5 Shocking Revelations About Kendra Licari: The High School Catfish Who Was The Bully

The identity of the 'High School Catfish' bully is a true-crime story that stunned a small Michigan town and captivated millions on Netflix's Unknown Number: The High School Catfish. As of December 2025, the case remains a chilling example of extreme parental manipulation and the devastating impact of cyberbullying, especially when the perpetrator is the person least expected: a parent.

The relentless, 18-month-long cyberbullying campaign targeted a high school couple, Lauryn Licari and Owen McKenny, in Beal City, Michigan. The anonymous harasser sent up to 50 abusive and threatening texts a day, leading to a massive, multi-agency investigation. The shocking truth revealed that the "bully" was none other than Lauryn's own mother, Kendra Licari, a former volunteer basketball coach and elementary school employee.

Kendra Licari: Biography and Catfishing Profile

Kendra Licari's life took a dark turn that culminated in a criminal conviction for cyberstalking her own daughter. Before the scandal, she was a seemingly normal member of the close-knit Beal City community, working closely with children and school activities.

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• Full Name: Kendra Gail Licari
• Racial Identification: White
• Gender: Female
• Location: Beal City, Michigan (Isabella County)
• Victims: Her daughter, Lauryn Licari, and Lauryn's boyfriend, Owen McKenny
• Former Role: Volunteer basketball coach and former elementary school employee at Beal City High School
• Start of Cyberbullying: October 2020
• Method: Used the Pinger app and VPNs to mask her identity, sending hundreds of texts over a period of 18 months
• Plea and Conviction: Pleaded guilty to two counts of stalking a minor in March 2023
• Sentence: Sentenced to a minimum of 19 months to a maximum of five years in prison
• MDOC Number: 752232

The Shocking Unmasking of the 'Unknown Number' Bully

The case, which is the focus of the Netflix documentary *Unknown Number: The High School Catfish*, began in October 2020 when teenage couple Lauryn Licari and Owen McKenny started receiving a torrent of cruel and harassing messages.

An 18-Month-Long Campaign of Psychological Torment

The anonymous messages were relentless, personal, and deeply disturbing. The texts often contained intimate details about the victims' lives, leading them to believe the bully was a close friend or classmate at Beal City High School. The messages were sent from a number that could not be traced, leading to the moniker "Unknown Number." The harasser used an application called Pinger and employed Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) to obscure the source of the texts, demonstrating a sophisticated level of planning and deception.

The Failed Investigation and Parental Involvement

Initially, the investigation focused on Lauryn and Owen's peers. The victims, along with their parents, were desperate to find the culprit. Kendra Licari, in a stunning act of deceit, actively participated in the investigation, even providing a "suspect" to the police. This involvement was later revealed to be a classic tactic of manipulation—a way to control the narrative and divert suspicion away from herself.

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The case stalled until the Isabella County prosecutor's office enlisted the help of an expert, educator Dan Boyer, who was able to trace the messages back to the Licari residence. The final, undeniable evidence linked the anonymous messages directly to Kendra Licari's electronic devices.

The Motivation: Control and 'Cyber Munchausen'

The question that baffled investigators and the community was: Why? Why would a mother cyberbully her own daughter? The documentary and subsequent psychological analysis point toward a need for control and attention.

Psychologists have discussed the case in the context of a phenomenon similar to Munchausen syndrome by proxy, which has been dubbed "Cyber Munchausen." This is a behavioral pattern where a person fabricates or induces illness or distress in another person to gain sympathy or attention for themselves. By creating a crisis (the bullying), Kendra Licari was able to position herself as the supportive, concerned mother and gain attention from her daughter, the school, and the community.

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Legal Fallout and Where Are Kendra Licari and the Victims Now?

The legal process for Kendra Licari was swift, concluding with a guilty plea and a prison sentence. The victims, Lauryn Licari and Owen McKenny, have had to navigate the emotional and psychological aftermath of the betrayal.

Kendra Licari's Conviction and Prison Sentence

Kendra Licari was initially charged with five counts, including using a computer to commit a crime, two counts of stalking a minor, and one count of obstruction of justice. In a plea deal, she pleaded guilty to two counts of stalking a minor, with the other three charges being dropped by prosecutors.

In March 2023, Licari was sentenced to a minimum of 19 months to a maximum of five years in a Michigan state prison. She was also given credit for time served and ordered to pay a fine of $1,000. The maximum sentence is five years, but her release date is subject to parole board review based on her minimum sentence and behavior while incarcerated.

The Current Status of the Victims: Lauryn Licari and Owen McKenny

The emotional trauma inflicted on Lauryn Licari by her mother's actions is immeasurable. The documentary highlights the deep sense of betrayal and the psychological toll the cyberbullying took on both her and Owen McKenny. According to recent reports, both Lauryn and Owen have been working to move on with their lives after the ordeal.

• Lauryn Licari: She has been focused on her recovery and moving forward from the traumatic experience. Her relationship with her mother is, understandably, complex and strained following the conviction.
• Owen McKenny: He has also been attempting to put the cyberstalking behind him. He and Lauryn were a couple at the time of the catfishing, and the investigation highlighted the resilience of the young couple under extreme duress.

The Kendra Licari case serves as a stark warning about the potential for cybercrime to originate from the most trusted sources and the need for robust cyberbullying laws. The small town of Beal City, Michigan, will forever be associated with this shocking betrayal, a story that continues to resonate with audiences worldwide thanks to the true crime spotlight.