Netflix Documentary “Unknown Number” Maintains Global Top 10 Dominance

Netflix’s true crime documentary Unknown Number: The High School Catfish continues to captivate audiences worldwide, maintaining its position as the second-most watched film globally as of September 12, 2025.

Documentary Sustains International Appeal

The documentary, which premiered on August 29, 2025, has accumulated 26.3 million views globally in its second week within the Netflix Top 10. The film currently ranks #2 in the global movie rankings, trailing only KPop Demon Hunters, which garnered 25.4 million views.

Unknown Number: The High School Catfish has achieved remarkable international reach, claiming the top movie position in multiple countries including Australia, Ireland, Netherlands, New Zealand, Portugal, Sweden, Taiwan, and the United Kingdom. The documentary’s widespread appeal reflects growing global interest in cyberbullying cases involving family perpetrators.

Shocking Cyberstalking Case Drives Viewer Engagement

Directed by Skye Borgman, the 94-minute documentary explores the disturbing case of 13-year-old Lauryn Licari from Beal City, Michigan, who received thousands of threatening messages alongside her boyfriend Owen McKenny starting in October 2020. The harassment campaign lasted 20 months before FBI investigators discovered the perpetrator was Lauryn’s own mother, Kendra Licari.

Kendra Licari sent up to 50 messages daily using apps that generated new phone numbers, making them impossible to block. The messages included personal attacks on Lauryn’s appearance, sexually explicit content, and even suggestions for self-harm.

Kendra Licari was arrested in December 2022 and pleaded guilty to two counts of stalking a minor in March 2023. She received a prison sentence ranging from 19 months to 5 years and was released on parole in August 2024. As part of her plea agreement, she remains prohibited from contacting her daughter.

The case destroyed the Licari family structure. Shawn Licari divorced his wife after her arrest and gained full custody of Lauryn, who is now 18 years old and studying criminology. The documentary reveals that Lauryn has had no contact with her mother since Kendra’s release from prison.

Documentary Sparks Social Media Discussion

The film’s revelation that a mother cyberstalked her own daughter has generated extensive online discourse. Viewers particularly focus on evidence suggesting Kendra targeted Owen’s new girlfriend after he and Lauryn broke up, contradicting her claims of protective motivation.

The documentary features interviews with Kendra herself, providing her perspective on the case alongside law enforcement officials and family members. Director Skye Borgman noted that securing Kendra’s participation required extensive negotiations, as she initially refused to appear.

Unknown Number: The High School Catfish represents Netflix’s latest successful entry into the true crime documentary genre, demonstrating sustained audience appetite for complex cases involving digital harassment and family dysfunction.