CHARLESTON, SC — Charleston police say a 35-year-old South Carolina man was arrested after leaving his 6-year-old daughter asleep in line outside a West Ashley Target while he went home to keep his place for a Pokémon card release.
Officers responded to the store around 2:30 a.m. Friday after a report that a child was unattended. Police said customers had been waiting overnight for the release of a new Pokémon trading card set, and the child had been left there with only a pillow and blanket.
Authorities said the girl was later found safe and unharmed. She was taken into emergency protective custody with the South Carolina Department of Social Services.
Police say customers called after the man did not return
According to Charleston police, witnesses said John-Michael Dooley left the child in line sometime after 1 a.m. and did not come back for about an hour. When he failed to return, other customers alerted police about the unattended girl outside the store.
Investigators said the overnight crowd was there for the Pokémon trading card release, which drew enough interest for people to line up well before dawn. The child remained there while the adults around her waited for their chance to buy the cards.
Police later identified Dooley after he returned to the Target. Officers then spoke with him about what had happened at the store.
Dooley admitted he went home to hold his spot in line
During an interview with detectives, Dooley admitted he had gone home and left his daughter unattended so he would not lose his place in line, police said. He also told investigators he wanted to make sure he could buy the cards.
That admission became central to the case, according to police, because it tied the child’s overnight presence to the card release itself. The girl had been left outside the store while her father was away.
Police said Dooley’s decision led to charges of unlawful conduct toward a child. He was taken into custody following the investigation.
The child was placed with state protective services
Authorities said the girl was not injured. Even so, police placed her in emergency protective custody with the South Carolina Department of Social Services after the incident.
The protective step reflects the seriousness of leaving a young child unattended late at night, especially outside a store during an overnight crowd. Police did not say how long the child had been asleep before officers were called.
Dooley was being held at the Al Cannon Detention Center after the arrest, according to Charleston police.
Pokémon card demand has turned store openings into overnight events
The incident happened during the release of a new Pokémon trading card set, an event that attracted customers to the Target before sunrise. Police said people had gathered through the night, creating the kind of line that can form when sought-after collectibles go on sale.
Those releases often bring strong demand, with buyers arriving early to secure inventory before it sells out. In this case, that anticipation is what led to the child being left outside the store while her father went home.
Police have not said whether the store had any specific policy that affected the line or whether Dooley had other arrangements for the child before leaving.
Unlawful conduct toward a child charge follows overnight arrest
Dooley’s arrest turned what began as a retail rush into a criminal case centered on child safety. The charge of unlawful conduct toward a child alleges behavior that placed the girl at risk by leaving her alone overnight outside the store.
Charleston police have not released additional details about whether anyone else was with the child earlier in the night or whether the department expects further charges. For now, the case remains tied to the Friday morning response at the West Ashley Target.
What police say is clear is that a child was left unattended, customers noticed, and officers intervened before the situation escalated further.
