Michigan Mother Pleads Guilty to Cyberstalking Teens in High-Profile Case

The Netflix documentary "Unknown Number: The High School Catfish" reveals the shocking true story of Lauryn Licari, a Michigan teenager who, along with her boyfriend Owen McKenny, endured over a year of relentless cyberbullying through threatening and obscene texts. The harassment, which escalated to about 50 messages daily, was eventually traced by the FBI to an unexpected source: Lauryn's own mother, Kendra Licari, who used spoofing apps to send the messages. The Licari and McKenny families were closely intertwined, with Kendra heavily involved in her daughter's relationship and Owen's life, even coaching his track team, which fueled speculation about her motivations. The documentary shows the intense fallout, including Lauryn and Owen's breakup and the community's suspicion before the truth emerged. Viewers and commentators have discussed the varied reactions of Lauryn and her family when confronted by police, highlighting the trauma's complexity. The case, originally detailed in a prior in-depth article by The Cut, raises critical questions about parental behavior, cyberbullying, and the hidden dynamics in seemingly perfect family relationships.