Netflix documentary spotlights ‘Munchausen by Internet’ after mother catfished her 13-year-old daughter

A Netflix documentary that showed a mother sending abusive, sexually explicit messages to her own teenage daughter has renewed debate about so-called "Munchausen by Internet," with experts and community members saying online platforms may be amplifying new forms of attention-seeking and caregiver harm.

Unknown Number: The High School Catfish recounts how 13-year-old Lauryn Licari and her then-boyfriend, identified in the film as Owen, were targeted by a torrent of abusive messages that viewers and local residents later learned were sent by Lauryn's mother, Kendra Licari. The victims lived in Beal City, Michigan, and the documentary prompted widespread astonishment and distress among audiences.

Former Beal City superintendent Bill Chillman told viewers of the programme that the case resembled what he described as "a cyber Munchausen's case," saying the mother "wanted her daughter to need her in such a way that she was willing to hurt her and this is the way she chose to do that versus physically trying to make her ill — which is typical Munchausen behaviour."

Those observing the film and mental health professionals interviewed in it suggested the internet can provide a low-risk, high-reward environment for fabrications: anonymity, the ability to create convincing false identities and an ecosystem that amplifies sympathy and attention. The documentary also discussed other online deceptions, including instances in which people falsely claimed serious illnesses such as cancer to solicit donations or emotional support from strangers around the world.

Munchausen syndrome, as defined by Britain’s National Health Service, is a psychological condition in which a person repeatedly acts as if they have a physical or mental illness when they are not really sick. Munchausen by proxy — more recently called factitious disorder imposed on another — refers to cases in which a caregiver fabricates or induces illness in a person under their care. "Munchausen by Internet" is a colloquial term used by clinicians and commentators to describe cases in which people feign illness or victimhood online to gain attention, sympathy, or other benefits.

Mental health experts say the diagnostic lines can be murky when deception moves from physical settings into digital spaces. Traditional factitious disorders involve tangible medical testing and hospital interactions; online impostures rely on narrative control, social media dynamics and peer validation. That shift, clinicians and scholars told the documentary's producers, can change both motive and consequences.

Researchers who study online deception caution that attention-seeking explains only part of the phenomenon. Complex factors can include personality disorders, a need for control, underlying trauma, or addiction to the social reinforcement that comes from sympathy and engagement. The documentary does not offer clinical diagnoses for those involved but presents interviews with local officials, victims and mental health commentators who describe the effects of prolonged online abuse on teenagers and their families.

The case highlighted weaknesses in platform moderation and the difficulty of policing interpersonal harassment when perpetrators impersonate trusted people in victims' lives. Catfishing—the creation of false online identities to deceive others—long predates modern social networks, but experts say platforms with private messaging and encrypted chats can allow prolonged impersonation before detection.

Legal and child-protection advocates say existing laws and policies were not designed for the complexities of deceptive caregiving conducted through digital channels. Some U.S. jurisdictions criminalize harassment, impersonation and online sexual exploitation, but prosecution depends on evidence, intent and local statutes. Child welfare authorities must balance investigation with the need to protect minors from further harm.

The documentary has prompted calls for more research into how digital environments may alter both the expression and the prevalence of factitious behaviors. Clinicians and technologists interviewed in the film urged social platforms to improve verification tools, reporting mechanisms and support for victims, while mental health professionals emphasized training for child welfare workers and schools to recognize signs of digitally mediated abuse.

Viewers and experts also raised ethical questions about how such cases are portrayed in popular media. Filmmakers said they aimed to center victims' experiences and community response, and to spark discussion about the broader social and technological trends that can enable deception.

The Licari case remains an acute example of harm inflicted through online impersonation within a family. As the documentary reached international audiences, it reignited debate among clinicians, educators and platform operators about how to identify, prevent and respond to a spectrum of deceptive online behaviors that can cause real-world trauma.

Further study and clearer guidance from mental health authorities and social platforms, experts in the film said, will be necessary to understand whether the term "Munchausen by Internet" describes a distinct, growing phenomenon or a set of familiar behaviors reconfigured by digital tools.