South Carolina Father Charged After Leaving 6-Year-Old in Overnight Target Line

A father in South Carolina has been arrested after police said he left his 6-year-old daughter alone in a line outside a Target store overnight, so he could hold his place for a Pokémon trading card release.

Charleston Police Department officers responded to the West Ashley Target around 2:30 a.m. on November 6, 2026, after a report of an unattended child. Charleston Police said numerous customers had gathered outside the store overnight for the launch of a new set of Pokémon trading cards. The child was unharmed.

According to GameSpot, John-Michael Dooley, 35, allegedly left his daughter in line at about 1 a.m. Witnesses said he gave her a pillow and a blanket before he left. Concerned customers contacted police about the girl after about an hour.

Dooley returned to the store around 2:30 a.m. Other people in line identified him, and police arrested him there. The city's police statement says Dooley is of Johns Island. Police said he admitted to them that he left his daughter unattended to save his place in line.

South Carolina Social Services took the girl into emergency protective custody, GameSpot reported. Dooley was charged with unlawful conduct toward a child. He is being held at the Al Cannon Detention Center.

Overnight queues are a common sight when a popular collectible goes on sale, because shoppers want to be first in line for limited stock. In this case, the line ended with a child left in the cold, and a parent facing a criminal charge.

The charge is an allegation. Its outcome will be decided through the court process.