Taylor Frankie Paul has spoken publicly about the emotional strain of her ongoing custody dispute with ex Dakota Mortensen, saying she has “gone emotionally numb” as the legal conflict continues over their 2-year-old son, Ever. In an Instagram Stories post shared on Saturday, the “Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” star responded to a follower who said they were going through a similar situation, acknowledging that she feels deeply for others facing family court battles but no longer feels like herself. She said she has not been able to cry lately, describing the change in her emotional state as something she does not fully understand.
The update comes amid an increasingly tense custody case between Paul and Mortensen, who have been involved in multiple domestic violence incidents and police investigations. In March, Mortensen filed legal action against Paul, accusing her of physical violence. After that filing, he was granted sole custody of Ever. Paul, who also shares two children with ex-husband Tate Paul, later received supervised visitation during an April 7 court hearing. Because of concerns about her alleged volatility, a judge reportedly restricted her visitation to six hours per week until a follow-up hearing on April 30. At that hearing, both parents were ordered to stay 100 feet apart under mutual protective orders they had each requested.
During one of the hearings, the judge reportedly described the relationship between Paul and Mortensen as toxic and said the pair still appeared to have lingering attraction toward each other. The court emphasized that the former couple must find a way to function as co-parents despite the conflict and legal restrictions. The comments underscored how difficult the custody case has become, both emotionally and legally, as the pair tries to establish a stable arrangement for their child.
Mortensen has also spoken about the toll the dispute has taken on him. In April, he said he had stepped back from public life because of the chaos surrounding the case and said his priority was creating a stable and healthy environment for Ever. He later reflected on his own behavior, saying he regretted staying in a difficult cycle for too long and accepted responsibility for his part in the relationship’s problems. He also apologized to people he had hurt.
Paul’s custody battle follows another major public controversy earlier this year, when ABC abruptly canceled her planned season of “The Bachelorette” just days before its premiere. The network made the decision after a 2023 video surfaced that allegedly showed Paul in a violent altercation with a former partner while one of her children was present. At the time, Disney Entertainment Television said it was not moving forward with the season and that its focus was on supporting the family. A spokesperson for Paul later said she had endured years of abuse and was now taking steps to protect herself and her children.
