Dakota Mortensen is dating ‘Mormon Wives’ friend amid tumultuous Taylor Frankie Paul custody battle: report
Dakota Mortensen is dating “Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” friend Shinia Powell amid his ongoing heated custody battle with his ex Taylor Frankie Paul, according to new reports.
“Shinia has been a steady source of support for Dakota through some incredibly difficult times, especially when he did not have immediate family nearby,” a source told People on Wednesday.
“Their close friendship has naturally grown into something more, and they are enjoying their time together while thoughtfully navigating what that means for them and their children.”
The source also added that while the budding new couple understands their connection may attract media attention, “they respectfully ask that people remain mindful of their privacy and feelings as they work as a team to move forward in a healthy way within an already tumultuous environment.”
Powell, who made an appearance in Season 4 of the Hulu reality series as a friend of cast member Miranda Hope, is a mom to two children: a 6-year-old daughter and a 4-year-old son.
Mortensen shares one child — 2-year-old son, Ever — with Paul. The exes are currently duking it out in court over custody of their son.
Reps for Powell, Mortensen, and Paul did not immediately respond to Page Six’s request for comment.
In the most recent update to their sordid legal saga, Utah’s Division of Child and Family Services filed a petition on July 13 requesting a juvenile court find that Taylor’s three children (Ever, daughter Indy and son Ocean) — whom she shares with Mortensen and ex-husband Tate Paul — are “abused, neglected, or dependent,” reports People.
The department asked that the court order protective supervision for the children and appoint a guardian ad litem to represent them.
Mortensen and Tate released a joint statement to the outlet at the time, saying they are both “deeply concerned that Taylor’s statement minimizes the gravity of the action filed by DCFS and her many underlying actions that prompted such.”
“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,” the statement continued.
“Despite the myriad false accusations published online and on social media about them by Taylor and others, Tate and Dakota have chosen not to participate in the often misconstrued social media and other online activity surrounding their cases. They have remained silent to protect their children, not because they have nothing to say. When the time is right, they will tell their story in their own words in the appropriate forum.”
An attorney for the two fathers added that 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.”
A source connected to Taylor responded saying: “Juvenile court is private to protect the children’s privacy, and the other side leaking this information does the exact opposite.”
“It speaks to the motivations here — someone is clearly acting in their own interest, not the children’s. This report also leaves out DCFS’s documented concerns about the other side, which are on record in district court and with law enforcement. The juvenile court will weigh all of that in full.”
Taylor and Dakota have been embroiled in a tense legal battle for months after Mortensen publicly accused his ex of being physically violent with him on a number of occasions.
In March, Mortensen petitioned the courts for a protective order against Taylor, who, in turn filed for a restraining order against Mortensen the following month.
They were both granted mutual protective orders against each other.
