Netflix’s High School Catfish: Uncovering the True Story of an Unknown Number

Imagine being in high school and getting mysterious and upsetting text messages from an unknown number, trying to tear you apart from your sweetheart. That’s exactly what happened to Lauryn Licari and Owen McKenny, who were junior high sweethearts. The saga began in October 2020, with the first message claiming Owen wanted to break up with Lauryn.

As time went on, the messages became more frequent and disturbing. Isabella County Sheriff Michael Main described them as containing hateful language, urging the recipients to harm themselves. The situation escalated in September 2021, with the couple receiving dozens of messages a day.

The families initially thought it was a case of cyberbullying among students and involved the school and local law enforcement. However, with the help of the FBI, it was discovered that the IP address linked to the messages belonged to Kendra Licari, Lauryn’s own mother.

Kendra admitted to sending the texts, initially as a misguided attempt to investigate who was harassing her daughter. She explained that her own past trauma fueled her actions, as she wanted to protect Lauryn at any cost. Kendra was eventually arrested and sentenced to jail time for stalking a minor.

Following Kendra’s release, she is on supervised release and unable to reunite with Lauryn for the time being. Lauryn, now 18, expressed a desire to rebuild their relationship, despite the hurt caused by her mother’s actions. She emphasized her love for her mother and hoped for her to receive the help she needs.