Investigators In Wendy's Finger Case Check Out Clue
SAN JOSE, Calif. -- Police in California say they're checking out a possible lead in the case involving an allegedly contaminated bowl of Wendy's chili.
San Jose police are investigating the case of a woman who lost part of her finger in a leopard attack. The woman, who has several exotic animals, reportedly got the finger back in a bag of ice, after doctors couldn't re-attach it. She lives in a town about 45 miles north of Las Vegas.
A month after that attack, a Las Vegas woman reported biting into a human finger while eating a bowl of Wendy's chili.
An animal sanctuary employee called a Wendy's hot line Tuesday to suggest the finger might be linked to the February leopard attack.
Wendy's has maintained the finger allegedly found in the chili had not been cooked, and that it didn't enter the supply chain as part of its ingredients.
None of the employees at the San Jose store had lost any fingers, and no suppliers of Wendy's ingredients reported any hand or finger injuries, the company said.
Meanwhile, the woman who claimed she scooped up the human finger along with her chili at a Wendy's restaurant has decided not to sue.
Anna Ayala dropped her claim because it "has caused her great emotional distress and continues to be difficult emotionally," said her attorney, Jeffrey Janoff.
Ayala, 39, claimed she found the 1½-inch long fingertip on March 22 while dining at a Wendy's restaurant in San Jose. She later filed a claim with the franchise owner, Fresno-based JEM Management Corp., which her attorney had said was the first step before filing a lawsuit.
Court records show Ayala has a history of making legal claims against corporations, including a former employer, General Motors and a fast-food restaurant. She acknowledged receiving a settlement for medical costs a year ago after claiming that her daughter was sickened after eating at a Las Vegas restaurant.
Phone calls to Ayala's house went unanswered Tuesday. Investigators searched her Las Vegas home last week as part of their investigation into how a finger ended up in the chili.
Wendy's spokesman Denny Lynch declined to comment on Ayala's decision not to sue, but said a reward hot line to receive tips will remain open. Wendy's has offered $50,000 to the first person who can provide verifiable information that identifies the origin of the finger.
"It's very important to us to find out what really happened at the restaurant," Lynch said. "We will continue to fully cooperate with the police investigation."
The Santa Clara County coroner's office used a partial fingerprint to search for a match in an electronic database but came up empty. DNA testing is still being conducted on the finger.
