SAN JOSE, Calif. - A woman who claimed she scooped up a human finger in her chili at a Wendy's restaurant has decided not to sue the fast-food chain.

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 1 1/2-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 filed at least six lawsuits in the San Francisco Bay area, and 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 in Las Vegas went unanswered Tuesday. Investigators searched her 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 to drop the lawsuit 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."

Wendy's maintains the finger did not enter the food chain in 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.

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.

oh gawd...

I'm hungry

VoicesCarry said:

I heard on Current Affair that Anna has a suit going against the Police for harrassment b/c they stormed her house looking for evidence. They suspect that she planted the finger in the Chili. So far, the authorities have not been able to trace the owner of the finger.

I bet I know who's responsible for the finger.

did they check HER hands?

nilegettolrahc said:

Yes

Hotlegs said:

oh

If she DID plant it...where did she get it from?????

Yesterday, I heard on Good Mourning America they suspect that that the thumb may belong to a trainer of a Leopard that lives in the Parumph Nevada area. She had just recently lost an finger while training her leopard. The authorities stated that they will have to do more test to substatiate if this is the actual hand. So far, they feel pretty confident that they may have a match.

Hotlegs said:

A friend of mine told me that Anna Ayala had dropped the charges against Wendy's for this "incident". My first reaction was, "Why did she do that, she's crazy!" But in reading this latest update, I get the feeling that this woman could actually have put this finger in the chili on purpose. I don't know who in their right mind would do this, but if this woman has filed at least six lawsuits in the San Francisco Bay area, she sounds like the kind of person who just does this stuff to get money and attention from the media. If she DID in fact do this intentionally, then I hope she gets punished to the fullest extent, because anybody who does this stuff and then cries wolf is just sick in the head.
[Edited 4/16/05 9:55am]

Hotlegs said:

not a match...or so i think thats what they said as i was dozzing off to sleep while watching the news.

SomeoneElse said:

me too im in the mood for a wendy's frosty

AcutenPetiteGrl said:

As much as I dig Wendy's, I've had to avoid that place like the plaque until that scandal dies down. For some strange reason, you can't help but think about that damn finger especially if you may have a craving for Chilli or Chicken Fingers .

Hotlegs said:

they sale chicken figures?

Hotlegs said:

I know what you mean. When the finger scandal first came out, I said to myself, "I'm never going to Wendy's again!" Not that I go there much anyway to begin with, but hearing about this whole incident just makes your stomach turn.

MmMmMmM a baked potato with brocolli and cheese....and some sour cream.....yum

AcutenPetiteGrl said:

I wonder if I order a spud will have to worry about having any digits mixed in it along w/the brocolli and .
[Edited 4/16/05 21:56pm]

bkw said:

I used to love the shit outta that movie! What happened to that dude?

so, catch me up here.... is the finger really a finger ?? like, is it for sure real ????? because, in the beginning, i thought the shit was fake

nakedpianoplayer said:

It's a real finger unfortunately .

Hotlegs said:

wow, and if noone from the wendy's corporation is missing a finger.... and they dont know where the damn thing came from .... then, i'd say, dig up her yard no tellin what the fuck you'd find back there

nakedpianoplayer said:

You never know. It will be interesting to see what happens in a couple weeks.

psychodelicide said:

Anna Ayala.. Isn't her real name Anna Arvizo?

jn2 said:

Dunno, it could be.

Well fellow orgers, I just heard on the news that Chilli lady was arrested. The authorities determined that her story about finding a finger in Wendy's Chilli is a hoax and she was arrested earlier today. I am happy b/c I can start back eating at Wendy's .

Hotlegs said:

That's great news!