- Overview & Release
Unknown Number: The High School Catfish is a true-crime documentary that premiered on Netflix on August 29, 2025. Directed by Skye Borgman (known for Girl in the Picture and Abducted in Plain Sight) and produced by Campfire Studios in partnership with Terminal B TV, the film delves into a harrowing cyberbullying case in rural Michigan.NetflixSportskeedaBig Rapids PioneerBoh - The Story Unfolds
Set in Beal City, Michigan, the documentary follows high schoolers Lauryn Licari and her longtime boyfriend, Owen McKenny—endearingly referred to as the town’s “Golden Couple.” The ordeal begins in October 2020, when the pair receive a cryptic text from an unknown number reading: “Hi Lauryn, Owen is breaking up with you.”People.comSportskeedaBuddyTV
What starts as a strange prank quickly spirals into relentless harassment—threats, explicit content, and intimate details that only someone close would know. The texts flood in daily, up to 30–50 messages per day, triggering emotional distress and plunging the community into suspicion and fear.Big Rapids PioneerSportskeedamarie claireBuddyTV - Community Fear & Escalation
As the harassment intensifies, it strains friendships and trust. Classmates, friends, even family members come under suspicion. Investigations by schools and local police lead nowhere, and the couple’s relationship begins to crumble under the pressure.People.comBig Rapids PioneerBuddyTV - FBI Intervention & Twist Reveal
Eventually, the FBI steps in and, through digital forensics and subpoenaed records, traces the messages to an app linked to Lauryn’s own mother, Kendra Licari. The revelation shocks the town and flips the narrative entirely.People.comSportskeedaRUSSH - Legal Aftermath & Motive
Kendra confesses to stalking her daughter and Owen, eventually pleading guilty in April 2023. She was sentenced to 19 months to five years in prison, but was released on parole in August 2024.People.comSportskeedaRUSSH
The documentary posits her actions as resembling a type of “cyber Munchausen syndrome,” where she may have manufactured fear in her daughter to maintain emotional control or dependency.SportskeedaRUSSH - Aftermath & Emotional Fallout
Today, Lauryn (now 18) is focused on healing and has cut off contact with her mother, though she reflects with measured openness to rebuilding in the future. Owen continues with school and sports but remains cautious about trust. The documentary offers interviews with the teens, their families, law enforcement, school officials, and includes bodycam footage of the arrest, message screenshots, and raw emotional moments.SportskeedaRUSSHBuddyTVPeople.comIMDb - Why It Resonates
This film moves beyond a typical true-crime narrative. It explores the intersection of digital anonymity, vulnerability in adolescence, and familial betrayal, turning a familiar setting—home and school—into a psychologically charged landscape of fear and control.marie claireSportskeedaBig Rapids Pioneer
Documentary Highlights at a Glance
| Element | Description |
|---|---|
| Director | Skye Borgman (true-crime specialist)NetflixSportskeeda |
| Primary Subjects | Lauryn Licari, Owen McKenny, and their families |
| Core Conflict | A barrage of harassing texts from an unknown sender targeting high schoolers |
| Investigative Arc | Local police → FBI intervention → app/IP tracing → discovery of Kendra Licari |
| Emotional Core | Betrayal, broken trust, psychological manipulation, and adolescent resilience |
| Legal Outcome | Kendra convicted, imprisoned, released on parole; family fractured but survivors finding their footing |
This documentary is deeply unsettling—not just because of cyberbullying’s cruelty, but because it exposes the betrayal hidden within what should have been a safe, protective relationship. It’s a raw and chilling exploration of how technology can be weaponized inside the home.
