Parbati Kalicharan not guilty of stabbing her granddaughter over puzzle dispute

Kalichari was convicted of a lesser charge last week.

Parbati Kalicharan has been found not guilty of stabbing her granddaughter in the ear with a kitchen knife last fall over a dispute that arose while the two constructed a puzzle.

Instead, the Apple Valley grandmother was convicted of misdemeanor fifth-degree assault, a considerably lesser charge that likely won't carry prison time.

According to the original reports, Kalichari, 64, and her 12-year-old granddaughter were putting together a puzzle when the two started arguing.

The granddaughter told Kalichari to "shut up," which, according to police, inspired Kalichari to rip up the puzzle, grab a knife she was using to cut peppers, and carve out a gash in the 12-year-old's ear.

Anthony Ho, attorney for Kalichari, says there wasn't sufficient evidence to prove that this is how it went down.

There was a small cut on the girl's ear, however, Ho says.

"The injury was very minor," he says. "There have been officers who testified that there wasn't any need for medical treatment, not even a Band-Aid."

Kalichari was originally charged with second-degree assault with a deadly weapon. Last week, she was found guilty of the lesser charge, which Ho explains comes from "simply the causing of fear or fear of harm in another person."

Kalichari will be sentenced June 28.