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Michigan Mom Accused of Catfishing Her Teen Daughter

Prosecutors say they uncovered 349 pages of harassing texts and social media messages.

A Michigan woman has been accused of catfishing her own teenage daughter and then attempting to frame another student. Kendra Licari, 42, worked as a basketball coach at her daughter’s Mt. Pleasant school, Beal City Schools, when a complaint was made last December regarding her daughter and her then-boyfriend being cyberbullied, The Morning Sun reports. An investigation was launched by the school district, which later handed it off to police, leading to Licari’s arrest Monday and charges in Isabella County District Court. Licari had allegedly created an online persona, pretending to be the same age as her daughter, and using location proxies to mask her IP address. During the investigation, she also allegedly attempted to frame a student at her daughter’s school for the catfishing. Prosecutors said they compiled 349 pages of harassing texts and social media messages during their investigation, with family members telling investigators the harassment had been going on since early 2021. Licari faces charges of stalking a minor, using a computer to commit a crime, and obstruction of justice. A court date is set for Dec. 29 to determine whether there’s enough evidence to take her to trial.