Netflix’s Shocking True Crime Documentary With a Bizarre Twist Has Fans Calling One Woman The Most Evil Person On Earth

Skye Borgman’s latest documentary, Unknown Number: The High School Catfish, explores a shocking real-life cyberbullying case in Beal City, Michigan.

The story follows 13-year-old Lauryn Licari and her boyfriend, Owen, who began receiving strange messages from an unknown number in October 2020. The harassment paused briefly but returned in September 2021, quickly turning into a daily stream of threats and cruel insults for over a year.

The messages contained personal details only someone close to Lauryn could know, prompting school officials and Lauryn’s parents to involve law enforcement.

The investigation initially focused on Lauryn and Owen’s classmates, creating tension and suspicion within the school. When progress stalled, Bradley Peter, an officer from Bay City, teamed up with the FBI to trace the messages.

Eventually, they discovered that Lauryn’s mother, Kendra Licari, was behind the texts. Isabella County Sheriff Mike Main confronted Kendra at her home and revealed the truth to Lauryn, a moment captured on body camera and featured in the documentary. The revelation devastated Lauryn’s family and shocked the entire community.

Fans have been floored by the story. On social media, reactions ranged from disbelief to outrage. One viewer wrote, “Unknown Number The HS catfish was crazy. This lady might be the biggest POS on planet earth.” Others noted Kendra’s disturbing lack of remorse: “Watching this Unknown Number documentary… the mom NEVER said ‘sorry’ at any point. She only cries when she talks about herself. She also smiles A LOT, even when she’s crying.”

Fans also expressed anger over her continued presence in her daughter’s life, with some labeling her actions pedophilic and calling for stricter consequences.

Unknown Number currently holds a 76% rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on over 50 reviews.

Viewers have commented on the disturbing nature of the messages and the psychological toll on Lauryn and Owen. Some described Kendra’s behavior as narcissistic and manipulative, highlighting how she downplayed her actions and compared them to minor mistakes like drunk driving.

Kendra Licari was arrested in December 2022, charged with multiple counts of stalking and using a computer to commit a crime.

She pleaded guilty to two counts of stalking a minor and received a sentence of 19 months to five years. Licari was released on August 8, 2024, but at the time of filming, she still sought to maintain a relationship with Lauryn.

Skye Borgman noted that Kendra’s participation in the documentary was not guaranteed. Much of the film had already been completed before she agreed to sit down for interviews. Borgman said, “It was a long process with Kendra. She eventually agreed to the opportunity to directly speak to questions circling around the case. That was appealing to her, [to] sit down and tell her story from her perspective and that Lauryn [could] see her do that. She wanted to do it, I think, for her daughter.”

Borgman also explained that the motivations behind Kendra’s actions remain unclear. In the film, Kendra mentions a traumatic assault she experienced around Lauryn’s age.

Borgman said, “She talks about how scary that was for her to see her only child, her little girl, growing up, and that’s what she really relates to and that’s what she believes led her to sending these text messages and trying to keep Lauryn close.”

Some observers have compared Kendra’s behavior to Munchausen syndrome by proxy, where someone harms another to gain attention or control, though Borgman cautions against labeling it a medical condition. “To give it any sort of medical foundation is a little bit problematic. … But I think that there are elements about Munchausen by proxy — about harming someone to keep them close — that definitely existed,” she said.

The documentary raises unsettling questions about parental boundaries, control, and the long-term effects of abuse, leaving viewers to grapple with the disturbing reality of a mother targeting her own child.

What do you think about this case and Kendra Licari’s actions? Share your thoughts in the comments.