John-Michael Dooley charged after leaving 6-year-old in Target line

Father Waits Overnight with Sleeping Daughter for Trading Cards

John-Michael Dooley, 35, gave his sleeping daughter a pillow and blanket while waiting alongside numerous other people in line for the trading cards outside the West Ashley neighborhood Target around 1 a.m. Friday, the Charleston Police Department said in a news release.

That moment marked the beginning of an overnight wait that led to an arrest in Charleston, South Carolina, as crowds gathered for a release of Pokémon trading card sets. The newly dropped collections, including Mega Evolution – Delta Reign and 30th Celebration, drew dedicated fans to stores for packs starting around $5.

Witnesses Spot the Unattended Girl

Dooley, a local from Johns Island, left his 6-year-old daughter asleep in the queue while he went home. Witnesses noticed the child unattended for over an hour and contacted authorities around 2:30 a.m. Friday.

line up across the country

Witnesses Identify Father Leading to His Arrest

When Dooley returned to the store later that morning, witnesses identified him to officers from the Charleston Police Department, leading to his arrest. The father confessed to investigators that he left the youngster outside to maintain his spot in line and avoid missing the chance to purchase the cards, police said.

Father Faces Child Welfare Charges After Detention

Dooley was charged with unlawful conduct toward a child and booked into the Al Cannon Detention Center. Online court records show his bond was set at $40,000, and he is slated to return to court on Dec. 12.

John-Michael Dooley charged after leaving 6-year-old in Target line — Photo: wtoc.com

Police confirmed that the young girl was unharmed during the incident. She was subsequently placed into emergency protective custody with the South Carolina Department of Social Services.