CHARLESTON, SC — A South Carolina father was arrested after police said he left his 6-year-old daughter sleeping outside a Target store so he could keep his place in line for a new Pokémon trading card release.
Charleston police said officers responded early Friday to a report of an unattended child outside the store in West Ashley. Investigators later identified the man as 35-year-old John-Michael Dooley of Johns Island.
Police said the child was found unharmed, but the incident prompted an arrest and a child welfare response.
Police say customers had lined up overnight for the card release
According to the Charleston Police Department, several customers gathered outside the Target overnight because of the expected release of the new Pokémon card set. The store was closed at the time, but the crowd had formed long before sunrise.
Witnesses told officers that Dooley gave his daughter a pillow and blanket before leaving her asleep in line sometime after 1 a.m. Police said he then went home, leaving the girl there while he kept his place in the queue.
Concerned customers called police after about an hour passed and the father had still not returned. Officers responded around 2:30 a.m.
Witnesses identified the father when he returned to the store
Police said Dooley came back to the Target later and was recognized by witnesses, who then pointed him out to officers at the scene. After that, he was arrested.
In an interview with detectives, Dooley admitted that he had gone home and left his daughter unattended so he would not lose his place in line or miss the chance to buy the cards, according to police.
The department said the child was placed in emergency protective custody with the South Carolina Department of Social Services. Authorities said she was not injured.
Charge filed after officers investigated the unattended child report
Dooley was charged with unlawful conduct toward a child, Charleston police said. A Charleston Police Department spokesperson later said he had been released from custody, citing information from the Charleston County Sheriff’s Office website.
The arrest turned a late-night consumer rush into a criminal case, with police focusing on the decision to leave a young child outside a closed store for an extended period.
No additional charges were immediately announced, and investigators have not said whether any other adults were present in the area when the child was left there.
Target says the store was closed and it will cooperate with investigators
A Target spokesperson said the store was closed when the incident happened. The company also said it would cooperate with law enforcement during the investigation.
The episode drew attention because it involved the release of a popular collectibles product, which had drawn a crowd outside the West Ashley location overnight.
Police have not said whether the store or the line organizers had any role in monitoring the people waiting outside before opening time.
The child welfare response followed the arrest in West Ashley
After officers confirmed what had happened, Charleston police said the girl was turned over to state child welfare officials for emergency protective custody. That step came after the child was found sleeping outside the store and police determined she had been left alone.
The case also underscores how overnight releases for in-demand products can create unexpected safety issues when families bring young children into long waits.
For now, the police department says the child is safe and the investigation into Dooley’s conduct is complete enough to support the child endangerment charge.
