Netflix’s new true-crime documentary, “Unknown Number: The High School Catfish,” dives into a story so shocking and emotionally complex that it’s hard to believe it actually happened. The film recounts the disturbing ordeal of 13-year-old Lauryn Licari, a teenager from Beal City, Michigan, who endured months of anonymous cyberbullying- only for investigators to uncover that the culprit was her own mother.
Set in the close-knit community of Beal City, the documentary captures the small-town atmosphere where everyone seems to know everyone. In a place where gossip travels fast and privacy is rare, the case sent shock waves through the town. The harassment began in October 2020 when Lauryn started receiving cruel text messages from an unknown number. The messages quickly escalated, attacking her appearance, friendships, and even her relationship with her boyfriend, Owen McKenny.
Unlike most documentaries that rely on actors or dramatized reenactments, this documentary uses the real people involved in the story. Lauryn, Owen, and others who were directly affected appear on screen to recount their experiences. Their vulnerability and raw emotion lend the film a layer of authenticity that scripted performances could never achieve.
After an 11-month break in the messages, the harassment returned in September 2021 with a vengeance. What followed was a relentless, 15-month campaign of digital torment. Daily insults, threats, and manipulative texts filled with personal details only someone close to Lauryn could know. The cruelty and precision of the messages left both the victim and her community terrified and confused.
Eventually, the case drew the attention of local law enforcement and even the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The more investigators dug, the clearer it became that the perpetrator had intimate knowledge of Lauryn’s life. When the truth finally came out, it stunned everyone: The person behind the anonymous messages was Lauryn’s own mother, Kendra Licari.
The reveal is heartbreaking and disturbing. Kendra claimed that she hadn’t started the harassment but admitted to continuing it, offering a series of explanations. She said she liked feeling needed by her daughter and couldn’t stop herself. Her actions appeared to align with symptoms of Munchhausen syndrome by proxy. A rare and severe psychological disorder in which a caregiver fabricates or induces harm in someone under their care to gain attention or sympathy.