The newly released Netflix documentary “Unknown Number: The High School Catfish” has left audiences stunned, revisiting a disturbing cyberbullying case that unfolded in Beal City, Michigan, and ended with an unexpected perpetrator: a mother targeting her own daughter.
A Mystery That Gripped a Community
The ordeal began in 2020 when teenager Lauryn Licari and her then-boyfriend Owen started receiving harassing text messages from an anonymous number. After a brief lull, the messages returned in September 2021, growing into thousands of threatening texts over 15 months.
What baffled investigators was the intimate knowledge behind the messages—details only someone close to Lauryn could know. At first, suspicion fell on classmates and friends. As the harassment escalated, the FBI joined the case, eventually tracing the digital trail to someone nobody could have anticipated.
A Mother Behind the Messages
The culprit was revealed to be Kendra Licari, Lauryn’s own mother. Body camera footage shown in the documentary captures the moment Isabella County Sheriff Mike Main confronted Licari, and the shocking disclosure to Lauryn that her mother had orchestrated the campaign of abuse.
In December 2022, Kendra Licari was arrested and charged with multiple counts of stalking and using a computer to commit a crime. She later pleaded guilty to two counts of stalking a minor and was sentenced to 19 months to five years in prison. According to Michigan state records, she was released on parole in August 2024 and will remain under supervision until February 2026.
A Complex Portrait of Motives
Director Skye Borgman, known for her work on true-crime documentaries, explained in an interview with Tudum that Licari only agreed to participate after most of the film was already complete. For Licari, the opportunity was framed as a way to tell her side of the story—something she said she hoped her daughter would one day see.
The documentary stops short of offering clear answers about why Licari targeted her daughter. Borgman admitted, “I don’t know that she really knows why she did it.” Licari herself alluded to personal trauma but gave no definitive explanation.
Where Are They Now?
At the close of filming, Kendra Licari expressed a desire to remain in her daughter’s life, despite the betrayal and lasting damage caused by her actions. Lauryn’s current perspective is not fully explored in the film, leaving viewers with questions about reconciliation, healing, and the long-term effects of such an ordeal.
Streaming Now on Netflix
“Unknown Number: The High School Catfish” has quickly become a trending topic on social media, both for its shocking twist and its broader exploration of cyberbullying’s devastating consequences.
