In the summer of last year, the internet became obsessed with Mormon Mom TikTok, a section of the social media app that featured content made by a group of Utah couples who were all friends. It all started when one of the moms, Taylor Frankie Paul, alleged on a TikTok livestream that “the whole group was intimate with each other.”
Now Paul, 28, is making even bigger headlines, for upsetting reasons: She was arrested and charged with domestic violence and child abuse.
She was arrested on February 17 in her Utah home after police responded to calls about domestic violence, Herriman City Police said in a statement.
In a probable cause statement, police say Paul and her boyfriend, Dakota Mortensen, were fighting inside the home. When Mortensen attempted to leave, Paul started hitting him.
Police have accessed video footage allegedly showing the incident, where Paul also threw several “heavy, metal chairs” at Mortensen. One of the chairs hit her 5-year-old daughter in the head, according to the statement, reported by CBS News.
According to the outlet, officials say footage showed Paul throwing barstools.
Paul allegedly can be seen kicking Mortensen, putting him in a chokehold, and hitting him repeatedly. Mortensen additionally accused Paul of throwing her phone at him and throwing a playset that hit his car and damaged the door.
CBS News reports that the probable cause statement noted that the responding officer saw Paul hit Mortensen when he arrived at the scene. Paul apparently admitted to throwing chairs and a playset.
"Ms. Paul's status as a social media influencer has no bearing or impact on the investigation or outcome of this case," the Herriman Police Department said in a statement about the case last week.
"All allegations of domestic violence are investigated thoroughly and in accordance with state law and established criminal justice best practices to protect victims and ensure accountability."
According to court records, Paul has been charged with two felony counts of domestic violence in the presence of a child and one count of aggravated assault. She was also charged with one misdemeanor count of child abuse.
If you or someone you know has been a victim of domestic abuse, you can find help and support at DVIS.org, the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or by contacting your local women's shelter (domesticshelters.org).
