Who sent the threatening text messages to Lauryn Licari and Owen McKenny?

The threatening text messages were sent by Lauryn Licari's mother, Kendra Licari.

What happened to Kendra Licari after she was identified?

Kendra Licari was arrested in December 2022, pleaded guilty to two counts of stalking a minor in 2023, and served approximately two years in prison before being released in August 2024.

How was Kendra Licari's involvement in the harassment discovered?

Investigators used Verizon IP address search warrants, which linked Kendra Licari's phone number to the IP addresses used when the messages were sent.

Home / Crime and Justice / Mother's Stalking Texts Shock Teens

Mother's Stalking Texts Shock Teens

23 Apr

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Summary

Mother sent threatening texts to daughter and her boyfriend.
Investigation revealed the mother's phone linked to harassment.
Kendra Licari pleaded guilty to stalking minors and served prison time.

In 2021, high school student Lauryn Licari and her boyfriend Owen McKenny began receiving alarming text messages containing threats and hostile content. The harassment escalated when McKenny also started receiving similar messages, prompting police involvement. An intense investigation led by officer Brad Peter, a former FBI liaison, uncovered that Lauryn's mother, Kendra Licari, was behind the messages.

Analysis of Verizon IP addresses linked Kendra's phone to the harassment, revealing no other external numbers. Peter expressed shock at the findings, noting Kendra's minimal engagement during the investigation. She was arrested in December 2022 and pleaded guilty to two counts of stalking a minor in 2023. Kendra served roughly two years before her release in August 2024. The case gained national attention and was featured in the 2025 documentary Unknown Number: The High School Catfish.