Unknown Number: The High School Catfish gave Kendra Licari the opportunity to speak for herself.
The intriguing scenario presented in the documentary has sparked interest among its audience: it’s rare to find a case where a mother stands accused of impersonating others online, specifically catfishing her own child and their boyfriend.
What could possibly motivate Kendra to openly discuss the actions she took towards Lauryn Licari and Owen McKenney, who were 13 at the time? Skye Borgman, the documentary director, proposes an explanation for this.
Skye admitted to feeling anxious about appearing on camera, as recounting one’s own story can be quite daunting at times. However, she was fantastic, and unexpectedly enjoyed the process. In hindsight, she even found it somewhat amusing. She also shared laughter and I believe it served as a catalyst for her to ponder certain matters more profoundly,” is a possible paraphrase.
Observing her interactions with Kendra, the filmmaker commented, “Each time I posed a question, it seemed she needed to ponder carefully, which I believe benefited her greatly.
As a dedicated follower, I can share that when asked about Kendra’s feelings regarding her actions – having pleaded guilty to two counts of stalking a minor and received a sentence of 19 months in jail – Skye expressed that Kendra is somewhat of a mystery, or an “enigma.
Reflecting on the situation, I strongly suspect she had ample time to ponder over her actions while in custody. It’s my belief that she sought and continues to seek therapeutic help. Her actions were not impulsive; they were well-considered. Whether she has fully comprehended or acknowledged what she did and the reasons behind it, I am unsure.
As she put it, “I guess only Kendra could really answer that.”
In the autumn of 2020, Lauren and Owen faced harassment, but things escalated in September 2021, becoming increasingly unsettling with around 40-50 instances each day. I came to learn later that it was Kendra who orchestrated those distressing messages towards us during this period.
According to a 2022 report from the Isabella County Sheriff’s office (as reported by NBC News), many messages were found to be filled with abusive or hateful language, often using phrases like ‘you should die.'”
“In a report released in 2022 by the Isabella County Sheriff’s department (according to NBC News), it was noted that numerous messages contained hostile and offensive language, frequently including phrases urging harm, such as ‘go die.’
According to the report, Kendra initially claimed not to have written the initial messages, but later told investigators that she became entangled in them, finding herself drawn in at first, and then unable to stop her involvement.
For more on the shocking case, keep reading.
For quite some time, dating back to their junior high school days, Lauryn Licari and Owen McKenny have been sweethearts. Starting in October 2020, they started receiving mysterious texts from an unknown number. It appeared as though this mysterious sender aimed to create discord within their relationship.
Initially, the text said, “Hello Lauryn, Owen is ending things with you.” Later messages implied, “He has lost feelings for you and it’s been that way for some time,” and “It seems he has feelings for someone else.
Initially, there was silence, lasting for several months. However, on September 13, 2021, the messages resumed. Yet, unlike before, they began to receive numerous messages per day, and these new ones were significantly distressing.
The messages appear to be personal and could potentially be from individuals they recognize, as stated by Isabella County Sheriff Michael Main in a December 2022 report, according to NBC News. The majority of these messages contain hateful content, with phrases such as ‘you should kill yourself…’, which are recurring themes throughout the messages.
During the events depicted in the 2025 Netflix series “Unknown Number: The High School Catfish“, Owen and Lauryn ended their relationship, however, the incoming messages persisted.
As cyberbullying commenced, Lauryn resided with her parents Shawn Licari and Kendra Licari in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan.
Kendra held a position in Information Technology at Ferris State University, while also coaching the girls’ basketball team at Lauryn’s high school.
Initially, Lauryn and Owen’s families believed that other students might have been behind the bullying and brought this to the attention of their school, Beal City Public Schools. Subsequently, they passed the matter on to the local police department for investigation.
The Isabella County Sheriff’s Office enlisted the help of the FBI in their investigation, as per Sheriff Main’s report. The cybercrimes expert they consulted traced the texts to an Internet Protocol (IP) address associated with a Spectrum service provider in the Mt Pleasant region and a user who frequently used a number-generating app on an iPhone device.
According to the report, the FBI expert discovered that Kendra’s phone number was consistently linked to the IP address every time a text message was sent to the victims.
On August 10, 2022, according to Main’s report, Kendra informed detectives that she didn’t initiate the initial series of messages her daughter and Owen received in October 2020. Instead, she started forwarding them from September 2021 onwards. The report stated that Kendra got carried away with sending these messages and it became a continuous activity.
In “Unknown Number: The High School Catfish“, Kendra admitted that she initiated a messaging effort on her own, aimed at identifying who was supposedly bullying her child initially.
In the show, she expressed, “I had been hoping for a response along the lines of, ‘Is that you, so-and-so?’ Since I was seeking clarification. It began as a quest to get some answers and it continued from there.
Subsequently, Kendra expressed that the traumatic experiences she encountered during her teenage years sparked an unwavering determination within her to safeguard her daughter from any potential harm.
In response to growing older, Lauryn’s hidden feelings began to surface, as Kendra expressed in the movie Unknown Number. She admitted, “I aimed to shape the course of her life’s journey. I feared her growth and maturity. I was anxious about what might befall her.
On December 12, 2022, Kendra was taken into custody and indicted for allegedly engaging in two instances of stalking a minor, along with two charges related to collaborating with someone else to carry out an unspecified offense, as reported by NBC News.
David Barberi, Isabella County prosecutor, shared that we had countless text messages back then – these messages were either solely intended for her daughter or some of her daughter’s friends. He described the digital trail as extremely extensive.
The Superintendent of Beal City Public Schools, William Chilman, shared with GMA that initially, when they discovered it wasn’t a student pulling a prank, they didn’t anticipate the culprit would be a parent. When they were informed later in the spring that there was suspicion that it could have been her, it came as a surprise to everyone involved.
As an ardent admirer, I can’t help but share the news that my idol, Kendra, struck a deal. After much anticipation, she admitted guilt to two counts of stalking a minor. In a twist of fate, other accusations against her were dismissed. Fast forward to April 2023, she found herself facing justice and was sentenced to serve a minimum term of 19 months in jail. However, with 22 days already served, the journey towards redemption might have started earlier than expected.
Upon learning that Kendra had been harassing their daughter, Shawn chose to divorce her, ultimately receiving sole custody of Lauryn.
I can’t understand how she could treat her daughter so cruelly, given that she was said to love her deeply,” or “It’s just unbearable. It feels like she betrayed me deeply-hurt me severely-and then abandoned any remnants of our bond.
Kendra, aged 45, was granted early release under parole on August 8, 2024, and is currently under supervision until February 8, 2026, as stated by the Michigan Department of Corrections.
She mentioned over an unspecified phone number that it’s been approximately one and a half years since she last saw Lauryn, and as part of the conditions of her release, they can’t get together right now.
Kendra stated, ‘We understand that we stand together through thick and thin.’ She also expressed her belief in maintaining a strong relationship between them, as they share a deep connection that they treasure.
At eighteen years old, Lauryn has no objections to making amends with her mother and wishes that Kendra can receive the necessary help as she is currently free from jail.
In the series, I expressed that being apart from that connection is causing me immense pain, and I firmly believe that reconstructing our bond could be incredibly beneficial for us both. There isn’t anything I cherish more than her.
The series also noted that Lauryn is no longer in touch with Owen.
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2025-09-05 21:17