Taylor Frankie Paul Says She ‘Spent the Day Crying and Fighting’ for Her Children in Series of Emotional Posts

**Taylor Frankie Paul Opens Up About Custody Struggles and Emotional Turmoil on Social Media**

In a profoundly personal revelation, Taylor Frankie Paul, the star of *Secret Lives of Mormon Wives*, has taken to social media to express her heartache over her increasingly complicated custody situation. The 32-year-old mother has been vocal on her Instagram Stories, detailing the emotional strain following a recent voluntary stay in a rehabilitation facility.

Earlier this week, Paul’s ex-husband, Tate Paul, sought a temporary restraining order and custody of their children—a daughter, Indy, aged eight, and a five-year-old son, Ocean. Although the court denied his request, the distress surrounding their custody arrangements remains a significant source of anxiety for Paul. Commissioner Kim Luhn ruled that the issues raised, including the children’s difficulties at school and expressed sadness, warranted ongoing attention rather than an immediate change in custody.

In a tearful outpouring shared on her Instagram, Paul revealed the pain she felt upon her children’s return, stating that their father had withheld them for a period. “I spent the day crying and fighting for Indy and Ocean,” she shared. Paul described the joy of witnessing her children’s excitement to celebrate the holidays, only for their father to retract plans and leave them confused and heartbroken.

The emotional turmoil didn’t stop there. Paul alluded to her rehabilitation stay, suggesting that her efforts to seek help had resulted in her children being taken away—an experience she labelled detrimental. “I had my kids taken for doing the right thing… why would I ever ask for help again?” she lamented. Paul maintained that she has been “clean,” aside from prescribed medication, and voiced concerns about what she perceives as control exerted over her by her former partners.

In a stark accusation, Paul described these experiences as “abuse by proxy.” She claimed that one of her ex-partners manipulated her situation to disadvantage her further. “He begged me to tell him what I went through… He lied, twisted it, and then teamed up with the person that did it to me,” she stated, hinting at the complex dynamics of her past relationships.

The backdrop to this family turmoil includes a domestic assault investigation involving Paul and her previous boyfriend, Dakota Mortensen. The investigation, which relates to incidents from February, adds another layer of complexity to her personal and legal struggles. Earlier this year, Paul herself faced legal issues, pleading guilty in abeyance to aggravated assault in a separate incident.

In March, a protective order was filed by Mortensen against Paul, leading to her own legal filing for protection a month later. Despite these challenges, in June, there was a change in custody arrangements for their son, Ever True, enabling Paul more access to her child, albeit with Mortensen retaining the title of “custodial parent” during holidays.

Adding to the distress, Paul disclosed that a police officer was mandated to supervise her custody exchanges with Mortensen, further illustrating the strained relationship and the intricate nature of their co-parenting situation. “I am not okay because I care, and anyone with a heart would be dying witnessing this for months now,” she conveyed to her followers.

Paul’s situation serves as a stark reminder of the complexities surrounding family dynamics in the public eye, compounded by the struggles that accompany personal challenges such as substance abuse and mental health.

For those facing similar domestic issues, resource support is available. The National Domestic Violence Hotline can be reached at 1-800-799-7233, offering confidential assistance 24/7 in multiple languages. As Paul navigates her ongoing challenges, the public response to her emotional revelations illustrates both the compassion and scrutiny faced by individuals in the spotlight.