Hundreds of anonymous texts. One fake identity. A mother turning into her daughter’s worst nightmare.
When this doc dropped, my phone lit up. At least 5 friends messaged me saying, “You have to watch this. You won’t believe who’s behind it.” They were right. What makes it so disturbing is that it’s not a stranger. It’s someone they all know very well!
This one is brand new, so ratings may take some time to build, but I’d bet it takes off fast.
Trailer for “Unknown Number: The High School Catfish”
You Can’t Make This Sh*t Up
- Kendra told her own daughter to kill herself—via anonymous messages—while pretending to console her in real life.
- Police first investigated Lauryn’s friends, even pulling them out of class for questioning, before the digital trail led back to her mother’s phone.
- The reveal happened on camera: bodycam footage shows Lauryn in shock as her mom is arrested in front of her.
Watch “Unknown Number: The High School Catfish”
You can watch “Unknown Number: The High School Catfish” on Netflix here.
Ratings:
- My Rating: 96/100
- IMDB Rating: 6.8/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Ratings: 76/100 (Users); not yet rated (Critics)
Director’s Note: Directed by Skye Borgman, who is also well-known for “Girl in the Picture”. Runtime: 1 hour 34 minutes.
Release Date: September 2025 (Netflix global release)
My Review of “Unknown Number: The High School Catfish”
The Setup
A Michigan teenager named Lauryn and her boyfriend were bombarded with hundreds of hateful, anonymous texts for over a year. Police and FBI investigators thought classmates were behind it. But the shocking truth? The tormentor was Lauryn’s own mother, Kendra Licari, hiding behind burner apps and fake numbers.
More Highlights from the Doc
- Investigators used IP tracing and digital subpoenas to track hundreds of messages across apps like TextNow and WhatsApp.
- Kendra’s motive was disturbingly unclear—some say she wanted to isolate Lauryn to keep her dependent.
- The film shows real police interrogation footage, plus texts read aloud by Lauryn and her boyfriend—making it even more chilling.
- Kendra was sentenced to nearly two years in prison in 2023, but the emotional scars for her daughter remain the focus of the story.
Lesser-Known Details from the Doc
- Kendra worked as a girls’ basketball coach at Lauryn’s high school—so she knew the teens she impersonated online.
- The harassment went on for over 12 months before police cracked the case—at one point they thought over a dozen classmates might be involved.
- When first questioned, Kendra cried and denied everything—even suggesting that her own daughter was lying.
Wrap Up
This one leaves you shaken. “Unknown Number: The High School Catfish” is one of those true crime docs that made me text my friends: “WTF, this really happened?!”
Thanks for reading!
Heather Fenty, Guest Writer, Daily Doc