Secret Lives of Mormon Wives star Taylor Frankie Paul is speaking out following reports of a petition filed by Utah’s Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) asking a court to find that her three children are “abused, neglected or dependent.”
In the petition, obtained by People and TMZ, DCFS asked a court to order protective supervision and appoint a guardian ad litem to represent the children.
Global News has not independently viewed the petition.
On Sunday, Paul took to social media to address the allegations, saying there’s “a lot of false information out there and therefore it doesn’t affect me.”
“It’s not true. That being said there are some things that are true as well. I’d like to give my piece of mind on it all,” Paul said.
The 32-year-old reality star said there are documents going around online, adding, “I don’t need to read them because I lived it.”
“This is a much serious matter so if there is something way off or misconstrued that is something I’m taking up with my attorneys and that will be handled in the court room,” she continued.
Paul said that she tried to have the court documents sealed.
“People alluded to, ‘Oh, what is she trying to hide?’ This was all going to come into light either way so it wasn’t in protection of me but honestly just to keep it sealed for the children. And, again, this was something I asked for and was denied,” Paul shared.
Paul told her followers that her court process has been “very slow” but claimed that she’s made “a lot of progress in the court room.”
She said that there were many things in the filings that raised concerns.
“I’m a huge advocate for mental health,” Paul noted. “I do have a certified therapist. I have a life coach, so there are two other people that helped me in my life immensely.”
“Lets get to the allegations that were kind of frustrating to me. Not once have I forced or made my daughter change diapers,” Paul said of the allegations claiming she made her eight-year-old daughter Indy change her son’s diapers.
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“If she ever wanted to, I let her likes to help. She’s in that phase of like mommy’s help or wanting to do like the diaper bags changing. If that is bad on me, then so be it.”
“Another frustrating one to hear was an outburst during a visit,” Paul said, referring to the petition’s alleged claim that she “left DCFS alone in her residence” during a home visit.
“I do remember that day specifically and I was emotional and I was like, ‘Let me take a step outside.’ And so I went to go take a breather, which I think would be the correct thing to do to de-escalate emotions, like go outside to breathe. I would never leave someone in my home unattended or ask someone to lock up if my house locks up,” Paul explained.
“I can confidently if you were to put any of my children up on stand, they are choosing mom and mom’s house every time, and I say that with full confidence because I love my children,” she added.
Toward the end of the video, Paul told her followers that she will “give you the ugly and the pretty.”
“I don’t claim to be this mother of the year. I have my faults. I also have a right to stick up for myself, give context of my life,” she said.
“I’m just at a loss of words on this experience. It’s been the most difficult thing I’ve ever, ever been through,” she added. “Some people think the best thing is getting offline. My decision is to show this process and how ugly it is and make mistakes. I will own that.”
In a statement to People following the reports of the petition, Paul’s lawyers said the reality star “looks forward to continuing her progress toward normalizing custody and becoming the healthiest version of herself.”
Paul’s mother, Liann May, also shared a statement with Us Weekly, speaking out about the child abuse allegations.
“The accusations of child neglect and abuse being leveled against my daughter are not only entirely false, but are also completely absurd,” May said in a written statement.
“My grandkids live in a safe, loving and stable home provided with every amenity. They are well-fed, clothed, bathed regularly, and frequently enjoy trips to recreational activities.”
“Furthermore, they are supported by a full-time nanny and a loving supporting family. My grandchildren are exceptionally well taken care of and are not being abused or neglected in any way by their mother. They’re quite spoiled to say the least,” Paul’s mother added.
Last week, Paul posted a photo of herself on Instagram with a caption, opening up about everything from her legal battles with her ex-boyfriend Dakota Mortensen and her ex-husband Tate Paul to her public feud with her co-stars regarding who created MomTok, a viral group of Utah-based Mormon mother influencers.
“Took my usual drive and cried for hours. I let myself feel all the feelings. It’s time to stop letting ego, anger, and fear run the show. I’m in a lot of pain acting in defense with the amount of trials happening at once,” Paul’s post began.
She said she had to “get recentered to allow the pain in” before admitting her “wrongdoing’s in the MomTok mess.”
“Not to completely shift but I miss my babies so much I can’t even walk down the hall to their rooms, it’s so painful. My heart is broken, I feel at war, I’m afraid of who I can trust and just wanted to share reality of how I feel. I don’t want to feel animosity I want to feel abundance.”
Paul has been making headlines over the last few months after production on Season 5 of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives was halted following the investigation into the domestic violence allegations involving Paul and her ex-boyfriend Mortensen.
ABC also decided to pull Season 22 of The Bachelorette starring Paul after a video surfaced, released by TMZ, allegedly showing a 2023 domestic violence incident involving Paul and Mortensen.
Following the investigation, Paul and Mortensen were ordered to stay 30 metres (100 feet) away from each other for the next three years by a Utah court commissioner after they both filed protective orders against each other.
Both Paul and her ex-boyfriend, whose on-and-off relationship has been a major storyline on The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, asked a Utah court to turn short-term protective orders into long-term arrangements, as the two have accused each other of domestic violence.
Third District Court Commissioner Russell Minas described the former couple’s dynamic as “very toxic” before granting Paul and Mortensen’s duelling requests for protective orders against each other.
Violations of the protective orders could result in criminal charges, the hearing revealed.
