The Shocking Story of a Mother Who Catfished Her Daughter
Hey, have you heard about this insane story on Netflix called Unknown The High School Catfish ? It’s about a girl named Lauryn Licari, from Beal City, Michigan, whose own mother ended up harassing her online in one of the most disturbing ways imaginable. Over a year, starting in fall 2021, Lauryn and her boyfriend Owen were bombarded with aggressive text messages from an unknown number. These weren’t just mean texts—they were hostile, manipulative, and often sexual, even telling Lauryn to kill herself. What makes it even crazier is that the messages were coming from her mother, Kendra Licari, pretending to be another classmate.
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Lauryn and Owen initially tried to figure out who was behind it. They would call the number, but no one ever picked up. Owen received up to 50 messages a day, many of them incredibly vulgar. The texts seemed to know personal details—like calling Lauryn “Lo,” a nickname used only by family and close friends—which kept suspicion circulating in their school and even caused tension among classmates. Eventually, Lauryn and Owen broke up, partly because of the relentless harassment, hoping the messages would stop. But the abuse continued, escalating to life-threatening messages.
The authorities got involved in January 2022, and when the local investigation stalled, the FBI stepped in. They traced the messages through an app that hid numbers, eventually connecting them to Kendra Licari. Bodycam footage shown in the documentary captures the moment police arrived at her house to arrest her in December 2022, taking her devices. She was cooperative, but Lauryn’s reaction was a mix of shock and silence—seeing your own parent revealed as the source of such cruelty is unimaginable.
So why did Kendra do this? The documentary explores some possible explanations. Kendra mentioned past trauma, including being assaulted as a teenager, and said she wanted to protect Lauryn as she grew up. Others, including the filmmakers and school officials, speculated that she may have had a cyber version of Munchausen by proxy—a need to control and manipulate her daughter by harming her emotionally. Kendra herself admitted that her actions were wrong but didn’t give a clear reason for the most extreme messages encouraging Lauryn to end her life.
After all this, Kendra was sentenced to 19 months in prison and released in August 2024. Lauryn, now 18, has grown closer to her father and is cautiously navigating her relationship with her mother. She says she still loves her, but she wants Kendra to get help before they reconnect.
The story is shocking not just for the betrayal, but for the lasting impact on Lauryn, Owen, and their community. It’s a chilling reminder of how technology can be weaponized in family relationships and how crucial it is to pay attention to the kids around us.
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