It's on
Yahoo News
LAS VEGAS - The woman who claimed she found a well-manicured finger in her bowl of Wendy's chili last month was arrested at her home Thursday night, police said.
Police in San Jose, Calif. ? the site of the Wendy's in question ? announced the arrest of Anna Ayala in Las Vegas. Police spokesman Enrique Garcia said authorities would not give any details until a news conference Friday.
Ayala's 18-year-old son, Guadalupe Reyes, said he had gone to the store around 9 p.m. when he got a phone call from a friend who was back at the house.
"We rushed back and she was already gone," Reyes said.
Reyes said he had no other details and was waiting to hear from his mother.
The arrest is the latest twist in the bizarre case about how the 1 1/2-inch finger tip 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.
