 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: one felony count of aggravated assault, two felony counts of domestic violence with a child present resulting in injury, one misdemeanor charge of child abuse, and one misdemeanor charge of criminal mischief, according to documents released by the Salt Lake County District Attorney and reported by TopMob News.

Oh my gosh, I’ve read the police report, and it’s just… everything! Apparently, when the officer got there, Dakota said he and Taylor were fighting. And get this – he told the police that he was trying to leave, but Taylor just started hitting him! Can you believe it? It’s all there in the official documents, it’s so awful! I’ve read it like, ten times already.

In August 2023, Taylor admitted guilt to a serious assault charge, as shown in court records obtained by the Salt Lake Tribune. Four other charges against them were dropped and cannot be filed again.

For three years, the charges against her were put on hold. If Taylor followed the conditions of her agreement, the case would then be filed as a minor offense, according to court records.

As part of her agreement, Taylor was required to undergo evaluations for substance abuse and domestic violence, and complete any treatment recommended as a result, all within three years. She also had to avoid breaking any major laws.

Taylor and Dakota welcomed their son a week ahead of schedule. On April 4, 2024, Taylor shared a photo from the hospital on Instagram, writing about how much they all love him and how he’s beautifully brought their families together. They’ve cherished the past two weeks with him.

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, even the things no one else knew. “It was a terrible night, and I really regret how things went,” she said. Dakota, having gone through a difficult time himself, completely understood what she was feeling. He told her, ‘I want to help you through this.’

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

She revealed on the Viall Files podcast in September 2024 that she’d experienced an ectopic pregnancy a few months earlier, followed by a chemical pregnancy. While hesitant to directly blame hormonal imbalances, she acknowledged they likely played a role in how she was feeling, describing herself as ‘pretty off.’

Taylor explained that she felt confused and upset after the events, leading her to drink. She said Dakota picked her up and was upset to find out she’d been drinking.

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

The first episode of the Hulu series The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, which premiered in September 2024, showed Taylor’s arrest that happened in 2023.

Taylor publicly announced her breakup with Dakota in May 2025. The news came after the premiere of season two of SLOMW revealed 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.”

“Dakota and I were living together and in bliss with our new baby, and I was even considering engagement,” she said on the premiere episode. “And then I learned that he was lying this entire time.”

In a season four episode of SLOMW, Dakota confessed to having an affair with a friend, Shinia Powell. During a FaceTime call with Taylor, Dakota acknowledged their mistake, saying, “It was a bad decision, and I should have chosen someone else. The fact that it was Shinia was the real problem—I knew it would cause drama, and I shouldn’t have done it.”

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 upcoming season, “I think this was meant to be part of my next journey.”

Taylor shared that she’s faced criticism, judgment, and rejection, but believes those who 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 talk, Dakota apologized for his relationship with Shinia, admitting it was a mistake and a poor decision.

He explained that both he and Taylor had caused each other pain, but he still felt they loved each other deeply.

The couple acknowledged their relationship was unhealthy, and Taylor believed appearing on The Bachelorette would ultimately be beneficial for both of them, no matter the outcome. She felt it would provide a much-needed opportunity to step back and work on themselves.

Honestly, even after everything, Dakota was so sweet. He told Taylor he was genuinely happy for her and wanted her to find someone great, but then he added this really hopeful little plea – he asked her to ‘save a rose for me,’ meaning he still wanted a chance with her. It was a really vulnerable thing to say, and showed he definitely wasn’t over her completely.

Production on season five of Secret Lives of Mormon Wives was temporarily 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 allegations of domestic assault involving Taylor and Dakota. The representative stated that both individuals have accused the other, and that police made contact with those involved on February 24th and 25th. Due to the ongoing nature of the investigation, no further details were released.

According to a source who spoke with TopMob News, Taylor is taking responsibility for her actions and is primarily focused on shielding her son, Ever, from negative press regarding 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 an altercation 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.”

As things escalated, he told her their daughter was watching while Taylor began throwing metal barstools at him. Taylor claimed Dakota pushed her to the ground before he started filming, and he responded by blaming her and asking for help with their 5-year-old child. Taylor was later heard shouting at him to stay away from her daughter.

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

Following the video’s release, a representative for Taylor stated to TopMob News that it was part of an effort to damage her reputation. They said the video selectively presented information and was intended to divert attention from Dakota’s behavior. Dakota, however, dismissed Taylor’s accusations as untrue.

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 at this time, and our priority is supporting the family involved.”

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

Taylor appreciates the support she’s receiving from ABC as she focuses on keeping her family safe. According to her representative, she’s been dealing with years of severe mental and physical abuse, along with threats, but is now finding the courage to confront her abuser and protect herself and her children from future harm.

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

As a huge Taylor fan, I was relieved to hear from her team that she’s taking the time she needs to figure things out, leaning on her friends and family, and getting ready to talk about what happened in her own way. It’s good to know she’s taking control of the narrative and will share her side when she’s ready.

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

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

Dakota said her priority is her son Ever and making sure he’s safe, and she hopes Taylor will prioritize his well-being too.

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2026-03-25 19:52