Taylor Frankie Paul Says Hugging Dakota Mortensen’s Mom Was a ‘Goodbye to a Family’ Her ‘Kids Love’

Taylor Frankie Paul is explaining why she was seen in an embrace with Dakota Mortensen’s mom during the former couple’s custody and protective order hearing.

After a fan Instagram account shared video footage of Taylor hugging Cheyenne Cranford Mortensen inside Salt Lake City’s Third District Courthouse on Thursday, April 30, Taylor provided context via the comments section.

“That was my goodbye to a family my older kids and I loved deeply❤️‍🩹” Taylor, 31, explained. (Taylor and Dakota share 2-year-old son Ever. Taylor shares daughter Indy, 8, and son Ocean, 5, with her ex-husband Tate Paul.)

During the court hearing, a judge issued Taylor and Dakota, 33, protective orders against each other.

Utah Commissioner Russell Minas ordered Taylor and Dakota to stay 100 feet away from each other for a period of three years.

Minas described their relationship as “dysfunctional” as he handed down the orders.

“This has been a very toxic relationship. It’s beyond the pale in a lot of ways, the toxicity,” Minas said on Thursday. “What I’ve seen from the evidence even post [the] last hearing, there seems to be a continuing attraction that they have for each other. … You guys have to figure out a lot here. You have to figure out how to function as coparents.”

“I’m hoping that you’re not people who just thrive on the drama and the conflict,” the judge added. “You’ve got to put your child first and shield the child from this conflict. I’m going to leave the current order in place. I need to think a little bit more about this lifting of supervision. I have mixed feelings about it.”