Podcast Summary: True Crime with Kendall Rae

Episode: Netflix’s Unknown Number: There’s More to the Story in Lauryn Licari’s Case
Date: October 2, 2025
Host: Kendall Rae

Overview

In this emotionally charged episode, Kendall Rae explores the real-life case behind Netflix’s viral documentary Unknown Number, detailing the shocking cyberbullying campaign that targeted 13-year-old Lauryn Licari in Beal City, Michigan. Kendall unpacks the true events, offers her personal reactions, analyzes elements omitted from the documentary, and dives deep into the many theories and community debates swirling around the case. The episode centers on the disturbing revelation of Lauryn’s own mother as the perpetrator and considers the broader implications of digital harassment, community complicity, and parental abuse. Kendall maintains her victim-first approach throughout, inviting listeners to consider the trauma and complexity at the heart of the story.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Setting the Scene: Beal City, Michigan (07:50)

• Small Town Dynamics:
  • Population of 312; a “freaking small” town where everyone knows each other.
  • Family and friend relationships are closely intertwined, amplifying the impact of any conflict or scandal.

The Beginning of the Harassment (12:15)

• Initial Incident:
  • In 2020, Lauryn, aged 13, and her boyfriend Owen receive bizarre, anonymous texts suggesting a breakup and making sexually explicit comments.
  • Messages soon escalate to frequent, relentless, and deeply personal attacks.
• Notable Quote:
  • “They made me feel incredibly uncomfortable as a 32-year-old lady.” (23:09, Kendall)

Escalation & Emotional Toll (18:30–28:40)

• Harassment Escalates:
  • Texts increase in number and severity (up to 50 messages a day). Language turns graphically sexual, abusive, and threatening.
  • Details in the texts reveal the sender has close knowledge of private moments and insider information.
• Impact on Victims:
  • Lauryn’s mental health deteriorates; she gives up athletics, struggles to attend school, and experiences depression were directly encouraged by the text messages.
  • Owen develops angry outbursts, emotional exhaustion, and is forced to break up to try to escape the harassment.
• Quote:
  • “At some point the messages really shifted from trying to put a wedge between Owen and Lauren… to just disgusting and awful attacks on Lauren.” (21:32, Kendall)

Attempts to Solve the Mystery (31:00–44:20)

• Parental and Community Response:
  • Lauryn and Owen’s mothers lobby the school for stricter phone policies; efforts are largely stonewalled.
  • Law enforcement finally gets involved after failed school interventions.
• Failed Suspects:
  • Chloe, a classmate, is heavily suspected (including by the messaging campaign itself) but ruled out; the harasser’s strategy is shown to intentionally frame peers.
  • Owen’s cousin, Adriana, is also targeted but cleared by police.
• Quote:
  • “It seemed like whoever was sending these text messages was definitely trying to frame Chloe…” (38:44, Kendall)

Shocking Revelation: The Truth About the Harasser (46:12–51:32)

• FBI & Digital Forensics:
  • A warrant for Pinger (a burner phone app) leads investigators to two phones—both registered to Lauryn’s own mother, Kendra Lakari.
• Jaw-Dropping Moment:
  • Kendra had orchestrated the entire campaign for two years, sending hundreds of harassing, threatening, and sexually explicit messages to her own daughter and her daughter's friends.
• Reaction Compilation:
  • Kendall plays a series of shocked online reactions to the documentary’s reveal for dramatic (and cathartic) effect.
• Memorable Commentary:
  • “...watching people’s reactions to this who did not know before… was very interesting, very entertaining, honestly.” (52:18, Kendall)
  • “As a mother myself, of a daughter specifically, I can’t even put into words how much I fucking hate this woman.” (53:11, Kendall)

Analyzing Kendra Lakari: Motives, Psychology, and Manipulation (53:15–1:16:00)

• Kendra’s Interview & Excuses:
  • Kendra claims she hijacked an existing harassment campaign to “protect” her daughter or unmask the real sender—claims thoroughly debunked by evidence.
  • She also blames her own childhood trauma, trying to justify her actions as some twisted form of protection to keep Lauryn “close.”
• Factitious Disorder (Munchausen by Proxy):
  • Kendall explores the diagnosis, noting Kendra seemed to seek attention, sympathy, and “hero” status in the community for supporting Lauryn—the very victimization she created.
• Community Gossip & Theories:
  • Kendra’s obsessive, boundaryless involvement in Lauryn’s relationships, especially with Owen, raises suspicions of dangerous maternal jealousy, projection, and perhaps even a sexual fixation.

The Fallout & Victim Impact (1:16:30–1:31:45)

The Effect on Lauryn

• Public Scrutiny:
  • Lauryn’s “stoic” reaction when learning her mother is the stalker leads to wild online speculation about her possible complicity; Kendall argues for empathy, noting trauma can manifest as shock or emotional shut-down.
  • Notable Quote: “A toxic parent relationship is incredibly, incredibly complicated and very confusing.” (1:28:12, Kendall)
• Life Changes:
  • Lauryn leaves school for online classes, eventually returns to graduate. She maintains minimal contact with Kendra post-arrest, and lives with her father, who gains full custody.

