Lead: A Netflix documentary about Beal City, Michigan teens revealed that the anonymous texts and harassment targeting 13‑year‑old Lauryn Licari and her then‑boyfriend began in October 2020, resumed in September 2021, and were later traced to Lauryn’s mother, Kendra Licari; Kendra was arrested in December 2022, pleaded guilty to stalking in April 2023 and was released from prison in August 2024.
Key takeaways
- Anonymous harassment of Lauryn Licari and Owen McKenney began Oct 2020, resumed Sep 2021 and sometimes exceeded 40 messages per day.
- Investigators initially suspected classmates, including Khloe Wilson, because the sender disguised the number to look like theirs.
- Bay City PD with FBI assistance traced the messages to Lauryn’s mother, Kendra Licari.
- Kendra was arrested Dec 2022, pleaded guilty to stalking in Apr 2023, received a 19‑month minimum to 5‑year maximum sentence, and was released Aug 2024; she remains on supervised parole until Feb 2026.
- Lauryn, now 18, has a strained relationship with her mother and is living with her father, Shawn, who was later awarded full custody.
- Owen McKenney and Lauryn ended their relationship; Owen enrolled at Hope College for baseball in Apr 2025.
- Khloe Wilson graduated in May 2025 and posted a multipart response on TikTok in Aug 2025 addressing documentary allegations.
Verified facts
The harassment targeted Lauryn Licari, then 13, and her boyfriend, beginning in October 2020. Messages paused briefly and intensified again in September 2021, at times delivering dozens of abusive texts each day, including content that encouraged self‑harm.
Local authorities in Isabella County first examined peers and acquaintances after the sender used a number‑spoofing app that made the texts appear to come from other people. Khloe Wilson, a freshman athlete in the teens’ wider circle, was initially suspected because the sender impersonated her number.
When Wilson cooperated by providing her phone for forensic review, investigators were unable to tie the abuse to her device. Bay City police officer Bradley Peter, collaborating with the FBI, used additional digital leads and traced the messages to Kendra Licari.
| When | Event |
|---|---|
| Initial anonymous texts to Lauryn and Owen | |
| Harassment resumes, intensifies | |
| Kendra Licari arrested | |
| Pleaded guilty to stalking; sentenced 19 months–5 years | |
| Kendra released from prison; on supervised parole through Feb 2026 | |
| Khloe Wilson graduates high school | |
| Owen commits to Hope College for baseball | |
| Khloe posts TikTok responses |
Context & impact
The case highlights how easy it can be to weaponize number‑spoofing and anonymous messaging apps to harass people while directing suspicion toward others. Investigators initially followed plausible leads toward classmates because the digital trail was deliberately manipulated.
For Lauryn, the consequences were both social and familial: a breakup with Owen, persistent public attention, and a fundamentally altered relationship with her mother. Her father, Shawn Licari, later obtained full custody and described a closer, more supportive bond after the arrest.
The episode also underscores growing concerns about teen mental health and online safety. Schools, parents and law enforcement increasingly face situations where digital abuse spills into students’ daily lives and requires cross‑jurisdictional technical expertise.
Public reaction to the documentary has been mixed: some viewers expressed sympathy for Lauryn and called for stronger protections for minors online, while others questioned the broader social dynamics shown in the film.
Official statements
“She’s remorseful that she has severely altered her relationship with her daughter,”
Skye Borgman, director (as quoted to Tudum)
“I can handle the pain, but she cannot and does not deserve it,”
Kendra Licari (email to The Cut)
Unconfirmed
- Long‑term prospects for a restored mother‑daughter relationship remain uncertain and depend on private decisions and ongoing treatment.
- Full details behind the motive for Kendra’s actions were not established publicly beyond statements in court and limited media interviews.
- Some social dynamics shown in the documentary rely on recollections and may reflect participants’ perspectives rather than independently verifiable facts.
Bottom line
The Netflix documentary brought attention to a rare but consequential case in which a parent, not a peer, was the source of prolonged online harassment of minors. Legal penalties were applied, and family relationships were deeply affected; Lauryn is pursuing life apart from her mother under her father’s custody while Kendra remains on supervised parole through February 2026.