The Start of the Nightmare

In September 2021, teenager Lauryn Licari and her boyfriend Owen began receiving persistent text messages from an unknown number. Over the following months, the anonymous texts grew darker and more threatening, turning the lives of the two high schoolers into a nightmare of anxiety and dragging the entire community of Beal City, Michigan, into turmoil.

For more than a year, the sender’s identity remained a mystery, despite the involvement of parents, teachers, and local police. When the FBI eventually uncovered the truth, the lives of those at the heart of the story—now the focus of Netflix’s new documentary Unknown Number: The High School Catfish—would never be the same.

The documentary features interviews with Lauryn’s parents, Owen’s parents, local authorities, and FBI agents who investigated the case.

The Shocking Content of the Messages

The harassment actually began in October 2020, when 13-year-old Lauryn received her first strange texts about her relationship with Owen. The anonymous sender insulted her appearance and implied Owen was cheating. Messages also began arriving on Owen’s phone, but after a short time they abruptly stopped.

A year later, in September 2021, the texts returned with relentless intensity—now daily and cruel. Lauryn was told her body was “disgusting,” that her boyfriend didn’t love her, that he would leave her unless she performed sexual favors, and that “everyone would be better off” if she killed herself.

The constant harassment strained the couple’s relationship until it eventually fell apart. Their parents, who were close friends, tried desperately to help but found no solution. Local police could not trace the sender, and suspicion even fell on classmates—leaving one girl unfairly ostracized.

All the while, Lauryn’s mother Kendra Licari repeatedly told her daughter not to let the texts affect her. “I was getting so upset, but my mom would say: ‘Just ignore them. Of course you’re beautiful,’” Lauryn recalls in the film.

Then came the bombshell: the stalker was Kendra herself. For months, Lauryn’s own mother had sent the vile texts—only to comfort her daughter afterward when she broke down in tears.

Charges and Conviction

In December 2022, Kendra Licari was charged with:

• Two counts of stalking a minor
• Two counts of conspiracy to commit a crime
• One count of obstruction of justice

In March 2023, she pleaded guilty to the stalking charges, while the others were dropped.

The following April, she was sentenced to up to five years in prison, with a minimum of one year and seven months behind bars.

In court, Kendra tearfully expressed remorse, admitting she had devastated her family. She blamed her behavior on unresolved psychological trauma from earlier life experiences.

She was released on August 8, 2024, and placed under supervision until February 2026. As conditions of release, she cannot leave Michigan, must find employment, and is barred from meeting Lauryn in person until further notice.

Kendra Speaks Out in the Documentary

One striking element of the Netflix film is Kendra’s own participation. She gave an interview just months after leaving prison in 2024.

Director Skye Borgman notes that Kendra adds complexity to the story, though she considers her an “unreliable narrator” who offers a version of events not necessarily grounded in truth.

“I am deeply disappointed in myself. I let my family down,” Kendra says in the film, denying she intended to harm her daughter and claiming she began the messages with “good intentions” before spiraling into destructive behavior.

The documentary also shows the harrowing moment police arrived at the Licari home to arrest Kendra, captured on bodycam footage. Lauryn’s devastated reaction—when she learned her own mother was behind the torment—remains one of the most powerful moments in the film.

Lauryn’s Perspective

Despite the betrayal, Lauryn says she doesn’t want to cut her mother off completely. During Kendra’s imprisonment, they often exchanged emails.

“I’ve lost my trust in her, but I miss her. Rebuilding our relationship will help both of us. I love her more than anything,” Lauryn explains.

Now a high school graduate, Lauryn plans to study criminology at university. Her decision to participate in the documentary, according to Borgman, was a “pivotal moment” because she wanted to reclaim her own story.

As for the future of their relationship, Borgman concludes: “Lauryn is an adult now. It’s up to her to decide if and how she wants to have her mother in her life.”