At the time that Pando purchased the ticket, Mrs. Fernandez was 38 and the mother of three children on welfare. Christopher Pando was 16 (too young to buy lottery tickets) and was a friend of her son. Mrs. Fernandez denied that she ever asked Pando to buy the tickets or pick the numbers, and also denied the fact that she offered to share her money with him.
When Pando bought the ticket, Mrs. Fernandez was 38 years old and had three children on welfare. Her 16-year-old son's friend, Christopher Pando, was involved in the transaction. However, Mrs. Fernandez claimed she never asked Pando to buy the tickets or choose the numbers, and also denied offering him any of her money.