San Jose, Calif. -- A Pennsylvania woman says her son -- who lost a fingertip in a work accident -- gave the digit to the husband of the Las Vegas woman now accused of planting it in a cup of Wendy's chili to settle a $50 debt.
"My son is the victim in this," Brenda Shouey told the San Francisco Chronicle for a story Wednesday. "I believe he got caught in something, and he didn't understand what was going on."
Shouey said her son, Brian Paul Rossiter, 36, of Las Vegas, lost part of his finger when his gloved hand was caught in a mechanical truck lift in December at a paving firm where he worked with James Plascencia, the husband of Anna Ayala, who was arrested last month and was set to be arraigned Wednesday. Plascencia was arrested earlier this month on unrelated charges of failing to pay child support in a previous relationship.
San Jose police announced last week the finger was obtained from an associate of Plascencia, but they have refused to identify him because he is cooperating in the investigation.
Shouey said her son was desperate for cash when he gave his finger away.
"He had a money problem. He owed $50 to this character, James," Shouey said, adding she just learned of her son's involvement when he called her Monday night.
Shouey declined to give details of how the finger was preserved, the nature of her son's debt, or whether Rossiter knew why Plascencia allegedly wanted the finger. She said her son is keeping a low profile after undergoing intense police questioning in the case.
"My son is a happy-go-lucky guy. He thought it was cute to show" the severed finger, Shouey said. "It's like a man thing. If a woman had her finger severed, she would never show it to anyone. But he would show it to the girls in the office if they asked."
Ayala, 39, was arrested April 21 at her Las Vegas home on suspicion of attempted grand theft for allegedly costing Wendy's millions of dollars in a plot to shake down the company with a tainted-food claim.
