Taylor Frankie Paulis mom, Lianne Mayis breaking her silence after the Utah Department of Children and Family Services (CFS) asked a court to declare her daughter’s three children “abused, neglected or dependent.”
“The allegations of child neglect and child abuse made against my daughter are not only completely false, but also completely absurd,” May, 50, said in a written statement shared exclusively with Us weekly. “My grandchildren live in a safe, loving and stable home equipped with all amenities. They are well fed, clothed, bathed regularly and enjoy frequent outings for recreational activities. In addition, they are supported by a full-time nanny and a loving family. My grandchildren are extremely well looked after and are not abused or neglected in any way by their mother. They are quite spoiled to say the least.
She continued: “These allegations are spiraling out of control and I believe my daughter is being unfairly targeted because of her public profile. This harassment is discriminatory, unlawful and deeply unfair. While there are children who truly need protection and public attention, resources and energy are being wasted on these baseless allegations.”
The Secret Lives of Mormon Women Star, 32, shares son Ever, 2 Dakota Mortensen and two children – daughter Indy, 8, and son Ocean, 6 – with her ex-husband Tate Paul. She is currently in two custody battles with Mortensen and Tate following a series of alleged domestic violence incidents committed by Taylor and Mortensen. (After reaching a plea agreement in a domestic violence case in 2023, Taylor was reportedly involved in another incident with Mortensen in February. Both parties denied allegations of domestic violence and authorities declined to enforce changes.)
As part of their ongoing custody battle and alleged incidents, CFS opened an investigation into Taylor. According to court documents obtained by TMZ On Wednesday, July 15, officials are not only asking a judge to deem the children “abused, neglected or dependent,” but are also asking a judge to “order protective supervision services, appoint a guardian ad litem to represent the children, and make any additional orders deemed to be in their best interests.”
Taylor Frankie Paul’s mother Liann May and stepfather Jeremy May listen as Paul appears at a protective order hearing
Getty Images“I want to be clear: If my grandchildren were neglected or abused by anyone, I would be the first to take action,” Taylor’s mother May continued in her exclusive statement Us. “I ask for privacy and that the spread of false narratives stop.”
Shortly after news of the CFS request broke, Taylor issued a statement through her lawyers saying she continued to cooperate fully with authorities.
“It was recently decided that the ongoing custody disputes would be best suited to juvenile court, a common step for families dealing with highly contentious, complex custody matters,” her legal representatives said in a statement she shared US on Thursday, July 16th. “Taylor is undeterred by this transition; she welcomes the additional 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 silence on social media about the request, denying claims that she is forcing her daughter to change her 2-year-old son’s diapers, but admitted that she is not “Mother of the Year.”
“If I’ve learned anything in 2026 (with) false headlines, there’s a lot of false information out there and so it doesn’t affect me because it’s not true,” she said in a video shared via Instagram. “That being said, there are also some things that are true.”
She added: “It’s like (Mormon women) For me. I don’t have to go read (the court documents) because I lived them. However one perceives it, what has been said may or may not be true. It can be exaggerated and twisted. What I know is what happened and I know the truth.”
Taylor’s ex-partners Tate and Mortensen also issued a joint statement at CFS’s request.
“Tate Paul and Dakota Mortensen have maintained public silence throughout the proceedings to prevent serious private family matters from becoming even more of a public spectacle than they already have because of others’ insatiable desire to share private family information online to promote views and publicity,” their attorneys said Us in a statement. “However, they are deeply concerned that Taylor’s statement downplays the seriousness of the lawsuit filed by DCFS and its many underlying lawsuits that led to it. 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 were abused and has requested an expedited hearing regarding their immediate protection.”
Taylor Frankie Paul’s ex-husband Tate Paul reportedly expressed concern that the reality star’s mother, Liann May, was “coaching” his daughter following a domestic dispute in 2023. On Thursday, March 26, People published transcripts of a phone call between Tate and Utah police about his ex-wife’s arrest on domestic violence charges. In February 2023, Taylor was accused (…)
The statement added: “Tate and Dakota are grateful that DCFS has taken these concerns seriously and is intervening to protect the children. They share serious concerns that the family court system, law enforcement, prosecutors, and child protection agencies require meaningful coordination to understand the situation and act in a way that is most likely to protect the children. Serious warning signs have gone largely unaddressed for far too long, even after the passage of Om’s Law. Tate and Dakota remain focused on protecting the children Children and give them time and space.” They must heal, support meaningful stewardship, and use their families’ experiences to improve coordination between these systems in the future.”
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, please call National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 for confidential assistance.
If you or someone you know is experiencing child abuse, call or text Child support hotline at 1-800-422-4453.
