What Happened to Lauryn Licari After Her Mom’s Cyberbullying Scandal? A Look at the Aftermath
Beal City, Michigan – August 31, 2025
The shocking revelation that a devoted mother was secretly tormenting her own teenage daughter through a torrent of vicious online messages has captivated audiences in Netflix’s new documentary Unknown Number: The High School Catfish. Lauryn Licari, the 18-year-old victim at the center of this cyberbullying nightmare, has spent the years since the December 2022 arrest of her mother, Kendra Licari, rebuilding her life amid profound betrayal and community scrutiny. From graduating high school and starting college to navigating a cautious path toward potential reconciliation, Lauryn’s story is one of resilience, as detailed in the film directed by Skye Borgman. As the documentary streams to global viewers, it sheds light on the lasting scars of familial abuse and Lauryn’s determination to move forward.
The Shocking Arrest and Its Immediate Fallout
The cyberbullying campaign against Lauryn and her then-boyfriend, Owen McKenny, began in October 2020 and intensified in September 2021, lasting 15 months with up to 12 messages a day. The anonymous texts, sent from spoofed numbers, included body-shaming, threats of suicide, explicit sexual descriptions, and encouragements to self-harm, such as “kill yourself” or “jump off a bridge.” They contained intimate details only someone close to Lauryn could know, sowing distrust among friends and leading to the couple’s breakup.
Kendra Licari, Lauryn’s mother and a school basketball coach, feigned outrage and actively participated in the investigation, reporting the harassment to school officials and police. However, an FBI probe, initiated after local efforts stalled, traced IP addresses and phone records to Kendra. On December 8, 2022, during a home search, Sheriff Mike Main confronted the family, revealing Kendra as the perpetrator via body camera footage. Kendra confessed, admitting to using VPNs, number-masking apps, and up to eight hours daily crafting the messages.
Lauryn’s reaction was one of stunned silence and devastation. “I think I want to trust her now, but I don’t think I can,” she later shared in the documentary. The family fractured: Lauryn’s father, Shawn, was blindsided, having been unaware of Kendra’s unemployment and financial deceptions. Kendra was charged with two counts of stalking a minor, two counts of using a computer to commit a crime, and one count of obstruction of justice. In March 2023, she pleaded guilty to the stalking charges in a plea deal, with others dismissed. On April 26, 2023, Judge Mark Duthie sentenced her to 19 months to five years in prison, calling it a “truly horrible” display of “the worst in human nature.” Kendra, who underwent a psychiatric evaluation confirming mental illness, expressed remorse in court, stating she was “ashamed, remorseful, and embarrassed.”
During Kendra’s incarceration, Lauryn maintained limited phone contact—Mondays and Wednesdays—while grappling with the betrayal. The small town of Beal City, with its tight-knit community, was rocked, with initial suspicions falling on classmates like Khloe Wilson, straining relationships.
Lauryn’s Road to Recovery and Current Life
Post-arrest, Lauryn focused on healing and normalcy. She graduated from Beal City High School in 2025, where she excelled in basketball and softball, channeling her energy into sports as a coping mechanism. Now 18, she has enrolled in college to pursue a Bachelor’s degree in criminology, inspired by the investigation that exposed her mother’s actions. “It was a big deal for her,” director Skye Borgman noted, emphasizing Lauryn’s desire to reclaim her narrative through the documentary.
Lauryn has distanced herself from Owen, with whom she is no longer in contact, and has entered a new relationship with Zayne Cooper, a senior at a local high school and a star in basketball and football. She remains close to her father, Shawn, who has been her primary pillar of support, approving of her new romance and helping her navigate independence.
Reconciliation with Kendra remains tentative. Lauryn expressed in the film a deep love for her mother—”I love her more than anything”—but stressed the need for Kendra to seek help first: “Now that she’s out, I just want her to get the help she needs so then when we see each other, it doesn’t go back to the old ways.” The plea deal prohibits contact until parole ends, but Lauryn hopes to reunite “when the time is right.” Borgman observed that rebuilding will be challenging: “She’s remorseful that she has severely altered her relationship with her daughter in most likely a negative way… Will they have a relationship? It’s unclear.”
Quotes from Family, Experts, and the Documentary
Lauryn reflected on the pain in Unknown Number: “Being without that relationship is really hurting me, and I think rebuilding our relationship will help both of us a lot.” Kendra, in her interview, admitted the spiral: “I started in the thoughts of needing some answers, and then I just kept going… I don’t think I knew how to stop.” Borgman highlighted the broader impact: “This is an extreme case of online abuse, but it demonstrates the massive impact cyberbullying has on students, young people, friends, families, and parents.”
Prosecutor David Barberi described the messages as “demeaning, demoralizing, and just mean,” likening Kendra’s behavior to “cyber Munchausen syndrome by proxy,” where a parent creates harm to feel needed. Experts speculate Kendra’s actions stemmed from untreated mental health issues, possible narcissism, or an unhealthy attachment to Owen, but no definitive motive was established, as the plea deal avoided a trial.
Background: A Small-Town Scandal and Psychological Underpinnings
The case unfolded in Beal City, a rural Michigan community of about 300, where Lauryn and Owen were seen as the “golden couple” since seventh grade. Their families bonded over the teens’ sports passions, with Kendra deeply involved as a coach and chaperone. The harassment began after Lauryn skipped a Halloween party, escalating into a campaign that isolated her and fractured friendships. Investigators compiled 349 pages of evidence, including doctored photos, but the messages’ full content remains private.
Psychological analyses suggest Kendra’s behavior may indicate Munchausen syndrome by proxy, where caregivers fabricate or induce illness for attention. Her background included job loss in 2021 (hidden from Shawn), financial woes leading to eviction, and a history of performance issues at work. Some theorize jealousy over Lauryn’s independence or an obsession with Owen, but Kendra claimed she started to “root out the perpetrator” before spiraling.
The story inspired Lifetime’s Mommy Meanest (2024), starring Lisa Rinna as a fictionalized Kendra, and has fueled discussions on parental cyberbullying, with Borgman noting its rarity but profound effects.
Potential Impacts and Next Steps
The scandal has heightened awareness of cyberbullying’s familial forms, potentially influencing Michigan’s online harassment laws and mental health resources for parents. For Lauryn, the documentary offers closure and a platform, but trust issues linger, possibly requiring ongoing therapy. Kendra must complete counseling and parenting classes as parole conditions, supervised until February 2026, and find employment while barred from leaving Michigan.
Lauryn’s future steps include excelling in college and her new relationship, with hopes of family healing. If reconciliation occurs post-parole, it could be gradual; otherwise, Lauryn may maintain distance for her well-being. The case continues to inspire media, emphasizing early intervention in digital abuse.
In conclusion, Lauryn Licari has transformed betrayal into empowerment, graduating high school, starting college in criminology, and embracing a supportive life with her father and new partner, while cautiously eyeing reconciliation with her paroled mother. The key takeaway? Even the deepest wounds from those we trust most can heal through resilience, professional help, and time—proving that survivors like Lauryn hold the power to redefine their stories.