Taylor Frankie Paul has confessed to feeling “emotionally numb” as her custody battle with ex Dakota Mortensen escalates.
The “Mormon Wives” star, 32, shared an update via her Instagram Story on Saturday in response to a fan who wrote, “I’m going through your exact situation. I wish I could tell you more! I’m so stuck.”
“I don’t know what else to say other than to say I’m with so many of you,” Paul said. “I wish I could be more helpful. I don’t know when my nervous system switched over…I can’t even cry these days, which is so unlike me.”
She concluded, “You can feel emotionally overwhelmed or numb, both of which are coping mechanisms.”
Paul and Mortensen remain embroiled in a bitter custody battle over their two-year-old son, Ever, after the couple were both involved in multiple domestic violence incidents and police investigations.
In March, Mortensen took Paul to court and was awarded sole custody of their co-son, claiming he had been physically violent towards her. Paul is also the mother of two children with ex-husband Tate Paul.
Paul later appeared in court on April 7 and was granted supervised visitation with his young son. However, her visiting hours were limited to six hours a week until her April 30 court date because the judge was concerned about her “instability.”
At that point, both reality stars were ordered to stay 100 feet away from each other under the terms of a mutual protection order they filed in court.
“Even after the last trial, the evidence suggests that they continue to be attracted to each other,” the judge said during the hearing, criticizing their “toxic relationship.”
“You all have to figure out a lot here. You have to find a way to function as co-parents.”
Mortensen publicly acknowledged his bitter legal battle with his former defendant in April ahead of the judge’s latest ruling, telling his followers that he had “stepped back” for much-needed “clarity” amid the “chaos” of the situation.
The reality star added, “My focus now is where it should have been all along: my son (Ever) and creating a stable and healthy environment for him to move forward.”
He continued, “I regret not breaking out of this difficult cycle sooner. I am not perfect, so I am responsible for my role. I am truly sorry to the people I have hurt.”
If you or someone you know is affected by any of the issues raised in this article, please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or text START to 88788.