The Effect on Owen

• Secondary Victim:
  • Owen is sexually harassed, manipulated, and traumatized by Kendra’s texts, receiving less attention in the documentary—a point Kendall criticizes.
  • Quote from Owen: “At the end of the day, this will be over and we can try to go back to our lives. You can try, but it scarred me. This whole thing is going to affect me the rest of my life.” (1:22:35, Owen via Kendall)
• Parental Trauma:
  • Owen’s mother is shown to be emotionally exhausted and frustrated, expressing disbelief at how long the ordeal lasts without resolution.

The Community’s Role & Speculations

• Public Division:
  • Continued rumors swirl that Lauryn or her father were involved, despite FBI clearance and lack of evidence.
  • Kendall reiterates that victim-blaming is unwarranted given the manipulation and control Kendra exerted.

Legal Outcome & Critique (1:32:18–1:36:44)

• Charges and Sentencing:
  • Kendra pleads guilty to two counts of stalking; charges of sexual harassment, child endangerment, and framing others are NOT pursued, to community outrage.
  • Sentence: 19 months in jail—less than the two-year campaign of harassment.
  • Quote: “She’s already out, actually, so that’s lovely… 2026 is right around the bend and it scares me.” (1:35:44, Kendall)
• Criticism of Response:
  • Kendall questions the leniency and lack of modern legal frameworks for these kinds of digital psychological crimes.
  • Speculates whether harsher punishment would be imposed if the accused was a man.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• (11:56) Kendall on reaction to the documentary:
  "I don't think either of us have ever said 'what the fuck' so many times while watching a documentary."

• (37:30) Kendall on relentless harassment:
  “It just became too big, too overwhelming for them to handle on their own. So they finally told their parents what was going on.”

• (53:11) On the horror of the reveal:
  "As a mother myself, of a daughter specifically, I can’t even put into words how much I fucking hate this woman.”

• (1:08:50) On emotional fallout:
  “It feels truly impossible to understand the mind of Kendra Lakari, which I think is really why people are fascinated with this case. I mean, it’s so outlandish. It really makes no sense.”

• (1:28:12) On Lauryn’s complex feelings:
  “A toxic parent relationship is incredibly, incredibly complicated and very confusing.”

• (1:36:28) On system failure:
  “The charges seem so light. Stalking is a serious crime and she did so much more than that.”

Theories & Motives Explored (1:13:00–1:23:00)

• Factitious Disorder (Munchausen by Proxy):
  • Kendra may have craved attention and empathy from the community, wanting to be seen as a hero protecting her daughter.
• Obsession with Owen:
  • Disturbing evidence of boundary-crossing behavior, controlling Lauryn’s dating life, and using explicit sexual language in texts to a minor.
• Projection and Control:
  • Kendra’s excuse of “protecting” Lauryn is unconvincing. Possible motives include exerting dominance, living vicariously through her daughter, and manipulating social circles.
• Community and Small Town Attention:
  • Being at the center of a high-profile investigation made Kendra more prominent and connected.

Important Timestamps

| Timestamp | Segment Description | |------------|----------------------------------------------------------| | 07:50 | Context: Beal City, small-town dynamics | | 12:15 | First texts received, escalation outlined | | 23:09 | Kendall on disturbing nature of texts | | 31:00 | Parental & school response; school’s failed interventions | | 38:44 | Evidence of framing Chloe | | 46:12 | FBI forensics, Pinger app revelation | | 53:11 | Emotional reaction to reveal — it was Lauryn’s mom | | 1:16:30 | Fallout for Lauryn & Owen | | 1:28:12 | Kendall on Lauryn’s complex emotional state | | 1:32:18 | Legal outcomes and criticism | | 1:35:44 | Release and supervision of Kendra |

Reflections & Final Thoughts

• Complexity of Trauma:
  Kendall stresses that victim reactions, especially to familial abuse, may not follow expected scripts and deserve empathy, not suspicion.
• Systemic Shortcomings:
  The criminal justice system lacks the tools to address tech-facilitated abuse of this nature and gravity.
• Kendra’s Present & Future:
  Released under supervision, Kendra’s future remains uncertain and unsettling to listeners and the community.

Takeaways

• Unknown Number is more than a shocking twist; it’s a cautionary tale about parental abuse, digital privacy, community response to scandal, and the failures of institutional support.
• Kendall urges compassion for Lauryn and Owen, trusting victim accounts over gossip, and demands stronger legal protections for victims of digital harassment—especially when the perpetrators are those meant to protect us.

For those seeking a deeper understanding of the case beyond the documentary, this episode offers empathetic, critical analysis, firsthand emotional perspective, and essential context omitted elsewhere. The episode is a must-listen for any true crime follower or advocate for victim rights.