Woman who claimed to find finger in chili arrested
Friday, April 22, 2005 Posted: 6:39 AM EDT (1039 GMT)
SAN FRANCISCO, California (AP) -- The woman who claimed she found a well-manicured finger in her bowl of Wendy\'s chili last month was arrested Thursday night in Las Vegas, police said.
Anna Ayala was taken into custody at her home, San Jose police spokesman Enrique Garcia said. He said police would not give any details until a news conference Friday afternoon. Las Vegas police also refused to comment.
The arrest is the latest twist in the bizarre case about how the 11/2-inch fingertip ended up in a bowl of fast-food chili.
Ayala told police she found the finger March 22 while eating at a Wendy\'s in San Jose. She said she intended to sue but relented, claiming the publicity was too emotionally taxing.
When police and health officials failed to find any missing digits among the workers involved in the restaurant\'s supply chain, suspicion fell on Ayala, whose story has become a late-night punch line.
Ayala has a litigious history. She has filed claims against several corporations, including a former employer and General Motors, though it is unclear from court records whether she received any money. She said she got $30,000 from El Pollo Loco after her 13-year-old daughter got sick at one of the chain\'s Las Vegas-area restaurants. El Pollo Loco officials say she did not get a dime.
Earlier Thursday, Ohio-based Wendy\'s International Inc. announced it had ended its internal investigation, saying it could find no credible link between the finger and the restaurant chain.
All the employees at the San Jose store were found to have all their fingers, and no suppliers reported any hand or finger injuries, the company said.
Sales have dropped at franchises in Northern California, forcing layoffs and reduced hours, the company said. Wendy\'s also has hired private investigators, set up a hot line for tips and offered a $100,000 reward for anyone who provides information leading to the finger\'s original owner.