A mother from Michigan engaged in a prolonged campaign of cyberbullying against her own daughter, sending her threatening messages and derogatory remarks. Kendra Gail Licari, who pretended to be an online persona, targeted her 13-year-old daughter, Lauryn Licari, and her daughter’s boyfriend, Owen McKenny, with hundreds of texts over a span of time. Licari, aged 45, eventually pleaded guilty to two counts of stalking a minor, resulting in a prison sentence ranging from 19 months to five years. Her arrest took place in December 2022, with a conviction following in April 2023. She was released from jail the following year in August.
The harassing texts began in October 2020 when the young couple started receiving suspicious messages from an unknown number. “Hi Lauryn, Owen is breaking up with you,” the first message stated. “He no longer likes you and hasn’t liked you for a while. It’s obvious he wants me. He laughs, smiles, and touches my hair. We are both down to f*ck. You are a sweet girl but I know I can give him what he wants, sorry not sorry.”
Though the messages initially subsided, they later resumed with increased intensity. By 2021, the messages from the unknown number turned threatening. One such text read: “How’s the happy couple? Preparing for the end of a golden relationship? We hear about how you are the forever couple. Owen loves me, and I will always be the girl he loves. He will be with me while your lonely, ugly a*s is alone.” Another message stated: “Trash b*tch, don’t wear leggings ain’t no one want to see your anorexic flat a*s.”
Lauryn also received numerous death threats from her mother, unaware that the messages were from someone so close. These threats included phrases like ‘Kill yourself now b*tch,’ ‘jump off a bridge,’ ‘his life would be better if you were dead,’ and ‘finish yourself or we will #bang.’
In a Netflix documentary titled “Unknown Number: The High School Catfish” directed by Skye Borgman, Licari revealed that she and Lauryn currently have no contact due to a court order. Despite this, Licari expressed hope for rebuilding their relationship in the future, stating, “Every single one of us makes mistakes, not a single one of us has lived a perfect life, and realistically a lot of us have probably broken the law at some point or another and not gotten caught.”
Lauryn, reflecting on the situation, mentioned that she feels a sense of loss due to the broken trust with her mother but also misses her. She said, “Being without that relationship I think is really hurting me, and I think rebuilding our relationship will help both of us a lot. I love her more than anything.”
Licari’s actions were uncovered when she herself reported the cyberbullying to the school, along with Owen’s mother. The police in Beal City, Michigan, got involved, and the FBI was eventually brought in, leading to the discovery that Licari was behind the bullying. She had used a VPN to mask her location, but investigators traced the IP addresses back to her.
If you or someone you know needs mental health support, you can reach out to the National Suicide Prevention Helpline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255). The Helpline offers free, confidential support 24/7.