Fans Are Outraged by Netflix’s New True Crime Documentary With a Shocking Twist: “This Woman Might Be the Most Evil on Earth”

Netflix’s latest true crime documentary, Unknown Number: The High School Catfish, has shocked viewers with its story of cyberbullying and betrayal. Directed by Skye Borgman, the film tells the real-life case of 13-year-old Lauryn Licari and her boyfriend, Owen, from Beal City, Michigan.

The two teens began receiving strange texts from an unknown number in October 2020. After a break, the messages returned in September 2021 and quickly escalated into daily threats and insults over the next 15 months.

The texts included details only someone close to Lauryn could know, prompting parents and school officials to call in law enforcement.

The investigation, led by Isabella County Sheriff Mike Main, initially suspected classmates and friends, which caused tension and mistrust at the school. When progress stalled, officer Bradley Peter from Bay City coordinated with the FBI and eventually uncovered the shocking truth: the texts were coming from Lauryn’s own mother, Kendra Licari.

Sheriff Main confronted Kendra during a home search, and Lauryn learned in real time, as captured on Main’s body camera, that her mother had been behind the messages. The revelation stunned the family and the community.

The documentary has struck a chord with viewers, holding a 76% score on Rotten Tomatoes. Fans took to social media in disbelief.

One wrote, “Unknown Number The HS catfish was crazy. This lady might be the biggest POS on planet earth. She downplayed her role without remorse.” Another commented, “The stalking of your own daughter is one thing, but the vulgarity of those messages towards teenagers is absolutely insane. She is sick and should never be allowed near her daughter again.”

Many expressed anger at the mother’s lack of apology and the severity of her actions.

Kendra Licari was arrested in December 2022 and charged with multiple counts of stalking and using a computer to commit a crime. She later pled guilty to two counts of stalking a minor and was sentenced to 19 months to five years in prison. She was released on August 8, 2024, but reportedly still wanted involvement in her daughter’s life when filming for the documentary ended.

Borgman explained that getting Kendra to participate in the film was not easy. “It was a long process with Kendra,” she said, adding that Kendra eventually agreed to share her perspective directly. “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.”

Despite her release, the documentary shows the lasting impact of Kendra’s actions. Borgman said, “She’s remorseful that she has severely altered her relationship with her daughter in most likely a negative way. Will they have a relationship? Will they get through this? I don’t know. There will probably be some kind of relationship. Will it be the same? Absolutely not. There’s no way it can be the same.”

The documentary also explores the question of why Kendra did what she did. Borgman noted that Kendra cited personal trauma, including a past assault around Lauryn’s age, as part of her reasoning.

“She talks about how scary that was for her to see her only child, her little girl, growing up, and that’s what she believes led her to sending these text messages and trying to keep Lauryn close,” Borgman said. Some observers have compared her behavior to a digital-age version of Munchausen by proxy, though Borgman cautions that it may not fully fit a clinical diagnosis.

Unknown Number: The High School Catfish has clearly left audiences both shocked and outraged. Fans online described Kendra Licari as manipulative and cruel, with many struggling to understand how a mother could harm her own child in this way.

The documentary is a chilling reminder of how technology can be misused to manipulate and control. The psychological impact on Lauryn is heartbreaking, and it raises questions about accountability and parental responsibility.

What do you think about this case? Do you believe Kendra Licari’s actions were motivated by trauma, or something else entirely? Share your thoughts in the comments.