Taylor Frankie Paul has temporarily lost custody of her 2-year-old son, Ever, as a Utah judge grants his father, Dakota Mortensen, emergency care and custody of the baby as part of a domestic assault investigation. The order bars Paul from seeing Ever for at least a few weeks and keeps him within 100 feet of Mortensen and her home until a follow-up hearing, turning what was once a reality TV romance into a closely watched custody battle.
A judge’s decision to protect a child
Mortensen, who dated Paul from 2022 to 2025, filed for an order of protection in mid-March after claiming that Paul choked her, pushed her against a window and punched her in an incident in February, describing the incident as “chaotic” and “scary,” TMZ obtained and E! the news She also said on another occasion that she “couldn’t safely leave during the incident, and my child was left inside the house during the incident under her supervision because of our custody agreement.“Mortensen also stated in her filing that she was “unable to safely leave while this was going on, and that my child was left inside the house in the chaos of her custody due to our custody agreement,” and that she is “truly concerned for my safety and the safety and well-being of my child.” The judge responded by granting Mortensen temporary custody of Ever until at least early April, with the order specifying that “no parenting time will be allowed pending a hearing,” E! the news There is a hearing on April 7th, where Paul will have the opportunity to present his side of the story.
A family’s life under the spotlight
Paul’s representatives say he is focused on the safety and security of his family, and the Draper City Police Department told PEOPLE that a “domestic assault investigation” is open and that “allegations have been made in both directions,” though they declined to share more details while the case develops. Utah prosecutors also said the new charges could affect Paul’s current three-year parole sentence stemming from the aggravated assault charge in 2023.In response to the change of custody, Paul’s team stressed that it is fully cooperating with the authorities and that the situation is very painful for him. At the same time, Mortensen’s court-married statements include lines like “I’m really scared for my safety and my son’s safety” and “I’m here to protect my child,” which he said in his filings to describe the incident he wants the court to review. The situation has reignited scrutiny of how courts balance custody, safety and the well-being of very young children in the midst of a turbulent breakup, especially when one parent is a public figure.
