Secret Lives of Mormon Wives stars Miranda Hope McWhorter and Layla Taylor broke their silence after leaked footage showed their costar Taylor Frankie Paul throwing chairs at now-ex Dakota Mortensen during an argument in February 2023 that led to her arrest.
Miranda, 27, and Layla, 25, condemned domestic violence in statements posted via Instagram Stories on Friday, March 20, after the incident was brought to light.
“I’ve honestly been a little at a loss for words trying to process this all,” McWhorter wrote after news that Taylor’s debut on The Bachelorette was scrapped as ABC canceled the season just days before the premiere was set to air on Sunday, March 22. “Everything has been really heavy to see. Domestic violence and abuse of any kind is something I take very seriously.”
Miranda added, “As a human, and especially a mother, I cannot support that kind of behavior. My heart is with the children in this and I hope they’re safe, supported, and surrounded by love.” (Taylor, 31, shares son Ever, 2, with Dakota, 33, and daughter Indy, 8, and son Ocean, 5, with ex-husband Tate Paul.)
Layla echoed that sentiment and said it was a topic she felt strongly about. “My personal history as a survivor makes it impossible for me to stay silent,” the SLOMW star wrote. “I stand firmly against domestic violence in any form. I am keeping her children in my thoughts, hoping for their safety above all else.”
After the incident, Taylor pleaded guilty to a felony charge of aggravated assault as part of a plea deal in August 2023, while other charges, including domestic violence in the presence of a child, were dismissed. Per the plea deal, her aggravated assault charge would drop to a misdemeanor in August 2026, as long as she did not violate any laws or break the conditions of the agreement. She was placed on 36-month probation that ends on August 24, 2026.
Us has since exclusively learned that Taylor’s 2023 plea deal might be in jeopardy due to the fresh domestic assault allegations against her. Draper Police Department in Utah confirmed there’s an open “domestic assault investigation” involving her and Dakota stemming from a February incident, telling Us that “allegations have been made in both directions.”
The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives halted filming on season 5 amid the ongoing investigation.
Taylor, for her part, broke her silence regarding the domestic assault investigation during a New York City press dinner on Tuesday, March 17.
“There’s more to the context to everything and it’s unfortunate,” she exclusively told Us. “It’s been hard. And it sucks to be in this position. And the mother that I am, that is something I will always stand my ground on. I believe that I am a good mother and I have always treated my kids very well.”
A rep for Dakota told Entertainment Weekly that his top priority is “protecting their son, Ever.”
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.
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