Trigger Warning: This story contains descriptions of domestic violence.
As her custody battle continues, Taylor Frankie Paul has hit yet another roadblock.
On Wednesday, TMZ broke the news that the ‘Secret Lives of Mormon Wives’ star’s parenting time has been drastically reduced after she allegedly failed multiple court-ordered drug tests within the past 60 days. She is now limited to four hours a week with Indy and Ocean– the two kids she shares with ex-husband Tate Paul— and four hours with Ever, the two-year-old son shares with ex-boyfriend Dakota Mortensen.
Although the drugs Taylor allegedly tested positive for were not specified, TMZ’s source claimed “at least one of them is not commonly available as a prescription med.”
Source close to Taylor reminded TMZ that there is a gag order in place for the case, and that Taylor’s team considers any leaked information to be a “continuation of the harassment and intimidation Taylor’s experienced throughout the custody battle.”
The drastic reduction of Taylor’s time with her kids basically reverses a ruling made in June that allowed Taylor to have unsupervised visits with Ever every other weekend, as well as one day a week. Taylor was also granted unsupervised visits with Ocean and Indy, provided she passed drug and alcohol tests.
Taylor has not (yet) commented on the news that she allegedly failed her drug tests. However, back in July— after she checked in and then out of a rehab facility— Taylor denied that she went to the rehab for substance abuse issues.
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“Facilities are not just [for] substance [abuse],” Taylor said in a video explaining her rehab stay. “I just want you guys to know that. Rehabs are not only for that. There are a list of reasons why people go into them. My number-one priority was just a reset for my mental health, and to get away— whether it’s one day, whether it’s seven, whether it’s 30. I willingly did that. That was my choice.”
The fired ‘Bachelorette’ star’s most-recent legal troubles began in March when Dakota received temporary full custody of Ever following the release of a 2023 video where Taylor hit, kicked, and threw metal barstools at Dakota. One of barstools hit Taylor’s daughter Indy. (Taylor was arrested several years ago for this incident. She had been placed on probation for abeyance to aggravated assault, which ended in August. However, the video of the incident had never been publicly released until March.)
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There was also an investigation opened regarding an incident earlier this year where Taylor allegedly choked Dakota, tore his necklace off, and grabbed at his throat while Ever was in the room, which influenced the custody order.
During that time, Taylor was not allowed any contact with Ever nor Dakota per his restraining order. Only after she filed for a restraining order against Dakota was Taylor allowed supervised visits with her son.
In April, Taylor’s domestic violence charges were dropped, but that did not earn her any good karma in court. Utah’s Attorney General filed a petition on behalf of the state’s Division of Child and Family Services (DCFS) in July to find that the Taylor’s three children meet the criteria to be declared “abused, neglected or dependent.”
DCFS’s petition claimed that in previous visits, concerns had been raised over Taylor’s fitness as a parent and for the children’s safety under her care. One incident allegedly occurred when Taylor “stormed out” of the home with her children and DCFS agents present after “looking up messages on social media.”
“The mother left DCFS alone in her residence, and DCFS had to lock up her home after she stormed out,” the incident report claimed.
The report went on to say that there had been a “lack of progress in the child and family plan” in place for Ever, but when it was addressed with Taylor, she didn’t take it well.
“[Taylor] stated that she is being treated unfairly because of her ‘status,’” the report said. “Furthermore, when DCFS suggested the Families First Program Intervention, [she] became escalated and dysregulated. Ocean, who was in another room of the home coloring, heard his mother crying and told her to ‘take deep breaths’ and that ‘everything was going to be okay.’”
(The Families First Intervention Program is offered to families the department deems in need of behavioral intervention and helps parents to improve their communication and find non-violent forms of discipline. This could also be referring to the state program offered to families that DCFS feels are at immediate risk of foster care placement.)
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“[Taylor] was unwilling to take accountability for her role in the domestic violence incident and continued to blame Mr. Mortensen for his role in the incident,” the report continued. She “did not see how any of the concerns are impacting her children and was focused solely on how things are impacting her.”
A source close to Taylor said this report was “based on incomplete information” that places all the blame on Taylor without considering what the children’s fathers are doing wrong.
Taylor, Dakota, and Tate have yet to comment on Taylor allegedly failing her drug tests, or having her visitation time with her kids reduced.
Stay tuned…
RELATED STORY: ‘Mormon Wives’ Star Mikayla Matthews Announces Exit from Show; Confirms She Left Because Taylor Frankie Paul Returned
(Photos: Hulu; Instagram)
“A source close to Taylor said this report was “based on incomplete information” that places all the blame on Taylor without considering what the children’s fathers are doing wrong. ”
Let me guess, the a source is Taylor’s mom 🙄
WTF do Tate and Dakota (or anyone else) have to do with Taylor failing drug tests multiple times? They arent responsible for her sobriety. She needed serious help years ago.
TFP is a bad news bear. This woman never takes accountability as a MOM OF THREE. I hope the fathers step in to protect the kids from any more chaos.
I can’t believe Hulu wants to hitch their star to that broken wagon. She’s not worth the gamble because she never thinks she does anything wrong.
They should give the kids instagram accounts and have them comment on her posts, then she will actually pay attention to them.