Taylor Frankie Paul’s mom, Liann May, is breaking her silence after Utah’s Division of Child and Family Services (CFS) requested a court find her daughter’s three children “abused, neglected or dependent.”
“The accusations of child neglect and abuse being leveled against my daughter are not only entirely false, but are also completely absurd,” May, 50, says in a written statement shared exclusively with Us Weekly. “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.
She continued, “These allegations have spiraled out of control, and I believe my daughter is being unfairly targeted due to her public profile. This harassment is discriminatory, unlawful and deeply unjust. While there are children truly in need of protection and public attention, resources and energy are being wasted on these baseless claims.”
The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives star, 32, shares son Ever, 2, with Dakota Mortensen as well as two children — daughter Indy, 8, and son Ocean, 6 — with ex-husband Tate Paul. She is currently locked in two separate custody battles with both Mortensen and Tate following a string of alleged domestic violence incidents involving Taylor and Mortensen. (After taking a plea deal in a 2023 domestic violence case, Taylor was allegedly involved in another incident with Mortensen in February. Both parties denied allegations of domestic violence and authorities declined to press changes.)
As part of her ongoing custody battle and alleged incidents, CFS opened up an investigation into Taylor. According to court documents obtained by TMZ on Wednesday, July 15, in addition to ruling the children “abused, neglected or dependent,” officials are also requesting a judge “order protective supervision services, appoint a guardian ad litem to represent the children and issue any additional orders deemed to be in their best interests.”
“I want to be very clear, if my grandchildren were being neglected or abused by anyone, I would be the first to act on it,” Taylor’s mom, May, continued in her exclusive statement to Us. “I ask for privacy and for the spread of false narratives to please stop.”
Shortly after news of CFS’ request broke, Taylor issued a statement via her attorneys saying that she continues to fully cooperate with authorities.
“It was recently decided that the ongoing custody actions would be best suited for juvenile court, a common step for families engaged in highly contentious, complex custody matters,” her legal representatives said via a statement shared with US on Thursday, July 16. “Taylor is not deterred by this transition; she welcomes the added structure and oversight it provides and looks forward to continuing her progress toward normalizing custody and becoming the healthiest version of herself.”
On Saturday, July 18, Taylor broke her social media silence on the request, denying claims she forces her daughter to change her 2-year-old son’s diapers while admitting she is not “mother of the year.”
“If I have learned anything in 2026 [with] false headlines, there’s a lot of false information out there and so, therefore, it doesn’t affect me because it’s not true,” she said in a video shared via Instagram. “That being said, there are some things that are true as well.”
She added, “It’s kind of like [Mormon Wives] for me. I don’t need to go read [the court documents] because I lived them. However it is perceived, what is said, it may be accurate, maybe not. It can be exaggerated, twisted. What I do know is what [happened] and I know the truth.”
Taylor’s exes, Tate and Mortensen, also issued a joint statement following CFS’ request.
“Tate Paul and Dakota Mortensen have remained publicly silent throughout these proceedings to avoid having serious private family matters turned into more of a public spectacle than they already have due to the insatiable appetite of others to share private family information online to promote views and publicity,” their attorneys told Us in a statement. “However, they are deeply concerned that Taylor’s statement minimizes the gravity of the action filed by DCFS and her many underlying actions that prompted such. The petition filed by DCFS this week is not a routine transition to juvenile court or an opportunity for personal growth. DCFS has asked the Court to find that the children are abused and has requested an expedited hearing concerning their immediate protection.”
The statement added, “Tate and Dakota are grateful that DCFS has taken these concerns seriously and is stepping in to protect the children. They share the serious concern that the family court system, law enforcement, prosecutors, and child-welfare agencies need meaningful coordination necessary to understand the situation and act in a manner most likely to protect the children. Serious warning signs went largely unaddressed for far too long, even after the passage of Om’s Law. Tate and Dakota remain focused on protecting the children, giving them the time and space they need to heal, supporting meaningful accountability, and using what their families have experienced to help improve coordination between these systems in the future.”
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 for confidential support.
If you or someone you know is experiencing child abuse, call or text Child Help Hotline at 1-800-422-4453.
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