Last week, many were glued to Netflix to watch what is being called one of the most disturbing true-crime documentaries of the year. Unknown Number: The High School Catfish revisits a Michigan cyberbullying case that shocked the nation — one in which the tormentor turned out to be the victim’s own mother.
The nightmare began in 2020, when 15-year-old Lauryn Licari and her boyfriend Owen started receiving anonymous text messages. The harassment escalated quickly: dozens of texts each day, some filled with cruel taunts, others urging Lauryn to harm herself.
At first, everyone assumed it was another teenager. The language, the gossip, the intimate knowledge of school schedules all pointed to classmates. School officials and parents were so convinced that suspicion fell on Lauryn’s friends. One girl, Khloe, was even directly accused — an experience that fractured friendships and deepened Lauryn’s sense of isolation.
Meanwhile, Kendra played the part of the protective mother. She attended school meetings, demanded answers, and insisted that administrators and law enforcement do more. As one official recalled in the Netflix documentary, “She looked like a mom desperate for help.”
The texts were relentless. Prosecutors later revealed there were “tens of thousands” of messages over more than a year. Some contained sexualized insults; others spread lies designed to pit Lauryn against her peers. The messages came from rotating numbers generated by texting apps, making blocking useless and leaving police with little to trace.
What made the bullying especially devastating was the precision. The messages referenced specific outfits Lauryn wore, when she left practice, and private conversations. It felt like the stalker was everywhere. “No matter what I did,” Lauryn said in the Netflix special, “it felt like someone was watching me.”
For many viewers, the central question is why would a mother cyberbully her own child?
In the documentary, Kendra Licari offers a tangled explanation. She spoke of her own unresolved trauma, including sexual assault at age 17, and suggested that Lauryn’s teenage years triggered fears of losing closeness with her daughter. Some experts have compared her behavior to a digital form of Munchausen by proxy, in which a caregiver manufactures harm to keep a child dependent.
Her history of deception only deepens the picture. Kendra had lied about losing her job, told people she was working when she wasn’t, and even volunteered to help the school track down the bully — all while she was the one sending the messages. To investigators and psychologists, this blend of secrecy, manipulation, and control pointed to a pattern, not a one-time lapse.
By 2022, the case had stalled. Local police couldn’t pierce the wall of burner numbers and apps. That’s when the FBI stepped in. By subpoenaing app records and tracing IP addresses, agents uncovered what nobody wanted to believe: the harassment came from devices tied to Kendra Licari.
When officers confronted her, Shawn — who had been working tirelessly to protect Lauryn — was blindsided. “They said, ‘We know who it is,’” he later recalled. “When they told me, I couldn’t breathe. It felt like my whole world cracked open.”
Kendra was arrested in December 2022 and charged with stalking and using a computer to commit a crime.
In April 2023, Kendra pleaded guilty to two counts of stalking a minor. A Michigan judge sentenced her to 19 months to five years in prison. Lauryn listened in court as her own mother was taken away. “I felt betrayed,” she said later. “But I also felt like maybe I could finally be safe.”
Kendra served just over a year before being released on parole in August 2024. Her parole conditions prohibit contact with Lauryn until at least 2026.
Shawn Licari divorced Kendra immediately after her arrest and was granted full custody of Lauryn. Father and daughter live quietly in Michigan, focusing on healing. Shawn has said their bond is stronger now than ever, though the betrayal still casts a long shadow.
Lauryn has grown into a resilient young woman. In Unknown Number, she reveals that she plans to study criminology, perhaps motivated by her own experience of injustice. She remains cautious about reconnecting with her mother, saying Kendra needs to seek real help before any relationship can be possible.
Kendra participated in the Netflix documentary, expressing regret and a desire to repair the relationship with her daughter. For now, her life is constrained by parole supervision. Her actions remain a chilling example of how far deception can go, even inside a family.
The Licari cyberbullying case raises uncomfortable but important lessons:
- Cyberbullying isn’t always peer-to-peer. Families and schools should consider all possibilities when harassment escalates.
- Digital deception leaves traces. Even with rotating numbers and apps, investigators can and do uncover the truth.
- Mental health matters. Experts warn that unresolved trauma and control issues can manifest in harmful, even criminal ways if untreated.
For parents, educators, and teens, the Licari story is both a tragedy and a cautionary tale. What began as a seemingly typical case of online harassment ended up revealing the unthinkable — that sometimes the call for help is coming from inside the house.
Resources: Where to Get Help for Cyberbullying
The Kendra Licari cyberbullying case is extreme, but the reality is that thousands of teens face online harassment every day. If you or someone you know is being bullied online, these resources can help:
- StopBullying.gov – Official U.S. government resource on cyberbullying with prevention tips, reporting tools, and school resources.
- Cyberbullying Research Center – Research, guides, and downloadable toolkits for parents, educators, and teens.
- National Suicide Prevention Lifeline – Call or text 988 in the U.S. for free, confidential support if cyberbullying leads to thoughts of self-harm or depression.
- Common Sense Media – Practical guides for families on managing apps, digital privacy, and teen online safety.
- Pew Research Center – Latest data on teens and online harassment to understand how widespread the issue is.
The Netflix documentary Unknown Number: The High School Catfish has brought global attention to a story that began in a small Michigan town but carries universal lessons. Whether you’re a parent, teacher, or teen, the Licari case underscores one truth: cyberbullying thrives in silence, but it unravels when people speak out, document evidence, and demand accountability.
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