A Michigan woman is facing felony charges after she was accused of catfishing and stalking her own daughter for months.
Authorities allege Kendra Licari secretly sent thousands of hateful messages to her daughter and her daughter’s boyfriend.
“We had tens of thousands of text messages, whether they were just for her daughter or some of her daughter’s friends,” said Isabella County District Attorney David Barberi. “And, you know, the digital footprint was just crazy.”
According to prosecutors, Licari’s daughter first received the messages in early 2021.
The daughter and her boyfriend’s parents then reported it to their school officials, who later turned the situation over to law enforcement.
But the messages allegedly continued.
Investigators say they discovered Likari was the source when they traced messages to her this spring.
“Even when we realized it wasn’t a child, we didn’t expect it to be the parents,” said Beulah Public Schools Superintendent William Chilman. “When they let us know later in the spring that they suspected it might have been her, it was a shock to all of us, I think to everyone involved.”
Authorities say Licari used the software to hide the origin of the messages, using multiple numbers and area codes, even allegedly trying to make it look like her daughter’s classmates were behind it all.
“At the same time, it will protect her and sort of hide her identity or her digital identity,” Barberi explained. “But eventually we were able to see that her IP address appeared and appeared right before and right after those messages went through.”
The doctor faces five charges, including stalking a minor and obstruction of justice. She was released on $5,000 bail.
Police documents show that when she was confronted with the evidence, she admitted the messages came from her. She and her attorney said they had no comment at this time.
The mother did not elaborate on the motives behind the attack on her daughter and her daughter’s boyfriend at the time.
The doctor is due back in court later in December to determine if there is enough information to proceed with the case.
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