Jessi Draper Shares Update on Taylor Frankie Paul After Video Release

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Jessi Draper doesn’t know if MomTok can truly survive this. 

Following the release of a video showing a physical fight between Taylor Frankie Paul from “Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” and her former partner, Dakota Mortensen, Jessi spoke about what happened next.

Jessi said on the March 25th episode of Alex Cooper’s Call Her Daddy podcast, visibly upset, that watching the video was incredibly difficult. She explained that it revealed a lot of hidden pain for Taylor, and she often tells her that the video doesn’t reflect who she truly is. Jessi believes Taylor got caught in a harmful situation, and seeing the video – especially with a child involved – is upsetting for everyone. She emphasized that Taylor is a good person who, like Dakota, has made mistakes.

She added, “I’m not defending any of it, but I know Taylor personally. It’s easy to forget that the people on reality TV are real, and that their lives are just as complex as anyone else’s. I’ve seen Taylor at her lowest, comforting someone who was upset, and I hope this situation will make everyone think about how their actions affect others.”

A video from February 2023, originally recorded by Dakota and published by TMZ on March 19th, depicted Taylor shouting and trying to strike her boyfriend with her daughter present.

Before a clip from the show was leaked—leading ABC to cancel Taylor’s season of The Bachelorette—her SLOMW co-stars had already stopped filming season five. According to a source who spoke to TopMob News on March 16, their reality show paused production after Taylor and Dakota—who had an on-again, off-again relationship from 2022 to 2025—were allegedly involved in a separate disagreement.

Jessi also gave an update on how her colleague is doing, mentioning that Taylor was the first to get in touch after the event was canceled.

Jessi said she’d just spoken with Taylor and that she seemed optimistic. She knows this will be a difficult process, but Taylor is honest and usually handles things well. Right now, Taylor is just taking some time to think things through.

Before Jessi addressed the situation, Taylor’s colleagues Layla Taylor and Miranda Hope had already spoken out about the controversy involving Taylor.

In a recent Instagram post, 25-year-old Layla explained that her own experiences as a survivor compel her to speak out against domestic violence. She strongly condemns it and is especially concerned for the well-being and safety of the victim’s children.

And Miranda emphasized her shock as the situation came to light.

It’s been really hard to watch everything unfold,” she shared on Instagram. “I strongly condemn domestic violence and abuse in all forms. As both a person and a mother, I can’t stand by when I see behavior like that.

For a breakdown of all of the allegations surrounding Taylor, 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 property damage, according to the Salt Lake County District Attorney’s office and reports from TopMob News.

I’ve been following this case closely, and from what the police report says, when the officer arrived, Dakota told him he’d been arguing with his girlfriend. Apparently, Dakota tried to leave, but his girlfriend, Taylor, started hitting him. That’s what the officer wrote in his statement to the court, anyway.

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 Class A misdemeanor, according to court records.

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

I was so thrilled to see Taylor and Dakota welcome their little one! He arrived a week early, and Taylor shared the sweetest photo on Instagram on April 4th, 2024. The caption really got me – they’ve had two wonderful weeks getting to know him, and Taylor wrote about how much they all already love him and how he’s perfectly completed their family. It’s just beautiful to see!

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

She explained that he supported her because he understood the full situation, even what was happening privately. She described it as a terrible night and admitted she felt a lot of regret. Dakota, having gone through difficult times himself, really understood what she was going through and offered to help, saying, ‘I want to help you out of 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, saying she felt ‘pretty off.’

Taylor explained that she felt lost and upset after what happened, and ended up drinking as a result. Dakota then picked her up and expressed his disappointment that she had been drinking.

Oh my god, it’s just… I barely remember anything, honestly. I think I was throwing stuff, just completely losing it. I vaguely recall someone – Dakota, I think – trying to tell me my little girl was right there, that she was on the couch, but I was so far gone, so lost in the moment, I didn’t even process it. I just… threw another chair. There were babysitters, thankfully, so I guess my daughter and the other kids were upstairs sleeping. It’s awful to even think about now, but at the time… I just wasn’t there.

The reality show The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives premiered on Hulu in September 2024, and the first episode of its first season showed footage of Taylor’s arrest in 2023.

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

We were happily living together with our new baby, and I was starting to think about getting engaged,” she shared. “But then I found out he’d been lying to me the whole time.

In a fourth-season episode of SLOMW, Dakota confessed to having an affair with a friend, Shinia Powell. During a FaceTime conversation with Taylor, Dakota admitted, “It was a bad decision, and I could have chosen someone else. The person I chose was the problem – I knew they’d cause drama, and that was really wrong of me.”

Taylor will be the next Bachelorette! She announced she’d be starring in season 22 of the show during an appearance on the Call Her Daddy podcast in September 2025. This is a big change for the show, which usually picks its Bachelorettes from contestants who were previously on The Bachelor.

Taylor saw it as a positive development, explaining in a preview for the new season, “I really think this happened to help me move forward.”

Taylor explained that she’s faced criticism, judgment, and rejection, but believes people who truly get to know her will see she’s sincere, has good intentions, and deserves another opportunity at love.

Just before Taylor started filming season 22 of The Bachelorette, a conversation she had with Dakota aired on season four of SLOMW. During that conversation, Dakota apologized for his relationship with Shinia, admitting it was a mistake.

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

The couple acknowledged their relationship was unhealthy, and Taylor believed appearing on The Bachelorette could actually be beneficial, even if they didn’t end up together. She felt it would provide a much-needed opportunity for both of them to heal and break their negative pattern.

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 wasn’t giving up hope for a future with her.

Production on season five of Secret Lives of Mormon Wives stopped in February 2026 following a reported argument 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 representative stated that both individuals have accused each other, and that police spoke with those involved on February 24th and 25th. Due to the active investigation, no further details were released.

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 or anything that could impact his view of his father. She wants Ever to have a positive image 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.

In the video, Taylor gets into a physical altercation with Dakota, yelling and trying to hit him. At one point, Taylor even puts Dakota in a headlock while Dakota records the incident on his phone.

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

During the argument, he told her their daughter was there just as Taylor started throwing metal barstools at him. Taylor claimed Dakota pushed her to the floor before he started filming, and he responded by saying, “You did this,” and asked her to consider their 5-year-old daughter. Taylor was later heard shouting, “Stay away from my 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 shift attention away from Dakota’s behavior. Dakota, however, dismissed Taylor’s accusations as untrue.

Following the release of footage showing a dispute between Taylor and Dakota in 2023, ABC announced the cancellation of season 22 of The Bachelorette. A Disney Entertainment representative told TopMob News that the decision was made, and their priority is now supporting those involved.

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

Taylor appreciates the support she’s received 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.

It breaks my heart to see so many women struggling in secret, dealing with ex-partners who are controlling, possessive, and just won’t let them live their lives peacefully. It’s a really tough situation, and they deserve so much better.

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

Dakota addressed claims of domestic violence involving himself 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 seen it would likely agree.

Honestly, I’ve seen this happen so many times – people making up stuff about him and us. It’s always the same, and it’s so frustrating because he’s always said it’s completely untrue, and I believe him! He’s made it perfectly clear he denies everything they say, and I just wish people would listen.

Dakota said her priority is her son, Ever, and his well-being, and she hopes Taylor will make his safety a priority too.

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2026-03-25 14:18