Netflix’s Unknown Number: The High School Catfish uncovers the disturbing true story of a Michigan mother who catfished her own daughter, sending cruel and lewd messages that tore apart relationships and shocked an entire community.
Netflix is diving into one of the most disturbing cases of digital deception with its latest true crime documentary Unknown Number: The High School Catfish, premiering Friday. Directed by Skye Borgman, the film unpacks the unsettling story of Kendra Licari, a Michigan mother who secretly catfished her own daughter Lauryn and Lauryn’s boyfriend Owen for over a year.
The story begins in Beal City, Michigan, in the fall of 2021. From an unknown number, Lauryn and Owen began receiving a barrage of aggressive text messages. These texts, which often claimed to come from a jealous classmate, told Lauryn that Owen would leave her, mocked her appearance, and even pushed her toward suicide. Some of the cruelest texts included messages like “kill yourself now b****” and “his life would be better if you were dead.”
The harassment was relentless. Owen often received up to 50 messages a day, many of them sexually explicit, claiming he was dissatisfied with Lauryn. The mystery sender also used Lauryn’s nickname “Lo,” a detail known only to those closest to her, making the situation even more disturbing.
The campaign of harassment eventually drove Lauryn and Owen apart after two years of dating. Yet, even after their breakup, the threatening texts continued.
How The Mother Was Caught
By January 2022, local police were called in, and by April the FBI became involved. Investigator Bradley Peter discovered that the anonymous messages were being sent through an app designed to disguise phone numbers. With search warrants, authorities traced the activity back to Verizon—and ultimately, to Kendra Licari.
The shocking revelation stunned the community. Not only had Kendra been tormenting her own daughter, but she had also been checking in with authorities throughout the investigation as if she were another concerned parent. In December 2022, police body cam footage captured the moment officers arrested her at home, while a stunned Lauryn silently stayed by her mother’s side.
In 2023, Kendra was sentenced to at least 19 months in prison.
Why Did She Do It?
The documentary explores Kendra’s motives, which remain murky. She told filmmakers that “everyone makes mistakes,” comparing her actions to people driving drunk and not getting caught. She also revealed that she had lost her job but never told her husband, leaving her with time to carry out the harassment.
Some interviews suggest a more unsettling angle: Owen and his mother raise the possibility that Kendra may have been secretly attracted to him, noting her unusual attentiveness even after he and Lauryn broke up. Kendra herself cites past trauma, revealing she was raped at 17, and says she feared letting Lauryn grow up and face the dangers of the world.
Director Skye Borgman suggests Kendra’s actions may have been a warped attempt to keep her daughter close. Former Beal City superintendent Bill Chillman goes further, calling it a case of “cyber Munchausen syndrome,” in which Kendra deliberately inflicted emotional harm to make her daughter dependent on her.
Still, the most disturbing element remains the escalation to messages encouraging Lauryn to end her life. Borgman says Kendra never offered a clear explanation for why she went that far, leaving audiences unsettled and searching for answers.
Where Things Stand Now
Today, Lauryn has graduated high school and is 18. While she is closer than ever to her father Shawn, her relationship with her mother is fractured. At first, Lauryn kept in touch with Kendra while she was behind bars, but over time she became more cautious about maintaining contact.
When Kendra was released from prison, she had not seen Lauryn in over a year and a half. The documentary closes with Lauryn reflecting on her complicated feelings: “Now that she’s out, I just want her to get the help she needs, so when we see each other, it doesn’t go back to the old ways.” Despite everything, Lauryn adds, “I love her more than anything.”
Unknown Number: The High School Catfish offers an intimate look at a story that’s as shocking as it is heartbreaking, leaving viewers to grapple with the dark complexities of family, control, and betrayal.
