Taylor Frankie Paul’s ex files restraining order amid investigation

Dakota Mortensen, the ex-partner of Taylor Frankie Paul, has reportedly filed a restraining order against the “Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” star.

Mortensen, who also appears on the Hulu show, filed a protective order against Paul, alleging she was physically violent towards him in a series of incidents in February, according to People and E! News. Those allegations come on the heels of confirmation from local Utah police that they were investigating a domestic dispute between the former couple, and that allegations of abuse had been made by both sides.

The two share one son, Ever. USA TODAY has reached out to reps for Paul for comment. A rep for Mortensen was not immediately available.

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Investigation into the incident has led to a pause on production of Season 5 of “Secret Lives of Mormon Wives,” a decision costar Mikayla Matthews said the cast mutually agreed on.

A new season of “The Bachelorette,” originally set to air Sunday, starring Paul, has also since been scrapped by ABC. The network weathered some of the original fallout but pulled the plug on the season after footage depicting Paul and Mortensen during a 2023 incident was reported by TMZ.

“In light of the newly released video just surfaced today, we have made the decision to not move forward with the new season of ‘The Bachelorette’ at this time,” a spokesperson for ABC told USA TODAY Thursday. “Our focus is on supporting the family.”

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Following news of “The Bachelorette” being pulled off the air, Paul’s rep alleged in a statement to People and Variety that the incident was part of a larger pattern of abuse the 31-year-old reality star had endured for years.

“Taylor is very grateful for ABC’s support as she prioritizes her family’s safety and security,” the statement from her spokesperson read. “After years of silently suffering extensive mental and physical abuse as well as threats of retaliation, Taylor is finally gaining the strength to face her accuser and taking steps to ensure that she and her children are protected from any further harm. There are too many women who are suffering in silence as they survive aggressive, jealous ex-partners who refuse to let them move on with their lives.”

In his own statement to Entertainment Weekly on March 18, Mortensen’s rep said his priority is protecting their child and that while he knew news of the police investigation might surface ahead of Paul’s “Bachelorette” run, his focus was on co-parenting.

“He knew there was a possibility it could come out, but he was not going to be the one to proactively do that because he has always wanted a decent relationship with Taylor,” his rep told the outlet. “He kind of just lets it all happen to him, and I think he realizes with the severity of everything now that he just can’t do that.“

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Paul was arrested following the 2023 incident depicted in the video on misdemeanor charges of assault, criminal mischief and commission of domestic violence in the presence of a child, according to police.

She later entered a plea of abeyance to the aggravated assault charge, per local news station KSL and the Salt Lake Tribune. While the other criminal charges were dropped, the aggravated assault charge will reportedly remain for three years until she meets the conditions of her plea deal.

“Secret Lives of Mormon Wives,” which has exploded in popularity since its 2024 premiere, has an ensemble cast, following the lives of several women who brand themselves “MomTok.” Paul, the unofficial star of the series, rose to prominence after admitting on social media that she and another couple belonging to the Mormon church were “soft swinging.”

Contributing: Anthony Robledo, Taijuan Moorman, Edward Segarra, USA TODAY