Father arrested for sleeping daughter left in Pokémon card line

John-Michael Dooley, 35, faces criminal charges after leaving his 6-year-old daughter asleep in an overnight line outside a Target store in Charleston. The arrest followed a dispute over how far a parent will go to secure a place for a specific product release.

Officers from the Charleston Police Department received a report of an unattended child around 2:30 a.m. Friday in the West Ashley neighborhood. Witnesses stated that Dooley had given his daughter a pillow and a blanket before departing the line sometime after 1 a.m. Customers who waited for Dooley to return called police when he did not reappear within an hour.

Dooley admitted to detectives that he went home to ensure his daughter slept while he maintained his position in the queue. He feared that leaving the line would cause him to miss the opportunity to buy the new trading card set. Upon his return, witnesses identified him to the officers who took him into custody.

The girl was found unharmed and placed in emergency protective custody with the South Carolina Department of Social Services. Dooley was charged with unlawful conduct toward a child. A spokesperson for the Charleston Police Department confirmed that he has since been released from custody.

The Target store was closed during the incident. A company spokesperson said the store would cooperate with law enforcement as they investigate the circumstances surrounding the overnight gathering.